Beowulf Notes

-Shield Sheafson was a great king of ancient Danes, abandoned as a baby, put into a boat when he died with treasures and cast off to sea

-His son Beo took over, then his son Halfdane, then his son Hrothgar: under his rule the kingdom prospered and made a hall called Heorot where ppl gathered to drink and listen to music

-Grendel, demon descendent of Cain, came to Herot and slaughtered 30 men

-Grendel continued this for 12 years and Danes are in constant terror

- Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, hears of this and travels to Danes to help defeat the demon

-Wulfgar stops Beowulf and asks him what he is doing and he is impressed with Beowulf's and his men's appearance

-Wulfgar tells Hrothgar and Heothgar tells Wulfgar  to welcome the Geats to Denmark

-Beowulf tells Hrothgar of his past fights and victories, Hrothgar agrees to let him fight and warns him some heroes may die and invites him to a feast

-Unfeth, one of the kinsmen, is jealous of Beowulf and taunts him but Beowulf isn't fazed 

-Wealhtheow, Hrothgar's wife, offers ceremonial goblet to everyone and thanks got for sending Beowulf to fight

-at night everyone leave except Beowulf and his men

- Beowulf says he will fight Grendel without weapons or armor because he thinks he is just as dangerous as Grendel 

-Grendel sneaks up on Beowulf and his men but Beowulf attacks him and tears his arm off which he hangs on the wall of Heorot

-Grendel goes back in swamp to die

- Danish warriors are amazed, Danish band sings to Beowulf, they recite a story of Sigemund who was a hero who slew a dragon

-Hrothgar praises Beowulf and says he has adopted him as a son in his heart 

-Danes restore great hall

-Hrothgar gives Beowulf and his soldiers presents: armor, gold, treasure

-King's scop sings the saga of Finn

- Wealhtheow presents Beowulf with a torque (necklace) of gold and armor asking him to help guide her sons 

- Grendel's mom comes to get revenge and grabs Aeschere, Hrothgar's trusted advisor, and Grendel's arm and flees

- Heothgar calls over Beowulf and asks him to kill Grendel's mother in return for a chest of gold

- As Beowulf is preparing his armor Unferth loans him a sword which has never failed in battle

-Beowulf says if he is killed to take care of Geats and return his property to Hygelac

- Beowulf fights the mother in the lake and wins

-Grendel's comes out of the water with the sword and Grendel's head and the Geats are overjoyed

-Hrothgar praises Beowulf and has another feast then Beowulf and the Geats return back to Geatland

-At Geatland Beowulf tells everyone his stories and Hygelac gives him land and treasures

-Hygelax is killed in battle with the Shylfings and Beowulf gets the kingdom

- a dragon lurks Geatland and a thief steals a goblet and angers the dragon

-Beowulf says he will fight the dragon and is too proud to assemble a big army

- he gets 11 men to investigate area and says he will fight the dragon

- Beowulf realizes he is not as strong as he is use to while he fights

- Wiglaf is the only person who goes to help him

-Beowulf is poisoned and has Wiglaf bring the dragon's treasures to him

-Beowulf gives Wiglaf the collar from his neck and dies

-Wiglaf is upset with the soldiers who ran away and didn't help

- he sends a messenger to tell Geats the news and the messenger predicts without Beowulf the Geats risk invasion by Swedes

- as Beowulf wished, Wiglaf builds a high pyre with armor and lays his body in it and fire is lit

- Beowulf is put on a cliff high above the sea visible to passing ships

-everyone recounts how kind and generous Beowulf was