Beowulf Summary
We read the epic poem of Beowulf, and now I am going to be giving a brief summary of the poem. The poem starts out talking about Grendel, who is this monster that is terrorizing King Hrothgar and his people. The poem begins to describe things about Grendel like how god punished him because of how he was killing Hrothgar's men. It then tells you how Grendel stalks his warriors, and he only killed them at night. Then the poem goes to the coming of Beowulf and how he is the strongest of the Geats, and anyone in the world. He had heard the stories of Grendel and how he was filling the kingdom with terror. He knew that fate was in his favor so he took fourteen of the bravest men, and sailed off to meet with Grendel. (line 75) As they approach Herot a soldier is shouting at them, and then Beowulf speaks and tells him about how he is there to protect the kingdom and fight Grendel. After meeting with the king Beowulf and his men stay inside Herot, and Beowulf lies awake waiting to finally see Grendel. Grendel comes out of his den and makes his way to Herot and, when he gets there he sees all the soldiers lying there sleeping. He gets to the first soldier and kills him. Grendel then approaches Beowulf and he grabs him but Beowulf does the same. The only thing that Grendel was trying to do was flee and get free from the epic heros hard grip. Beowulf does not let him escape and he ripes his off right and winning the battle with Grendel. Later that night, Grendel's mother comes up to the Kingdom and kills Hrothgar's closest friend and takes Grendel's arm back. (line 345)
Now Beowulf is going to the monster's lair to fight Grendel's mother. When he finally sinks down to their layer his mother grabs Beowulf and, he knew that she was much stronger then Grendel was. Beowulf had swung his sword at her but, his sword could not pierce her skin. Then he had seen a sword on the wall that was forged and blessed by giants. After he breaks it off the chains he cuts off Grendel's moms head, he had won again. After defeating Grendel's mom he went and finished off Grendel and then swam back up to the kingdom. (lines 450-600) Beowulf then took the throne for the next fifty years, but now comes the finally battle between Beowulf and the Dragon. When he sees the dragon, the dragon rushes at him with flames flying out of its mouth. His shield held up like he thought it would, but then it began to melt. His sword could barely pierce the dragons skin and he was surrounded by the flames, burning from the dragon. Then his last man that stayed with him Wiglaf helped him defeat the dragon. Then finally he instructed him to take his place and protect his people. The last thing he wanted was to make a tomb on the shoreline so everyone who passed would remember him. (lines 625-865)