The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars; the only certain dating is for the manuscript, which was produced between 975 and 1025. My uncle Hygelac is at peace with his neighbors, and there is no war in which I can take part. Beowulf seized the weapon in a rage, swung it fiercely in a wide arc, and hacked deep into the monster's neck, severing her head and toppling her to the ground. Many tales were told, and songs are sung of the horror that had overtaken Hrothgar's kingdom, and word spread as far as the kingdom of the Geats (southwest Sweden). The dragon attacked once more, this time sinking its teeth into Beowulf's neck. ‘Woe is me if I help not the weak and cleanse not the demon-infested palace of my kinsman!’ cried Beowulf. The young man assembled a band of 14 worthy warriors to accompany him to Denmark, and they set sail. His movements were clumsy. She authored the forward for "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Crusades.". He was a tall rugged man, with a beard streaked with gray. Even the king's mighty stronghold was burnt to a cinder. Now Wiglaf came to his aid, running his sword into the dragon's belly, weakening the creature. Go forth, then, from Geatsland to the land of the Danes, and do mortal combat with this Grendel-fiend to the glory of Geatsland and the satisfaction of your new manhood. Sneaking quietly through the sleeping beast's treasure hoard, the enslaved person snatched a single jewel-encrusted cup before escaping in terror. He sang in a sharp voice that was like the crying of birds on the gray sea, but there was a sweetness in it at the same time which held his hearers, and the lords of Geatsland leaned forward on their benches in eagerness to catch every word. he has long Viking braids and pointy horns on his hat and a realy big sword. But Hygd the queen stood up amid the turmoil, and holding a jeweled cup in her two hands because of its weight, stepped down to where Beowulf was, and offered him the cup, and smiled at him in affection and pride. It is long since we have had word from the North, and this man's harp is a sweet one. Later, when he was accused of cowardice in this race, he told the true story of those black nights in the water, and what he related then was to go down in song as a famous legend. But Beowulf overtopped them all in stature and in strength and in the speed of his running, and as Hygd beheld him she thought: This is indeed a fine son that my husband's sister was mother to, and his father Ecgtheow would have been a proud man to look upon him. I don’t know what it is, but his whole demeanor of “watch me ride in on this ship with boar heads on it and defeat all these great creatures and earn God’s love and oh wait! Swá sceal geong guma góde gewyrcean: 20. What You Need to Know About the Epic Poem 'Beowulf', Hoard vs. of hand-to-hand fights where Hygelac fell, when the ruler of Geats in rush of battle, lord of his folk, in the Frisian land, son of Hrethel, by sword-draughts died, by brands down-beaten. Then he gathered eleven warriors to accompany him to the lair of the dragon. "It is written in the stars that this Beowulf whom you call sluggard will one day be famous in song and story for his deeds of surpassing bravery and strength.". Now and again he lifted his head and shook out the fair hair that hung beneath the golden band encircling his wide white forehead. Therefore I claim kinship to him, and I will go to the land of the Danes and serve their king. He put them under the command of Beowulf, and urged them to obey their lord in every particular and to find no service too difficult to render him and no hardship too great to endure for his sake. There one of King Hygelac's retainers, Beowulf, heard the story of Hrothgar's dilemma. This man, Beowulf thought, has been in far-away places. WHEN Beowulf had at last reached the full tide of his manhood, and been admitted to the circle of Hygelac's personal retainers, a feast was held one night in the king's drinking-hall. When he was sixteen years of age, Beowulf was challenged by one of his companions, Breca by name, to a swimming race in the sea. Beowulf is considered the oldest surviving poem in the English language. They were yellow of hair; their eyes were deep-set and burned blue like the sea; on their arms and around their necks were great circlets of beaten gold; and upon their heads they wore helmets decorated with the horns of bulls or the black wings of ravens. ThoughtCo. also grendel is told of. ‘Woe is me if I preach not the gospel!’ cried St. Paul. But when the others questioned him further, the old man smiled a wise smile, and would say no more; and as he was considered something of a sage and a magician, they exchanged wondering glances among themselves and kept their tongues quiet. He broke whatever he touched. beowulf likes to drink even more. Beowulf boldly responded with the gripping tale of how he not only won the race but slew many horrible sea-beasts in the process. As the first streaks of dawn began to touch the dim sky, the company reached the shore. The story ends much like it starts: with a death and an elaborate burial. Seeing that Beowulf had failed to overcome the dragon, ten of the warriors who had pledged their loyalty, who had received gifts of weapons and armor, treasure, and land from their king, broke ranks and ran to safety. The hero's body was soaked red with his blood. • the story of beowulf • i. and first of the kindred of hrothgar. Like so many great heroes of old, Beowulf was the son of his king's sister. There, ghostly in the half-light, hung their ship, its prow nosing into the sandy beach, its body rising and falling with the gentle waves of the landlocked cove. Amidst the drinking and camaraderie, a jealous Scylding named Unferth taunted Beowulf, accusing him of losing a swimming race to his childhood friend Breca, and sneering that he had no chance against Grendel. "My brothers," spoke the king, "there is among us this night one who has come a long way over the sea and the land. Now the danger was truly gone, and Beowulf could sleep easy. Beowulf subsequently becomes king of his own people, the Geats. Ooh, Beowulf, Ooh! But although the beast that had terrorized them for more than a decade was dead, another danger lurked in the darkness. Scorching crops and livestock, devastating homes, the dragon raged across Geatland. Sing to us, Wanderer, that we may have your news and your entertainment.". So his mother and father gave him up, and young Beowulf went to live with his uncle, to learn the arts of war and the handling of ships. At last the hall-like forest gave way to a wide open meadow, and the breath of the sea, damp and salt-smelling, struck the nostrils of the marching warriors. The air was heavy with the smell of burning pine and fir. Luckily he was wearing his armor and carrying his sword, because he was able to kill the beast and 8 others. Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. He sang of the limitless gray sea and the green-white icebergs floating treacherously, and of the sirens who lived in caves upon them, and whose bodies were clothed in blue fish scales and whose hair was swaying seaweed. The older lords shook their gray heads disapprovingly and the younger men sighed and scowled with jealousy. It was not safe to travel in those woods after dark, and the wandering minstrels who went from place to place in the country-side were careful not to be caught in their ghostly depths. He then presented Hygelac with all the treasures Hrothgar and the Danes had bestowed upon him. The huge bracelets that weighted his wrists gleamed like his eyes, and the jeweled collar about his throat was tight because of the swelling veins of his neck. "Look you, you foolish ones," he said. Whole School Maths Planning Whole School Art Planning Whole School DT Planning Whole School Geography Planning Whole … No sooner had they landed, however, than they were accosted by an old man, hoary with years but fearless of eye and with a mighty hand ready upon the long spear that stood by his side. Then among the lords of Geatsland there rose a murmur of wonder at Beowulf's daring, but their wonder was touched with mockery that the Sluggard should dream of combat with such a fiend as Grendel. As the years slipped by and he grew to manhood, he became more and more sullen in his strength, and his companions dubbed him "The Silent." It is about three thousand lines long and the story revolves around three battles. Beowulf exists in its present form through one manuscript only, which was penned in the 10th or early 11th century, and it barely escaped a fire in 1731 at the Ashburnham House in Westminster, England. The forests that clung to the shore line were half hidden in gray mists that moved and twisted like smoke about the trees. Sometimes the full story is told, sometimes just parts of the story. He told of Unferth, who was Hrothgar's beloved companion, and how Unferth had not once offered to meet Grendel in combat, because the fear in his breast was greater than his love for his master. Then, after an evening of feasting and drinking, the king and his fellow Danes bid Beowulf and his companions good luck and departed. He saw himself face to face with the monster Grendel, and suddenly a wild cry broke from his lips and he leaped from his seat. Beowulf called to the company to hasten aboard, and with much shouting and waving of arms and shields, the fourteen earls clambered into the ship. Beowulf knew he was dying. Mourners bewailed the loss of the great king, whose virtues and deeds were extolled that none might ever forget him. For the first time in years, Hrothgar and his retainers had cause to hope, and a festive atmosphere settled over Heorot. iv. The iron shield gave way too soon, and Naegling failed to pierce the dragon's scales, though the power of the blow he dealt the creature caused it to spew flame in rage and pain. Sometimes the plot is altered. Then came the signal for the journey down to the beach where a ship lay in readiness to receive Beowulf and his earls, and with torches flaming in the grayness of approaching dawn, the company took its departure. Scyldings bedded down in the great hall, as they had in the days before Grendel, now with their Geat comrades among them. Eart þu se Beowulf, se þe wið Brecan wunne, on sidne sæ ymb sund flite, ðær git for wlence wada cunnedon . Beowulf himself seems more altruistic than other Germanic heroes or the ancient Greek heroes of the Iliad. Thence Beowulf fled. But Grendel's mother was swift and resilient; she rose to her feet and gripped him in a horrible embrace. Download