Beowulf Summary
Description
Here you will find a Beowulf summary (Seamus Heaney's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
Chapters Beowulf Summary Overview
In the prosperous kingdom of Denmark, ruled by King Hrothgar, a grand mead-hall named Heorot serves as a gathering place for warriors to drink, exchange gifts, and listen to tales from bards. However, the merriment within the hall incites the fury of Grendel, a monstrous entity residing in the nearby swamps. Grendel relentlessly attacks the Danes, leaving them in a state of constant fear and loss. In response to this crisis, a young warrior from Geatland, Beowulf, assembles a team and voyages to Denmark to vanquish Grendel. In Denmark, Beowulf's offer to combat Grendel is welcomed by Hrothgar, who previously had ties with Beowulf's father. A celebratory feast is held, but not without the cynical remarks of Unferth, a Dane who doubts Beowulf's prowess. Beowulf retorts with tales of his previous heroic deeds, boosting the morale of the Danes. Grendel attacks once again, but this time, he is met by Beowulf. In a fierce battle, Beowulf manages to overpower Grendel, ripping off his arm. The wounded Grendel retreats to the swamp and succumbs to his injuries. Beowulf's triumph is celebrated with another feast, where he is lavished with gifts and praises. However, the victory is short-lived as Grendel's mother seeks revenge for her son's death by killing one of Hrothgar's trusted advisors. Beowulf ventures into the heart of the swamp and successfully kills Grendel's mother, freeing the Danes from the terror plaguing them. After his heroic exploits, Beowulf gains widespread fame. He bids farewell to Hrothgar and returns to Geatland, where he recounts his adventures to King Hygelac and Queen Hygd. Beowulf generously offers most of his acquired treasures to his king, and in return, he is rewarded. Years later, following the death of Hygelac and his heir, Beowulf ascends the throne of Geatland, ruling wisely and bringing prosperity to his people. However, in his old age, a dragon, angered by a thief who disturbed its treasure, begins to wreak havoc on Geatland. Sensing his impending death, Beowulf, with the help of his ally Wiglaf, slays the dragon, but succumbs to its venomous bite. The Geats mourn their king's death, fearing future attacks from enemies. Fulfilling Beowulf’s final wishes, they cremate his body and encase his ashes, along with his treasures, in a grand barrow facing the sea.
lines 1–300
The ballad commences with the tale of Shield Sheafson, a legendary Danish king and progenitor of their royal lineage. Originally a deserted baby, he swiftly ascended to a position of power. Every clan paid homage to him, and he was commemorated with a grand send-off at his death, his body set afloat on the sea, mimicking his humble beginnings. His heroic son, Beow, took the throne after Shield's demise. Eventually, Beow also died, and the kingship passed to his son Halfdane and then to Hrothgar. Under Hrothgar's reign, the Danes flourished and he erected a mead-hall, Heorot, as a tribute to his triumphs. It was a place for feasting and merriment, a hub for the royal subjects. The nation relished this tranquility until Grendel, a monstrous being sprung from Cain, took offense to the jovial songs sung in Heorot. He massacred thirty men in their sleep, and since then, has instilled terror among the Danes for twelve years, taking ownership of Heorot. All attempts to subdue Grendel have been in vain, and the misery of the Danes has become well-known. During this period, Beowulf, the Geatish king Hygelac's nephew and the world's prime hero, resolves to assist Hrothgar in vanquishing Grendel. He hails from the nearby Geatland, current southern Sweden, and embarks on a journey to Denmark with his fiercest warriors. As they disembark, Beowulf and his warriors are stopped by a Danish guard, who is awestruck by their fearlessness and discerns Beowulf's noble stature. Beowulf introduces himself as Ecgtheow's son and a loyal servant of Hygelac, expressing his intention to aid Hrothgar. The guard, convinced by Beowulf's words, guides them towards Hrothgar's kingdom, promising to have a Dane safeguard their ship.
