Beowulf
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem set in Scandinavia, recounting the heroic deeds of its protagonist, Beowulf, a Geatish warrior. The story begins with King Hrothgar of Denmark, whose mead hall, Heorot, is terrorized by a monstrous creature named Grendel. Grendel, enraged by the joy and noise from the hall, slaughters Hrothgar’s men for years, and no one is able to stop him.
Beowulf, hearing of Hrothgar’s plight, travels from Geatland to Denmark with a group of his men to offer assistance. Beowulf boasts of his past heroic feats and pledges to defeat Grendel without weapons, relying only on his strength. That night, Grendel attacks, and Beowulf wrestles with the monster, eventually tearing off Grendel’s arm, mortally wounding him. Grendel flees into the wilderness to die.
The Danes celebrate Beowulf’s victory, but their joy is short-lived. Grendel’s mother, seeking revenge for her son’s death, attacks Heorot the following night. She kills one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisors. Beowulf follows her to her underwater lair, where, after a fierce battle, he slays her with a magical sword found in her cave.
Beowulf returns to Geatland, where he eventually becomes king and rules peacefully for fifty years. In his old age, a dragon begins terrorizing his kingdom after a thief steals a treasure from its hoard. Beowulf, though aging, sets out to fight the dragon. With the help of his loyal warrior, Wiglaf, Beowulf kills the dragon but is fatally wounded in the process.
Beowulf’s body is cremated, and his people build a great barrow in his honor, mourning the loss of their noble king. The epic ends with a sense of foreboding, as the Geats fear for their future without their hero.
