Beowulf Summary
September 27, 2024
This article will provide a scene-by-scene summary of Beowulf. If you鈥檙e like me, you probably have only the vaguest memory of studying Beowulf in high school. You might remember your teacher telling you that it鈥檚 one of the oldest works of literature in English. Or maybe you remember something about the unique characteristics of Old English poetry 鈥� two half-lines linked by alliteration. Or maybe you just remember the atrocious movie version of .听
(Please note 鈥� this is one time where you absolutely cannot watch the film instead of reading the book. In the movie version, Beowulf doesn鈥檛 kill Grendel鈥檚 mother 鈥� rather, he makes a pact with her to become king (and has sex with her?). When Beowulf returns to Heorot, he tells Hrothgar he鈥檚 killed Grendel鈥檚 mother. Hrothgar then reveals he is Grendel鈥檚 father and kills himself. Needless to say, this is not what happens in the book!)听听
All the quotes are from .听
Beowulf Summary
Prologue: The Rise of the Danes
This first section tells the lineage of Hrothgar, the Danish king who Grendel will terrorize. We hear of Shield Sheafson (Hrothgar鈥檚 great-grandfather), who, though a foundling, eventually established the Danish royal family. The narrator tells us that when Shield dies, his son Beow put his body on a boat, decked with treasure, and set it adrift in the sea.听
Like his father, Beow is a good king. When Beow dies, his son Halfdane (Hrothgar鈥檚 father) assumes the throne. Fortune shines on Hrothgar, who eventually builds a great mead-hall called Heorot, 鈥渢he hall of halls鈥� (line 78).听
Heorot Is Attacked
This section introduces Grendel, 鈥渁 powerful demon, a prowler through the dark鈥� (86). Grendel, hell-spawn that he is, is offended at the sound of the creation story being sung at Heorot. One night, Grendel enters Heorot and slays thirty men. Though Hrothgar is a powerful king, he can do nothing to stop Grendel鈥檚 attacks. Hrothgar and his clan are terrorized by Grendel for 12 years before a hero comes along.听
The Hero Comes to Heorot
In this section, we finally meet Beowulf (though we don鈥檛 find out his name until midway through the section). Introduced as Hygelac鈥檚 thane, this hero is 鈥渢he mightiest man on earth鈥� (197). We hear of his ship, his crew, and their journey from Geatland.听
When Beowulf and his crew arrive, they are challenged by a watchman, who asks what business they have in Hrothgar鈥檚 land. Beowulf introduces himself and offers his 鈥渨holehearted help and counsel鈥� to Hrothgar. The watchman leads Beowulf and his crew to Heorot, where they are met by Wulfgar, Hrothgar鈥檚 herald. Wulfgar takes the news of Beowulf鈥檚 arrival to Hrothgar, who bids the warriors enter.听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
Beowulf enters and greets King Hrothgar. After some pleasantries, Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he will fight Grendel in hand-to-hand combat. Hrothgar invites Beowulf and his crew to feast at Heorot.听
Feast at Heorot听
The feast commences in earnest and Beowulf has to deal with Unferth, who is jealous of Beowulf鈥檚 renown. Unferth brings up Beowulf鈥檚 long-ago swimming competition with Breca, a seven-day swim-a-thon which Beowulf ultimately lost. He accuses Beowulf of vanity and tells him that he will die at the hands of Grendel.听
Beowulf offers a measured response, telling Unferth that 鈥渋t was mostly the beer that was doing the talking鈥� (531). What Unferth doesn鈥檛 know about that competition is that after five days of swimming, Beowulf was attacked by sea monsters (he eventually killed nine). This was why Breca was able to outswim him. After explaining why he lost to Breca, Beowulf puts Unferth in his place, telling him that if he was half the warrior he pretended to be, Grendel never would have dared attack Heorot.听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