lines 301–709
Beowulf and his crew are led from the shoreline to Heorot, a mead-hall, by a guard who then departs. Wulfgar, a wise herald, intercepts Beowulf and inquires about their intentions with Hrothgar. Beowulf identifies himself and asks to meet the king. Wulfgar, intrigued by their stature, promptly relays Beowulf's message to Hrothgar. Hrothgar recalls Beowulf from his boyhood and his father, Ecgtheow, whom he was friends with. He's aware of Beowulf's renowned strength and hopes he's there to assist the Danes against Grendel. Hrothgar instructs Wulfgar to extend a warm welcome to the Geats. Beowulf meets Hrothgar, expressing formal greetings. He recounts his brave exploits and offers to combat Grendel barehanded. Hrothgar recalls a past feud, where Beowulf's father took the life of Heatholaf, a Wulfing tribe member. Hrothgar pacified the feud by sending the Wulfings valuable goods, and Beowulf's father pledged his loyalty in return. Hrothgar accepts Beowulf's offer to battle Grendel, cautioning him about the previous heroes who died in Heorot trying to defeat the monster. He invites the Geats to join a feast with the Danish warriors. During the feast, a Dane named Unferth, envious of Beowulf's popularity, starts taunting him. He accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming competition against Breca and predicts a similar defeat against Grendel. Unfazed, Beowulf retorts that Unferth is drunk and recounts his version of the swimming contest. He claims that he had to fight off sea monsters in the icy waters for five days, ultimately killing nine beasts before washing up on Finland's shores. Beowulf teases Unferth, saying neither he nor Breca could have endured such an ordeal and highlights Unferth's inability to deal with Grendel. Beowulf's confidence lifts everyone's spirits and soon the hall is full of merry-making. Wealhtheow, Hrothgar's wife, enters carrying a ceremonial goblet and offers it to everyone present. She expresses gratitude to God for sending Beowulf to fight Grendel. In response, Beowulf boasts that he'll either achieve a heroic feat or die in the mead-hall. Wealhtheow, pleased, takes her seat beside Hrothgar. As night descends, the Danes vacate the hall, leaving Beowulf and his men alone. Beowulf discards his weapons and armor, reiterating his aim to fight Grendel weaponless. He insists he's as formidable as Grendel, then settles down to wait, while his men, full of fear, stay awake, uncertain of surviving till dawn. Outside the hall, Grendel stealthily approaches the Geats.
lines 710–1007
Grendel excitedly enters Heorot, ripping the door off its hinges and instantly devouring a Geatish warrior as Beowulf watches closely. Grendel is shocked when Beowulf's grasp on his arm is stronger than he expected. Panicking, Grendel tries to flee back to his swamp but Beowulf pins him down. The battle is fierce, shaking the mead-hall and breaking furniture. Grendel's screams of fear and pain echo throughout the hall. Despite Beowulf's men trying to help, no weapon can harm Grendel. With an extra surge of strength, Beowulf tears Grendel's arm from his body. Grendel, mortally wounded, retreats to his swamp to die. Back in the hall, Beowulf proudly displays the severed arm as a victory symbol. The next morning, the Danes are astounded by Beowulf’s feat. They joyfully ride their horses in celebration, tracing Grendel’s path back to the swamp. Word of Beowulf's heroism quickly spreads. A Danish bard sings praises of Beowulf and recounts the tale of Sigemund, a hero who defeated a dragon. The bard also contrasts Beowulf's deeds with those of Heremod, a wicked Danish king who betrayed his own people. Hrothgar comes to the mead-hall to see Beowulf's trophy. He expresses his gratitude to God for relief from Grendel, lavishly praises Beowulf, and considers him a son. Beowulf humbly accepts Hrothgar’s gratitude but expresses regret that he didn't kill Grendel in front of everyone. The narrator remarks that Beowulf's trophy, the arm that looks like “barbed steel,” dismisses Unferth's accusations of Beowulf’s weakness. Peace returns to Heorot, and the Danes set about repairing the damaged hall.
lines 1008–1250
Hrothgar throws a lavish feast in Beowulf's honor, rewarding him with weapons, luxurious armor, treasure, and top-tier horses. Beowulf’s men also receive gifts and the Geats are repaid with gold for the loss of their warrior to Grendel. After this, the king’s bard recites the tale of Finn, where the Danes suffer a tragic loss to Finn, the Frisian king. The death of the Danish leader, Hnaef, leads to a truce between the two tribes. Hildeburh, Finn's Danish wife, mourns the loss of her brother, Hnaef, and her son in the battle. She requests their bodies to be burnt together. The Danes, unhappy and longing for home, spend a harsh winter with the Frisians. Come spring, they retaliate, resulting in Finn's death and Hildeburh's return to Denmark. Following the tale, Wealhtheow, wearing a golden crown, enters and praises her sons, Hrethric and Hrothmund. She asserts her faith in their older cousin, Hrothulf, to look after them until they mature. She also turns to Beowulf, gifting him with a gold collar and a suit of armor, and requesting his protection and counsel for her sons. That evening, the warriors rest in Heorot, oblivious to a fresh threat that is approaching the hall in the night.
