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By Ellie Sullivan
Beowulf is an Anglo Saxon poem composed between the middle
of the seventh and the end of the tenth century. The poem
itself is more than three thousand lines long originally written
in the language of the Anglo Saxon or known today as Old English.
It is a heroic story about an honorable Scandinavian prince,
called Beowulf.
The story mainly focuses on two warring Scandinavian tribes
called the Geats and the Danes. Beowulf saves the Danes from
two horrendous monsters and for his deeds, there was a long
time of peace between them.
When Beowulf hears of the monstrous terror that is revenging
the great hall of the Danes, Heorot, he gathers a brave party
of warriors and heads out across the sea to the home of the
Danes. They reach the hall and are greeted by the Danes of
the hall including King Hrothgar, but they warn him of the
dangers that the monster Grendel reaps in the dark, but Beowulf
is a true warrior and states that if Grendel fights bare-handed
and without a sword then he will too.
Beowulf and his men bedded down for the night. Beowulf remained
alert and ready for the monster while the others dosed off
each with the belief that he would never make it home again.
While they slept, a sinister form slinked toward them.
Grendel opened the hall door and looked down upon the sleeping
warriors. In one swift moment, he grabbed the nearest warrior
and devoured him, and then he reaches for Beowulf… but
Beowulf is still ready and watching the monster so he grabs
the monster’s hideous arm. Beowulf twisted the arm behind
Grendel’s neck locking it there and the other warriors
tried to help by stabbing at him with their swords. What they
did not know was that a spell protected Grendel from all forms
of blades. Grendel tried to wrestle free of Beowulf’s
grip but could not and with one final tremendous attempt to
jerk himself free, Grendel’s arm ripped off at the shoulder
and he went running into the night. Death followed him along
the trail of blood he left from his mortal wound.
The Geats and Danes celebrated Beowulf’s victory and
hung the monster’s arm at the gates of the great hall.
Rivers of mead flowed into their cups and soon all fell sound
asleep. Little did they know that the danger was not over.
They awoke in the morning to find that Grendel’s mother
had come for revenge for the death of her son. She removed
his arm from its display and made off into the night with
Aeschere, a wise man and friend to Hrothgar.
When night fell again Beowolf, the King and men from both
parties followed the monsters’ tracks across the land
to where the water-demons lived. At the shore of the monsters’
home, Beowulf was given a sword and he dived into the water
in search of Grendel’s mother. She saw him coming and
they met each other in battle. Beowulf attempted to use the
sword given to him, but it was useless against Grendel’s
mother the same as blades were useless against Grendel himself.
Deep in the water Beowulf found a massive double-edged sword
made by giants, which was so heavy only he could have used
it. With one stab, he severed the vertebrae of Grendel’s
mother as she lunged toward him. The waters filled with blood.
Upon the shore, Beowulf’s companions watched the waters
turn red and the Danes left to return to the castle as they
had given up hope that Beowulf survived the attack. The rest
of the Geats remained hopeful, as they knew that Beowulf was
a great warrior.
Beowulf’s work was not yet finished as he followed
Grendel’s blood trail back into the chamber where he
found him dead on the floor. With one forceful swing, he removed
Grendel’s head. The blade of the giant’s sword
began to melt from the venomous blood of the monsters, so
Beowulf swam to shore where his companions waited for him
carrying Grendel’s head and the hilt of the sword.
Once again everyone celebrated Beowulf’s victory and
him and his men were rewarded with many presents and a promise
from the king that the Geats and the Danes would never go
to war again as they owed them their lives. Beowulf and his
men were grateful but eager to get home to their families
so they left the land of the Geats with their honor and all
of their gifts.
They returned home and their king, Hygelac, praised them
highly. After Hygelac’s death and the death of his son
in battle, Beowulf became king. For fifty years, he was king
of the Geats.
One night a slave on the run from his master came across a
desolate place, a prow of land jutting out into the ocean,
precipitous and riddled with cave called Eagleness. He found
in the biggest cave a sleeping dragon that was guarding a
shining hoard of treasures. The slave stole the closest piece
of treasure and ran off toward Beowulf’s hall. When
the dragon awoke and found that some of his treasure was missing,
he swooped down on the Geats with vengeful fire.
Beowulf knew that they must stop the dragon so he gathered
his warriors and had an iron shield welded for him, before
heading to Eagleness. They reached the cave of the dragon
and Beowulf stopped to talk to his men. He told them, “This
life is very short, but not the fame, the good name that live
after it.” Therefore, he made them stay while he faced
the dragon alone.
He tried to kill the dragon with his sword but could not
piece through the dragon’s scale-corselet so he ducked
behind the shield as the dragon let forth a mouthful of flames.
The warrior called, Wiglaf, could not stand by and watch
the dreadful dragon kill his king. He tried to convince his
companions to come and fight with him but they were cowards
and ran for safety. So alone Wiglaf went to the aid of his
king. With Wiglaf as a distraction, Beowulf managed to stick
his sword into the dragon’s skull, but the blade snapped
in half. The dragon took the opportunity to sink its sharp
teeth into Beowulf’s neck. Quickly Wiglaf sank his sword
up to the hilt in the dragon’s vulnerable belly. As
the dragon’s flames abated from his wound Beowulf grabbed
his knife from his belt, and slit the dragon’s throat.
Wiglaf held Beowulf as the life of his king slowly slipped
away. Beowulf’s last request was to have a barrow built
overlooking the sea and so it was.
The story is wonderfully written in prose both extraordinarily
moving and full of action, honor, and valor. It is an excellent
story that I would recommend to anyone.
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