Plot Summary of Beowulf

[ernesto thaddeus m. solmerano]

Plot Summary
By Michael J. Cummings

Long ago, in the gray mists of the Danish marshes, a monster born of the hatred of Cain rises up to terrorize Heorot, the great mead hall of King Hrothgar. Until the beast's appearance, Hrothgar's kingdom–and the kingdoms of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, the long-remembered and much-loved Scyld Scefing–had prospered without fear of the vile shadow creatures in the forests, lakes, fens and caves. But one day, the sounds of good cheer and merriment at Heorot enrage the Cain-born monster Grendel. So he crosses over from his netherworld into the realm of men to kill and destroy. He preys on Heorot after nightfall, consuming up to thirty warriors in a single raid.

For twelve years, Grendel's raids continue, robbing Hrothgar of men-at-arms and plunging the court into a deep abyss of qualm and trepidation. To the east, in the land of the Geats in southern Sweden, a mighty warrior named Beowulf–nephew of the King of the Geats, Hygelac–hears from seafarers of the plight of Heorot and sails across the dark seas with fourteen lusty men to come to Hrothgar's aid. When Hrothgar's coastal sentinels take him for a spy, Beowulf persuades them that he is no enemy of the Danes. After he presents himself at Heorot, he tells tales of his exploits: how he battled trolls, killed sea beasts, and painted himself red with the blood of his enemies. Hrothgar, a friend of Beowulf's father in earlier times, greets Beowulf warmly and welcomes his help.

But Unferth, an envious Heorot warrior full of drink, scoffs at Beowulf's exploits, claiming Beowulf lost a swimming match at sea lasting seven days. Noble Beowulf then defends his honor with his own account of the match. One day he and his childhood friend, Breca, decided to test their swimming prowess, one against the other, in a sea match, each carrying a sword for protection against the ocean beasts. On and on they swam for five days until the roil and pitch of the water separated them and foul beasts churned up from the depths. One by one, Beowulf slaughtered the beasts, nine in all, until calm returned and Beowulf washed up on the shore of Finland.

Beowulf next lays a heavy charge against Unferth: Rather than satisfying his blood lust on the field of battle fighting enemies, he resorts to fighting and killing his own kin, a crime for which he will burn in hell. So speaks Beowulf. And, Beowulf asks, if Unferth is so great a warrior, why has he not ended Grendel's raids?

After Hrothgar's wife, Queen Wealhtheow, welcomes Beowulf, he vows to fight Grendel that very night without weapons. The Danes bed down. Beowulf and the Geats await the arrival of Grendel in the mead hall. They know he will come; it is only a matter of time. By and by, the hell-beast opens the door in the darkest hour of the night–thirsting for blood, his eyes aflame–and attacks and kills a Geat, consuming limbs and lumps of flesh. Turning then to Beowulf, Grendel wields an open claw against the hero. But Beowulf, thirty times more strong of arm than any other mortal, locks into Grendel with a hand grip so powerful that the monster cannot shake it. As the great hall trembles at the fury of the battle, Beowulf's men strike at the beast. But their swords do no not penetrate, for no weapon forged in fire can harm Grendel. No matter. In the end mighty Beowulf wrenches off Grendel's arm, and the beast flees, mortally wounded.

The following day, Heorot rejoices and Hrothgar heaps praise on Beowulf. Unferth the taunter has naught to say when the Danish thanes see the arm of Grendel, its claws harder than the hardest iron. The hall is then repaired, a feast is given, songs are sung, tales are told, and gifts are presented.

But the rejoicing is shortlived. For, when night falls, Grendel's mother–full wrath–descends upon the hall, kills Hrothgar's counselor, Aeschere, and drags him into the bogs. Beowulf and Hrothgar follow with warriors, but Beowulf chooses to battle the monster alone under water. Sea hellions come to her aid and tear and rip at the Geat. When he strikes her with his sword, it does not pierce. She strikes back with a dagger. By the grace of God, Beowulf's chainmail deflects it. He then espies a great sword in her armory, a weapon brandished long ago by giants who walked the earth. In spite of its impossible weight, Beowulf wields it against the hell-beast's neck and kills it. When he sees the corpse of Grendel nearby, Beowulf beheads it and returns to Heorot with his trophy.

After more rejoicing, Beowulf receives a bounty of gifts and returns home to the land of the Geats. There, he presents his gifts to King Hygelac and tells him of his great adventures. Hygelac, in turn, rewards Beowulf with a vast estate. Years pass. After Hygelac and his son, Heardred, die in battle, Beowulf becomes king and reigns for 50 years.

Then great terror spreads across the realm of the Geats after a dragon abandons its lair to wreak death and destruction by breathing fire. The dragon is furious because an intruder had entered its lair and took a gem-studded goblet from a hoard of treasure the fire-breather had been guarding since ages past.

Beowulf, now a very old man, ventures forth with eleven warriors to send the monster to hell. But after Beowulf engages the dragon in battle, all his cohorts retreat save for one–brave Wiglaf–who goes to his master's aid. In a storm of smoke and fire, Beowulf slays the dragon with the help of Wiglaf. But, alas, Beowulf suffers a poisonous wound. Realizing he will soon die, he bids Wiglaf to bring forth a sampling of the dragon's treasure hoard that he may look upon it, and Wiglaf does his bidding. Beowulf gives thanks to God for the treasure that will sustain his people in times to come, then dies after instructing Wiglaf to have a barrow (a mound of earth or stones) constructed to mark the burial site of his remains from the funeral pyre. Wiglaf banishes the ten deserters and arranges for the king's funeral even as new troubles loom on the horizon–wars with neighboring tribes, including the Franks and the Frisians.