lines 1251–1491
During the warriors' slumber, Grendel's mother, a terrifying creature, invades Heorot, driven by sorrow and fury over her son's death. She violently grabs a sleeping man, the commotion awakening the rest. They grab their weapons and charge at her, but she panics and escapes, clutching her captive, Aeschere, Hrothgar's valued adviser. Beowulf, located in a different sleeping area, arrives at the hall too late. The warriors find that she has also taken Grendel's arm. Hrothgar, mourning his friend and adviser, calls upon Beowulf, recounting the attack. He urges Beowulf to hunt and eliminate Grendel's mother, revealing her lair's location in a haunted, swampy forest. The place has a mystical aura with flaming water and a bottomless lake that even animals fear. Hrothgar relies on Beowulf again to cleanse Heorot of the evil presence, promising him heaps of gold for confronting the monster. Beowulf agrees, comforting Hrothgar that Grendel's mother won't escape his wrath. The warriors trace their enemy into the marshlands. On reaching a cliff, they stumble upon Aeschere's severed head. The sight below is chilling, with snakes and sea-dragons writhing in the murky water. Beowulf kills one creature with an arrow. Courageously equipping himself for battle, Beowulf wears his armor and collects his weapons. Unferth lends him the legendary sword Hrunting, which has never been defeated. Beowulf requests Hrothgar to look after his Geats and return his belongings to Hygelac if he dies. Beowulf also gives his own sword to Unferth.
lines 1492–1924
Beowulf dives into the depths and after a day, reaches the bottom. Grendel's mother attacks him, but his armor saves him from her lethal grip. When she drags him to her lair, sea monsters join in the attack. He counterattacks with Unferth's sword, Hrunting, which fails to harm her. He then fights barehanded, but she fights back just as fiercely. Spotting a giant's sword, he grabs it and decapitates her with a single stroke. He then sees Grendel's dead body and, in a fit of rage, beheads it as well. Seeing blood in the water, the Danes believe Beowulf is dead and leave in despair. Only Beowulf's fellow Geats remain hopeful. Back underwater, the giant's sword, except for its hilt, melts due to Grendel's fiery blood. Holding the hilt and Grendel's head, Beowulf swims safely back to the surface to the joy of the Geats, who help him out of his armor. They return triumphantly to Heorot. Four men carry Grendel's heavy head on a spear. The sight of it astonishes and horrifies the Danes. Beowulf shows Hrothgar the head and the hilt, assuring him of his kingdom's safety. Hrothgar praises Beowulf's virtues and contrasts him with the wicked King Heremod, and foresees a great future for him. He advises on good rulership, promising Beowulf treasures the next day. Feasting and celebration follow. Beowulf then rests for the night. In the morning, he returns Hrunting to Unferth and tells Hrothgar his desire to return to Geatland. Hrothgar praises Beowulf's deeds that have brought the Geats and Danes closer. He gifts Beowulf twelve treasures and wishes him to return, although he knows he won't. The Geats head to the coast, reward their ship's guard, and sail back to Geatland, returning to Hygelac's hall.
lines 1925–2210
Beowulf and his crew return to King Hygelac's grand hall and Queen Hygd, who is youthful, beautiful, and clever. The narrator recounts the tale of Queen Modthryth, notorious for her brutal mistreatment of her subjects. She only mended her ways after marrying Offa, the mighty king of the Angles. Beowulf and his men make their way to the hall, where the Geats anticipate their returning hero. King Hygelac welcomes them formally as Queen Hygd serves mead. Hygelac inquires about Beowulf's adventures in Hrothgar's land, reminding him of his initial fears and advice against fighting such a formidable enemy. Beowulf starts his recounting by praising Hrothgar's and Wealhtheow's hospitality. He foresees an unhappy end to the planned marriage between Hrothgar's daughter, Freawaru, and Ingeld the Heathobard. Beowulf believes that old feuds and hurts, fueled by reminders of past battles and loot, will reignite hostilities between the Danes and the Heathobards. Next, Beowulf narrates his duel with Grendel, emphasizing the beast's savagery and the rewards he got from Hrothgar. He also shares the story of his fight with Grendel's mother. He then gifts Hygelac with a significant portion of Hrothgar's treasure, including armors and horses. Beowulf also gifts Hygd a valuable necklace and horses. His bravery and politeness earn him widespread acclaim in Geatland, and Hygelac generously rewards him with treasures and his own land to govern. Eventually, Hygelac perishes in a fight with the Shyflings, leading to Beowulf inheriting the kingdom. Beowulf rules the Geats wisely and effectively for fifty years, establishing himself as a great king.