this free Beowulf Story KS2 resource to introduce your class to one of the oldest stories in English literature. When all but one of the warriors had fallen asleep, Grendel approached Heorot. Over the years, Beowulf had won many a battle through strength, through skill, and through perseverance. "Our king will better receive you than it is in my poor power to do. Beside him was his queen, named Hygd, and called the Wise and Fair. For on one cruel night, twelve years before, there had come to Heorot--which was the great drinking-hall of Hrothgar--a monster, part animal, part man, part bird. Beowulf is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. And they knew not whether to laugh or to shout with approval when they saw this youth, who had but lately come to manhood, standing before them, his eyes flashing fire, both hands up-flung. ", "Welcome, then, O Beowulf, to these sad shores," the Guardian cried. They were tall like the trees of their forests, and broad like the stout beams of their boats, and each man had the strength of ten. FOR seven days and seven nights there were great preparations in the halls of Hygelac the Geat, that Beowulf might go on his adventure fully equipped for whatever awaited him in Daneland. Sadly, at his death Beowulf finally shows some fallibility and dies without naming an heir—a kingdom without an heir is at great risk of pillaging, death, and enslavement. About the king and queen were gathered the finest lords of the land. But for the most part the sea-monsters and the forest terrors kept to their own lairs and seldom invaded the more populous districts. He does not know that Hothgar is almost out of mead. In the British Museum there is a little book, worn and brown with age, spoiled by fire and water. The king and queen bestowed great gifts on all the Geats, but especially on the man who had saved them from Grendel, who received among his prizes a magnificent golden torque. Then the minstrel came forward with his harp. To Beowulf the deep silence seemed full of moving things invisible to human eyes. The Wanderer sang of the fear that was in the Heart of Hrothgar the king and in the hearts of all his vassals and retainers, of the sorrowing of the women who were the wives or mothers or sisters of the slain warriors. Fifty years went by. through strength of himself and his swimming power, though alone, and his arms were laden with thirty. But in their own halls, in times of peace, they often dropped their warlike mien and sang and laughed and fondled their dogs and played jokes upon one another like children. For many hours Beowulf and his fourteen companions saw the marvels and terrors of the wide sea. The great caves along the coast were inhabited by all manner of evil monsters that lived partly in the sea and partly upon the land, huge serpents with scales of brass, that patrolled the coast and devoured fishermen when they could be taken by surprise at their nets. For the fiend Grendel, who has robbed Hrothgar of his rightful estate, and destroyed so many proud young warriors of our kingdom, is terrible beyond words to describe.". Sometimes Hygd the Wise and Fair would call upon one or another of the assembled company and beg him to recount some particular deed of valor which he had performed in the past; and often Hygelac conferred with his warriors on some point of warfare or on the building of new boats which would better withstand the fierce gales of the winter seas. His strength was great, but there was no use for him to put it to, and he longed for wild adventure and the chance to stretch his muscles to the limit of their power. Poor, Beowulf. The Scyldings tried to stand up to Grendel, but none of their weapons harmed him. He refused to raise an army but prepared for battle himself. The story is set in pagan Scandinavia in the 6th century. Arriving at Heorot, they petitioned to see Hrothgar, and once inside the hall, Beowulf made an earnest speech requesting the honor of facing Grendel, and promising to fight the fiend without weapons or shield. The servants hurried from bench to bench with ox horns adorned with beaten gold and filled with heady mead, that favorite drink of the Northmen, flavored with honey. He ate little, but each time the drinking-horns were passed he drank long and deep. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. But Beowulf was ready. The warriors sailed off, their ship filled with treasure, their hearts full of admiration for the Scylding king. It is significant that his three battles are not against men, which would entail the retaliation of the blood feud, but against evil monsters, enemies of the whole community and of civilization itself. He sang of the vast and frozen North, where winter lay upon the land for many, many months, and men fought in the gloomy light of the night-burning sun. Then, as the sun began to touch the towering mountains that hemmed them in, the torches were one by one extinguished. While the story line, although basic, is enjoyable, Beowulf never fails to get on my nerves. One day, Beowulf l… ", "I know that well, Guardian of the Beach," Beowulf replied, "and it is to help your good king that I and my earls have come to Daneland. There were sea-lions of shaggy mane, and bird-like fish with horny claws. And Beowulf and his earls set out at last