The story starts
out describing the family history that leads King Hrothgar to power. In an attempt to show his greatness Hrothgar
ordered his people to build Heorot, a monument-like mead-all. After a period of peace, Heorot is attacked
by the demon Grendel. Grendel, said to be a descendent of Cain, terrorizes
Heorot and it’s inhabitants, and plunges the Hrothgar into despair. Eventually,
the news of Grendel reaches Geatland where the champion Beowulf charters a
boat, enlists men, and sets out to challenge Grendel to prove his prowess.
Beowulf
arrives on the Danish shore and makes for Heorot to offer Hrothgar his help in
dealing with Grendel. He informs the King that he intends of confronting
Grendel without weapons to prove that he can match the demon on even grounds
and still come out the victor. Hrothgar welcomes Beowulf’s aid and offers him
unlimited riches if he succeeds. That night, in celebration of Beowulf’s
arrival, Heorot becomes alive again with a feast reminiscent of times before
Grendel terrorized the mead-hall. When the feast was over, the King and his men
retire leaving Beowulf and his soldiers in the hall to defend it in the event
that Grendel attacks; which he does.
Grendel
enters Heorot and kills a man while Beowulf and his men sleep. He then sets his
focus on Beowulf, and as the demon creped closer Beowulf sprang up and grabbed
Grendel’s hand and put him into a vicious arm lock. After a bit of a struggle,
Beowulf ripped off Grendel’s arm and shoulder, and the demon fled back to his
lair. Beowulf was victorious, and though Grendel escaped, it was assured that he
was going to die of his wound.
A huge
celebration ensued, and Beowulf and his men were showered with gifts from the
King. There was a sense of comfort in Heorot now that the treat of Grendel had
passed. But, after the feast was over and it occupants slept, Grendel’s mother
entered the mead hall with the intentions of avenging her son. She killed one
of Hrothgar’s closest friends and fled. When Beowulf returns, he vows to kill
her, too. Form there Beowulf, Hrothgar and their men set out to find and kill
Grendel’s mother. Beowulf tracks her down and, armor clad, uses a mystical
sword found in her lair to slay her. He then finds the body of Grendel and
decides to take his head as a trophy back to Heorot and King Hrothgar. Our
section ends with the occupants of the mead-hall in awe as Beowulf enters with
Grendel’s severed head.
Memorable Passage
My household guard
are on the
wane, fate sweeps them away
into
Grendel’s clutches–but God can easily
halt these
raids and harrowing attacks! (476-79)
I found
this passage interesting because in spite of all that’s happened to Hrothgar
and his kin, and that fact that some of his subjects tuned to pagan Gods for help
with Grendel (evidenced in lines 175-183), Hrothgar never seems to lose faith
in God, or His ability to fix the problem.
Here's a link that looks useful for the story: http://www.gradesaver.com/beowulf/