lines 2211–2515
Geatland is threatened by a dragon, hidden under the earth, that fiercely guards a treasure. A thief, a runaway slave, unintentionally provokes the dragon by stealing a jeweled cup from the dragon's mound. The thief didn't intend to do harm but stole the cup in fear and fled. The poet then tells about the origin of the treasure. Many years ago, an ancient race's last survivor buried the treasure, knowing it was useless to him since he would die like his forebears. The dragon found and has been protecting the treasure trove for 300 years. The dragon wakes up to find the cup missing and enraged, leaves the mound to find the thief. Unable to locate him, the dragon wreaks havoc by burning homes and villages with its fire breath, and continues to terrorize the land at night. Beowulf's throne-hall becomes the dragon’s victim and is reduced to ashes. An older Beowulf, now a king, deeply mourns and questions why God is punishing him. He starts planning his retribution. He orders a blacksmith to make a strong shield to withstand the dragon’s fire. Despite his age, Beowulf is determined to fight the dragon alone, remembering his victory over Grendel alone in his youth. The death of King Hygelac in a battle in Friesland is recounted by the poet. Beowulf survived the battle due to his strength and swimming skills. Once back home, Hygd, Hygelac's widow, offered Beowulf the throne as her son was too young to rule. He declined, not wanting to disrupt the line of succession. Instead, he protected and aided the prince until he ascended the throne after the prince died in battle. The feud with Sweden eventually ended when Beowulf avenged Hygelac’s death. As he prepares to confront his final enemy, Beowulf and eleven of his men find the thief who stole the cup. They force him to lead them to the mound and bid each other good luck for the upcoming fight. Beowulf has a sense of impending death. He then recounts his youth in King Hrethel’s court and shares the sad tale of how one of Hrethel’s sons accidentally killed his own brother. He reminisces about the wars between the Geats and the Swedes after Hrethel’s death and his days as a proud warrior serving Hygelac. Finally, he vows to fight the dragon if it leaves the mound and faces him in an open field.
lines 2516–2820
Beowulf gears up in armor to face the dragon, yelling out a challenge. They struggle, with fire enveloping them. Beowulf tries to cut through the dragon's scales but he's losing strength. As fire engulfs the scene, Beowulf's warriors flee, except for Wiglaf who stays loyal. Wiglaf rebukes the deserters, reminding them of their loyalty oaths to Beowulf. He then steps up to help Beowulf. Beowulf lands a hit on the dragon's head with his mighty sword Naegling, but it breaks. The dragon bites Beowulf's neck, drawing blood. Wiglaf rushes to help, stabbing the dragon in the stomach and getting his hand burnt. Beowulf, in a desperate act, uses a knife to strike the dragon's side, killing it. However, the bite on Beowulf's neck swells and burns as he realizes the dragon's bite was poisonous and he's fatally wounded. He sends Wiglaf to get some of the dragon's treasure, explaining that seeing the treasure he has won will ease his death. Wiglaf brings him an armful of treasure. Beowulf, near death, thanks God for the fortune won for his people. He gives Wiglaf the responsibility of leading the Geats and asks for a monument to be built in his honor, "Beowulf's Barrow." Beowulf gives his collar to Wiglaf before dying.
lines 2821–3182
Beowulf has fallen and Wiglaf mourns his lord's demise deeply, while the dragon that killed him is also dead. The Geatish soldiers, who had initially fled, regretfully return to see Wiglaf's futile attempts to resuscitate Beowulf. Wiglaf scolds them, expressing his belief that their fear cost them not only their leader's life but also their safety, as enemy chieftains might now target the unprotected Geats. Wiglaf sends a runner to update the waiting Geats. The courier confirms Beowulf's death and cautions of potential invasions from the hostile Franks and Frisians. He also worries about the Swedes due to an old feud and says without Beowulf's protection, the Geats are vulnerable. The narrator confirms that many of these forecasts will happen. The Geats revisit Beowulf's body, alongside the body of the massive dragon. They learn the treasure was magically protected, only accessible with divine permission. Wiglaf shares Beowulf's last wishes and arranges for his funeral pyre. Accompanied by seven noble Geatish thanes, Wiglaf retrieves the treasure that cost Beowulf his life and disposes of the dragon's corpse in the water. They build a pyre for Beowulf, placing his body and igniting it, just as he wanted. A Geatish woman mourns Beowulf's death and the upcoming conflict she predicts for her people. They inter Beowulf's remains in a cliff-side barrow, visible to passing ships, remembering him as a kind, generous, and praise-worthy ruler.