upon their great adventure in the land of the Danes. He sat stonily in his place, and his blue eyes were scornful of the earls about him and their big talk of little battles. The story of Beowulf has often been told in books, plays, and films. For many hours the sturdy ship fought the waves that crashed and thundered against her sides. I. Beowulf hauled his gory prize through water that was clearer and no longer infested with horrible creatures. Large wooden bowls painted in bright colors and overflowing with various meats stood on the tables and were dipped into by the seated guests. Rich cloaks of scarlet and blue there were for the warriors, and massive bracelets of fine gold for their arms and wrists, and collars of gold wire for their throats. He sprang up from his bench and caught Grendel in a fearsome grip, the like of which the monster had never known. When he finally swam to shore, his cohorts greeted him with unrestrained joy. He was still possessed of all these qualities, and yet, victory was to elude him. This epic hero, who emerges from the misty reaches of the English past, Night after night Grendel attacked Heorot and the warriors who defended it, slaying many brave men, until the Scyldings ceased fighting and simply abandoned the hall each sunset. The other youths laughed at him for his awkwardness, but in secret they envied the immense spread of his shoulders and the terrible swiftness of his stride when he hunted in the forests. The fiend fled, bleeding, to die in his lair in the swamp, and the victorious Geats hailed Beowulf's greatness. It is known that the historic Hygelac, for instance, died around 521 A.D. Then he turned to Beowulf, and gave the earls into the young man's keeping and begged him to uphold the honor of Geatsland and of his king. For here was a Beowulf they had never known before, and they greeted him for the first time as one of themselves, and not as a sullen boy whose strength had been so great that he had been made to seem a fool for it. After unsuccessfully attacking the dragon with his thegns, Beowulf decided to pursue the monster into its lair at Earnanæs, but only his young Swedish relative Wiglaf dared join him. In one corner of the hall were piled the armor and helmets of the warriors, and the spears tipped with bright metal, the huge swords glittering in their places. All were valiant warriors whose courage had been tried in many battles. In the face of Beowulf's grisly trophy, Unferth had nothing to say. A magnificent feast followed, with more stories and poems, more drinking and good fellowship. And Beowulf answered, standing tall in front of his earls: "I am Beowulf, and I come from my uncle, Hygelac, the Geatish king, and I am a friend to the Danes. Grendel then began attacking the lands around Heorot, terrorizing the Danes for the next 12 years. Along the walls, at intervals, were placed flaming torches which lighted the vast hall with flickering light, and the smoke from the flares and the fires on the hearths was drawn high to the roof, where it disappeared in the gloomy rafters through a hole cut at the peak. AMONG the number of youths who were in thrall to Hygelac was Beowulf, his nephew. Soon the trackers came to the ghastly swamp, where dangerous creatures swam in a filthy viscous fluid, and where Aeschere's head lay on the banks to further shock and appall all who beheld it. Hrothgar and his Scyldings were overwhelmed with sorrow and dismay, but they could do nothing; for the next night Grendel returned to kill again. He is sailing to Denmark to visit Hothgar. The vessel was loosed from her moorings; her painted oars were dipped into the water, her sails bellied with the young wind, and slowly she found her way down the harbor to the open sea. Then, as by a miracle, they found entrance to a narrow inlet, and the sudden protection of the land stilled the fear in the warriors' hearts. The story told in Beowulf occurs around 500 A.D., and many of the characters in the story can be directly related to real historical figures. As the monster weakened and the hero stood firm, the fight, at last, came to a horrific end when Beowulf ripped Grendel's entire arm and shoulder from his body. So, with the best grace he could muster (for Beowulf was stubborn, as you have seen and shall see again) he named his earls, and Hygelac ordered that they be furnished with the finest head-pieces and spears and swords in the kingdom. The young Geat presented the ancient sword-hilt to Hrothgar, who was moved to make a serious speech exhorting Beowulf to be mindful of how fragile life could be, as the king himself knew all too well. A Kingdom in Peril The story begins in Denmark with King Hrothgar, the descendant of the great Scyld Sheafson and a successful ruler in his own right. Some examples are: Beowulf (1999 film) Beowulf … As might be expected, Beowulf was hailed once more as a great hero upon his return to the splendid mead-hall. Poor Beowulf. Snell, Melissa. slay him with bare hands, these very hands that gripped each other now upon the table until they showed white beneath the pressure of the fingers. The king arrived in all his majesty and made a speech thanking God and praising Beowulf. Then, as the toxic blood of the monsters melted the blade of the awesome sword, he noticed piles of treasure; but Beowulf