Yesenia Beas- AP English Lit. & Comp.: Beowulf Notes

Grendel is descendant of Cain, he is a monster who haunts the moors, despises the happiness coming from the Hall of Hrothgar
when festivities over, Grendel sneaks in and slaughters 30 drunk men, takes them to his lair
Grendel keeps returning, men slink away, distance equals safety, leave the Hall, "hate had triumphed"; Grendel accepts no truce or offering
12 years Herot Hall was empty, the story of King Hrotgar and Grendel was spread across the seas
Grendel killed as often as possible; never dared touch King Hrothgar> protected by God (mix of pagan and Christian); counsel men sacrificed to pagan gods

Healfdane, son of Hrothgar killed > sorrow, agony
Beowulf, strongest of the Geats > wished to set out immediately to help Hrothgar > wise ones felt it was a good omen, urged adventure
14 men accompanied him > thank God for their safe journey
Danish watcher, Hrothgar's lieutenant > needed to know why they had landed

The Battle with Grendel

Danish watcher, keeping watch of pirates and vikings, asks the voyagers their reason for coming there.

Beowulf responds by saying that they are there for Healfdane’s son as friends; their reason for being there is to kill the cursed creature that hunts at night (Grendel) → the watcher believes Beowulf

Beowulf’s uncle and feudal lord is Higlac which he mentions to Hrothgar → Beowulf lists all his accomplishments to gain respect from the king

Beowulf and his men stay inside Herot, which is essentially a great hall; he stays awake while his men sleep

Grendel comes at night like expected and kills the first soldier like nothing; he grabs Beowulf, believing the man was asleep, and tries to eat him but is seized himself.
His men awoke and tried to cut Grendel with their swords (the swords were no match to his skin); Beowulf rips Grendel’s shoulders out

*Grendel’s mother kills Hrothgar’s friend & carries off child’s claw

The Monsters’ Lair

- Two monsters: one female, one huge “man” (Grendel)

- Mysterious, lived in secret places; everyone evades their spot (lake)

- Only Beowulf can defeat Grendel’s mother

- He is promised much ancient treasure

*Beowulf travels to lake to kill Grendel’s mother

The Battle with Grendel’s Mother

- Beowulf speech: if he dies his treasure will go to Higlac

- Dived into bottom of lake to meet she-wolf; struggled and got carried all the way to her home

- His weapon did no damage to her at all, she bit holes in his armor

- Decided to use pure strength to defend his fame; she-wolf pinned him and stabbed him with a dagger *woven mail shirt saved his life*

- Saw and grabbed a sword made by giants; beheaded the she-wolf; sought revenge on Grendel one last time, cut his head off

- Danes believed him dead for he had taken a long time(left); the Geats stayed and hoped

- Beowulf emerged carrying Grendel’s head, the giant’s jeweled sword, and a part of the ring-marked blade

- Left and traveled to Herot; brought the head to Hrothgar

The Last Battle
- Beowulf is honored by Hrothgar and then returns home with the title of king shown upon him
-rules Geatland and is threatened by a dragon fifty years from that event
-I've never known fear [...]" by Beowulf
-He is prideful and vain of killing the dragon
-The dragon is wizzing dragon breath down down the sanctuary it lives at
-Beowulf kept his shield up but it began to melt
-old sword broken from striking the dragon
-Other names for Beowulf - Geat King, Geat Prince, Edgetho's Famous Son
-Wiglaf stayed standing, debating his actions to aid his lord Beowulf
-Makes a final killing speech as he rushes to help Beowulf kill the dragon

Yesenia Beas- AP English Lit. & Comp.