Later, Hrothgar鈥檚 wife, Wealhtheow, enters the hall and welcomes Beowulf, who reaffirms his promise to kill Grendel. As the feast dies down, Hrothgar and his house guard leave Beowulf and his men in the hall to face Grendel.听
The Fight with Grendel
The Geats bed down for the night in Heorot. When Grendel appears, Beowulf is ready. Grendel manages to kill one of the crew before Beowulf grabs him. Terrified at Beowulf鈥檚 strength, Grendel tries to flee, but Beowulf rips Grendel鈥檚 arm from its socket. After Grendel has fled to his den (where he dies), Beowulf hangs the arm from the roof of Heorot.听
Celebration at Heorot
The news of Beowulf鈥檚 victory over Grendel spreads far and wide. Thanes and chiefs flock to Heorot to celebrate and a poet writes a song comparing Beowulf to the legendary Sigemund. When Hrothgar returns to the mead-hall, he showers Beowulf with praise and reaffirms the connection between them. (The text says that Unferth is notably silent.)听
After some description of Grendel鈥檚 arm 鈥� 鈥�…no time-proofed blade鈥ould cut this brutal, blood-caked claw鈥� 鈥� Hrothgar orders the mead-hall repaired (987-988). When the hall is repaired, everyone sits down for a feast. Gifts are lavished on Beowulf and his crew and a poet recites the 鈥�鈥� to the assembled lords.听听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
When the poet finishes, Hrothgar鈥檚 queen urges him to name his successor (she suggests Hrothulf, Hrothgar鈥檚 nephew). She gazes over to where Beowulf sits with her two sons, Hrethric and Hrothmund. After Beowulf is presented with more gifts, Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to treat her sons kindly, then retires.听
This section ends ominously.听 The narrator asks, 鈥淗ow could they know fate, the grim shape of things to come鈥� (1233-34). Though the guards are set and weapons close at hand, something wicked this way comes.听
Another Attack听
The good times at Heorot don鈥檛 last long. The narrator explains that Grendel鈥檚 mother, that 鈥渕onstrous hell-bride鈥rief-wracked and ravenous,鈥� is coming for the Danes while they sleep (1259, 1277). When she arrives, the assembled warriors awake and fight. Grendel鈥檚 mother flees, but not before grabbing one of King Hrothgar鈥檚 trusted advisors, Aeschere.听
The next morning, Beowulf comes to the mead-hall and hears the story of the newest attack. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that Grendel鈥檚 mother lives in a lake whose water burns at night. Declaring that 鈥渉elp depends again on you and you alone,鈥� Hrothgar promises Beowulf riches if he defeats this new monster (1376-77).
Beowulf Fights Grendel鈥檚 Mother听
Beowulf urges Hrothgar and his men to ride out with him in pursuit of Grendel鈥檚 mother. When they reach the lake where Grendel鈥檚 mother lives, they find the head of Aeschere. They also see 鈥渨rithing sea-dragons and monsters鈥� on the slopes near the lake (1425-26). Hrothgar kills one of the monsters with an arrow and then Beowulf prepares to enter the lake.听
The narrator describes Beowulf鈥檚 battle gear and we find out that Unfearth has given Beowulf his own sword, named Hrunting. Finally dressed for battle, Beowulf bids Hrothgar farewell. He asks Hrothgar to take care of his crew should he perish, and to send Hygelac the treasure he has won. With that he dives into the water.听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
Grendel鈥檚 mother immediately grabs Beowulf and drags him to her lair, where he is attacked by 鈥渄roves of sea-beasts鈥� (1510). Beowulf fights them off and swings his blade at Grendel鈥檚 mother鈥檚 head 鈥� to no effect. Beowulf casts his sword aside and grapples with her. She grabs a knife and nearly kills him, but Beowulf sees an ancient sword in the cave, grabs it, and decapitates her. With Grendel鈥檚 mother dead, Beowulf looks around the cave. He sees Grendel鈥檚 body and takes its head as a trophy. (Please note 鈥� unlike the movie, Beowulf does not have sex with Grendel鈥檚 mother.)
