Introduction to Beowulf

       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/