Beowulf

Eckert 1

“Beowulf” is an epic poem that goes through the life of the great warrior Beowulf.   King

Hrothgar and his men have a great mead-hall called Herot where they have all their gatherings

and celebrations.   All of the sudden there was a sense of uncertainty and fear around the hall.

This was because there was a monster from the lake that had been spotted.   Some of the men said

they had seen two monsters wandering around in the night, one male, one female.   The male

monster’s name was Grendel and the loudness of the hall bothered him.   He attacked the hall

one night and killed many Danes, which caused hysteria throughout the land.   Beowulf, a young

Geatish warrior, and some of his men decide to sail to Denmark, determined to triumph over

Grendel.   Hrothgar had once done a great deed for Beowulf’s father, so Beowulf thought this

would be a fair compensation. They held a great feast for Beowulf and his fellow warriors.

Grendel arrives late in the night and Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving his strength. Beowulf

tears Grendel’s arm off, and he runs away back to the lake, where he would die.   The arm is hung

in the mead-hall and a sign of victory.   Beowulf and his men are showered with gifts and

everyone is thrilled.   They completely forget that there is another monster living in the lake, a

female figure.   In the middle of the night Grendel’s mother murders Hrothgar’s good friend,

Aeschere.   Beowulf follows the beast into the lake and swims all the way to the bottom.   He

fights her and kills her with a sword.   He sees Grendel’s corpse, and he decapitates it and brings

his head back as a trophy for Hrothgar.   Beowulf’s fame spreads throughout the kingdom.

Beowulf decides that it’s time for him and his men to return home.   They depart after a

sorrowful goodbye.   Beowulf gives most of the treasure he received in Denmark to Hygelac, king

of Geatland.

Eckert 2

Hygelac would later die in battle,...