Victorious, Beowulf swims to the surface, where his men await. They mount Grendel鈥檚 head on a spear and return triumphantly to Heorot.听
Another Celebration at Heorot听
Having arrived at Heorot from his battle with Grendel鈥檚 mother, Beowulf tells Hrothgar and the assembled warriors of his victory. He explains how he took the ancient sword and smote the monster. He presents the hilt to Hrothgar, who sees on it the story of the great flood. Hrothgar praises Beowulf and reminds him not to become prideful. A banquet is set and the whole hall celebrates Beowulf鈥檚 victory. Eventually, Hrothgar retires and Beowulf is guided to his quarters.听
Beowulf Returns Home听
After killing Grendel and Grendel鈥檚 mother, Beowulf is excited to return to the land of the Geats. He bids an emotional farewell to the gray-haired Hrothgar, who has the premonition that he will never see Beowulf again.听
Beowulf and his crew make their way back to their treasure-laden ship. When they arrive home, they are taken to the mead-hall of Hygelac, Beowulf鈥檚 uncle and king of the Geats. Hygelac wants to hear everything about Beowulf鈥檚 adventures. After a brief digression about the inevitability of war between the Danes and the Heatho-Bards, Beowulf tells Hygelac about the killing of Grendel and his mother.听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
His story finished, Beowulf presents Hygelac with gifts from Hrothgar. The narrator tells us that as a child, Beowulf had been thought a weakling. After his adventure, 鈥渆very affront to his deserving was reversed鈥� (2189). As a reward for his bravery, Hygelac gives Beowulf a gem-studded sword, land, a hall, and a throne.听
The Dragon Wakes听
In the blink of an eye, fifty years pass. Beowulf becomes King of the Geats and rules well. The narrator tells of a thief who takes a single cup from a dragon鈥檚 hoard. This trespass wakes the dragon, who begins to scorch the surrounding farmland.听
After Beowulf hears about the dragon, we get two digressions on Beowulf鈥檚 ascension to the throne. The narrator tells us of Hygelac鈥檚 death in Friesland and then of the death of Heardred, Hygelac鈥檚 son, who was killed by the Swedes.听
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
Beowulf takes twelve men and goes out to hunt the dragon. They eventually find the thief who took the cup and make him guide them to the dragon鈥檚 hoard. Before entering the dragon鈥檚 lair, Beowulf sits, 鈥渟ad at heart鈥ensing his death鈥� (2439-40). He speaks of the ascension of Hygelac (Beowulf鈥檚 uncle) to the throne of the Geats and riches and honors that Hygelac gave him.听
Beowulf Attacks the Dragon听
Beowulf senses that his death is near. He tells his men to stay at the entrance to the cave and then enters the dragon鈥檚 lair. When the dragon attacks him, Beowulf 鈥渟truck hard at its enameled scales, but barely cut through鈥� (2575-6). The dragon strikes again and all but one of Beowulf鈥檚 comrades flee. Only Wiglaf, son of Weohstan, remains with Beowulf.听
Wiglaf takes his place at Beowulf鈥檚 side. The dragon attacks again and Beowulf sword connects with its skull. Wounded, the dragon grabs Beowulf by the neck. Wiglaf stabs the dragon in the belly and Beowulf manages to stab it in the flank and finish it off.听
The dragon is dead, but Beowulf realizes that the dragon鈥檚 bite is poison. Knowing his death is near, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring the dragon鈥檚 hoard to him so that he can see it before he dies. Not having a son, Beowulf is happy to see the riches he may bestow on his clan before he dies. He tells Wiglaf to build a burial mound on a cliff above the sea. His legacy secured, Beowulf gives his armor and helmet to Wiglaf and dies.听
Beowulf鈥檚 Funeral听
Wiglaf, alone with the body of Beowulf, mourns his death. With the dragon dead, the men who fled return and see Wiglaf sitting next to Beowulf鈥檚 body. Wiglaf tells how Beowulf slayed the dragon and scolds the men as cowards. He says that their land will be taken from them once people hear how they disgraced themselves.听
Wiglaf sends word of the battle to the Geats. Now that Beowulf is dead, the Geats fear attacks from other tribes 鈥� especially the Swedes, with whom the Geats have a long feud. Wiglaf selects seven of Beowulf鈥檚 thanes to fetch the dragon-hoard. The hoard collected, the Geats build a pyre for their fallen lord. As the body burns, we hear the keening of a Geatish woman, who sings of 鈥渉er nation invaded, enemies on the rampage, bodies in piles, slavery and abasement鈥� (3152-54).
Beowulf Summary (Continued)
The Geats collect what remains from the pyre and put it in a burial mound on the headlands, 鈥渁 marker that sailors could see from far away鈥� (3158). They add jewels and other treasures from the dragon鈥檚 hoard to the mound, after which twelve warriors ride around the tomb, chanting dirges. In the last lines, Beowulf is described as 鈥渢he man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame鈥� (3181-2).
Wrapping Up – Beowulf Summary
Given its context, getting into Beowulf takes more imagination (and perhaps more empathy) than most texts. I鈥檒l admit, I wasn鈥檛 sure how to access what seemed like a pretty basic story 鈥� strong guy kills three monsters. However, after reading Seamus Heaney鈥檚 translation and J.R.R. Tolkien鈥檚 amazing essay, 鈥� I can now appreciate Beowulf in a different way. At its center, Beowulf is a single man trying to secure the future of his clan against a host of enemies. The fact that Beowulf鈥檚 death means the possible end of the Geats makes his story even more poignant.听
If you鈥檝e found this article useful or interesting, you can also check out my summaries and analyses of 1984, Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, The Crucible, Beloved, Brave New World, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Macbeth, Jane Eyre, Of Mice and Men, and Romeo and Juliet.听
