Beowulf

Written in Old English by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 750 c.e., BEOWULF is the oldest surviving poem written in the English language. By the time the story was written down, it had been in circulation as an oral narrative for generations by Northern European peoples who had migrated to England from Scandinavia two hundred years earlier. These Saxon invaders had been pagan warriors, but after their arrival on the island they experienced a large-scale conversion to Christianity. Thus the highly artistic, action-filled narrative of BEOWULF is replete with Christian theology entangled with pagan mythology. The sole existing copy of the Anglo-Saxon BEOWULF manuscript was written around the year 1000 c.e. It was damaged in a fire in 1731 and now resides in the British Library.

The story of Beowulf opens at Herot, the royal hall of the Danes. For twelve years the aged King Hrothgar suffered while his kingdom was being ravaged by a monster named Grendel, who emerges at night from a darkened marsh attacking and killing Hrothgar’s sleeping warriors.

Hearing of Grendel's murderous visits, young Beowulf sails from Geatland (southern Sweeden) with fourteen companions to offer the services of his great strength to the king. Landing on the Danish coast, Beowulf is challenged as a spy. He persuads the coastguards to let him pass, and is received and feasted by King Hrothgar. When the king and his court retire for the night, Beowulf and his companions are left alone in the hall. All but Beowulf falls asleep. Grendel enters, and with a single stroke kills one of Beowulf's sleeping men. Beowulf, unarmed, wrestles with the monster, and through his great strength manages to tear Grendel's arm out at the shoulder. The injured monster flees back to his den in the nearby marsh. Beowulf hangs Grendel's severed arm in Hrothgar's hall to announce the victory.

Hrothgar celebrates Grendel's defeat, but Grendel’s mother, incensed with grief, attacks the hall the next night to avenge the death of her son. She enters the hall and seizes one of Hrothgar’s most valued warriors, fleeing with him. Grendel's mother also steals the severed arm of her son. Beowulf is not sleeping in the hall that night and does not find out about the attack until the next morning. Armed with his sword, Hrunting, Beowulf follows the blood trail to the water's edge. He plunges in and swims to a chamber under the sea. There he fights with Grendel's mother, killing her with an old sword he finds in the sea cavern. Nearby is Grendel's body. Beowulf cuts off its head and brings it back as a trophy to King Hrothgar. Great is the rejoicing in the hall and greater is Beowulf's welcome when he returns to Geatland, where he is given great estates and many high honors.

Many years pass, and Beowulf himself eventually becomes king of the Geats. One of Beowulf's men discovers a treasure guarded by a dragon and steals a golden goblet, which he gives to Beowulf. Angered by the theft, the dragon ravages Beowulf's land. Although he is old, Beowulf decides to fight the dragon. However, Beowulf's weapons prove useless against the dragon, so Beowulf attacks it with his bare hands. All but one of Beowulf's warriors flee from the scene; only the devoted Wiglaf remains. The dragon shatters Beowulf's sword and the monster's fangs sink into Beowulf's neck. Wiglaf, rushing into the struggle, helps the dying Beowulf kill the dragon.

Beowulf's injuries from the battle with the dragon are fatal. Dying, Beowulf looks upon the dragon's treasure and gives some of his own golden armor to Wiglaf. Beowulf's funeral follows, with the hero's body ritually burned. In a burial mound, the Geats bury Beowulf's ashes with the treasures gained from the dragon’s lair. The poem ends with the Geats mourning the death of their great leader.