took none of it, bringing back only the hilt of the great weapon and Grendel's head as he began his swim back. With one last, great effort, the king drew a knife and drove it deep into the dragon's side, dealing it a death blow. Beowulf armed himself for an underwater battle, donning finely-woven mail armor and a princely golden helm that had never failed to thwart any blade. Snell, Melissa. now comes beowulf ecgtheow's son to the land of the danes, and the This was to be his battle and his alone. Afterwards, the … He struggled to his feet to face the monster again. Unferth, no longer jealous, lent him a battle-tested sword of great antiquity called Hrunting. In the firelight the hero beheld the hellish creature, and wasting no time, he drew Hrunting and dealt her a thunderous blow to her head. It was Beowulf's strength that overcame the creature; and though he struggled with everything he had to escape, causing the very timbers of Heorot to shudder, Grendel could not break free from the grip of Beowulf. Scholars call the anonymous author the "Beowulf poet". Then the old man took them a little way into the forest, and pointed out a path to follow, and bade them farewell. But Beowulf cut his discourse short, and begged the Guardian of the Beach to direct them to the hall of Hrothgar, that they might make themselves known to the king, and rest themselves after their long, tiring day at sea. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/the-beowulf-story-1788396. Go you, Beowulf, and use it nobly!". Beowulf’s whole mission in Hart was the discharge of a solemn obligation of help from the strong to the weak. Each stood well over six feet in height, with broad shoulders and sturdy legs; and each was as swift of foot as a reindeer. For several years he led a lonely life, for so great was the strength of his limbs that even among those men of vast vigor he was a youth to be marveled at. And Hrothgar and his councilors no longer dared to sleep in Heorot, since for twelve long years Grendel repeatedly visited the king's hall and wrought destruction there. They sought the help of their pagan gods, but no help was forthcoming. Besides being a fine story, Beowulf is of great interest because it is our earliest epic, that is, the oldest poem in the Anglo-Saxon language which tells of noble deeds in noble words. The protagonist Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot, is plagued by the monster Grendel. I will slay this Grendel!". Para kay Pangga :)For educational and entertainment purposes only.All rights reserved to the owner. Her attack was barely any less terrible than those of her son had been. More gifts were bestowed upon them by their grateful hosts, and speeches were made full of praise and warm feelings. Beowulf determines to kill him. Only when an incautious farmer or fisherman had been foully killed by one of them did the lords of Geatsland wage war upon the strange inhabitants of the coastal caves and the forest fastnesses. Our neighbor Hrothgar is in sore need. For a time Beowulf's earls tried to prevail upon him to turn away from that black coast, saying that they would be dashed to pieces on the rocks, but Beowulf turned a deaf ear and urged his captain forward. Try as he might, Grendel could not loosen Beowulf's hold; he backed away, growing afraid. His voice fell to a lower note, and he sang of Hrothgar who was king of the Danes, that country not far from Geatsland, across the water. To display his prosperity and generosity, Hrothgar built a magnificent hall called Heorot. Once there, he charged his companions to wait and watch. "Who," they asked among themselves, "is this sluggard Beowulf, that he should sit directly below our king!" The 1999 translation by the acclaimed Irish poet Seamus Heaney won the Whitbread Award, and was praised for its freshness and accessibility. Now, for many years Hygelac ruled over his people with a stern but kind hand. For you must know that this is a dead country, that has been dead these twelve years past, that our hearts have no joy in them, and that Hrothgar, our king, is bowed by sorrow in his age. Before anyone could move, he grabbed one of the sleeping Geats, rent him into pieces and devoured him, slurping his blood. These were the most favored and beloved of all the warriors of Geatsland. But Beowulf, unmindful of the talk about him, sat in gloomy silence. And the younger men listened, their blue eyes wide with eagerness, to the tales of bravery and battle, and struck one another upon the knee, vowing themselves to great deeds when they became older, or boasting of their youthful exploits and feats of strength. The next day the Geats made ready to return home. In the meantime, the other warriors in the hall attacked the fiend with their swords; but this had no effect. There were other foes, too, to be dealt with. Some time was spent considering the wisdom of a leader placing himself in danger instead of sending younger warriors to do his bidding. From all over Geatsland famous warriors and earls gathered at the drinking-benches of their king to hear the songs of the minstrels and take part in games and feats of strength. The old hero-king had a foreboding of his death, but he pressed onward, courageous as always, to the dragon's lair.
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