Compound Words
"hell-forged"
"banquet-rich“
"ring-giver"
"mead-cup"
"she-wolf"
Prepositional Phrases
Possessives
"Shelter of warriors" "ocean's/Furrows"
"shapes of darkness"
"God's bright
beacon"
"shepherd of evil"
"Heaven's high
"tormentor of their
arch"
days"
"Geats'/Brave
"journey into
prince"
darkness"
"hell's captive"
Perfect
Hero
DRAGON
Guard of Treasure
Ancient and Powerful
GRENDEL’S MOTHER
Unnamed swamphag
Vengeance
Legendary Danish King
Shield
Sheafson
Mythical founder who inaugurates a long
line of Danish rulers and embodies the
Danish Tribe’s highest values of heroism ad
leadership.
Second king
Son of Shield Sheafson
Father of Hafdane
A gift of God to a people in need of a
leader
Beow
The father of Hrothgar, Halga and
Halfdane an unnamed daughter who married a
king of Swedes.
Successor of Beowulf
Hrothgar’s wife
Gracious Queen of Danes.
Unferth
Wealtheow
Jealous of Beowulf
Unwilling to fight Grendel.
Hrothgar’s elder son
Hrethric
Stands to inherit the Danish throne, but
Hrethric’s older cousin Hrothulf will prevent him
from doing so. Beowulf offers to support the
youngster’s prospect of becoming king by hosting
him in Geatland and giving him guidance.
Second son of Hrothgar..
Hrothulf
Hrothmund
Hrothgar’s nephew
Hrothulf betrays and usurps his cousin, Hrethic,
the rightful heir to the Danish throne..
Hygelac
Beowulf’s uncle
king of the Geats
 Husband of Hygd. Hygelac heartily
welcomes Beowulf back from Denmark.
Hygelac’s wife, the young,
beautiful, and intelligent queen of
the Geats. Hygd is contrasted
with Queen Modthryth.
Hygd
Wiglaf
A young kinsman and retainer of
Beowulf who helps him in the fight against
the dragon while all of the other warriors
run away.
Beowulf’s father, Hygelac’s
brother-in-law, and Hrothgar’s
friend
King
Hrethel
Ecgtheow
Geatish king who took Beowulf in as a
ward after the death of Ecgtheow, Beowulf’s
father.
Breca
Beowulf’s childhood friend, whom he
defeated in a swimming match.
Other Figures Mentioned
 A figure from Norse mythology,
famous for slaying a dragon.
Sigemund’s story is told in praise of
Beowulf and foreshadows Beowulf’s
encounter with the dragon
Sigemund
King
Heremod
An evil king of legend. The scop, or
bard, at Heorot discusses King Heremod
as a figure who contrasts greatly with
Beowulf.
A wicked queen of legend who
punishes anyone who looks at her
the wrong way. Modthryth’s story
is told in order to contrast her
cruelty with Hygd’s gentle and
reasonable behavior.
Queen
Modthryth
Part 1
 Our story begins in the kingdom of the Danes of a land
named Denmark. It was a peaceful place of prosperity
and comfort until a great demon named Grendel
arose. Grendel was a terrifying monster that attacked
and killed countless Dane people causing great sorrow
and despair within the hearts of many for several
years.
Part 2
 Then came a very interesting man from a faraway land.
A man whose very appearance proved that of a warrior.
He was tall, muscular, confident, handsome. He was
Beowulf.
 Beowulf heard the plea of the Dane king and accepted
the challenge of defeating the great demon Grendel as
Beowulf had never faced defeat…
Part 3
 The king of Dane then decides to celebrate by having a
party in honor of Beowulf. Great amounts of food and
drink are shared among the party along with plenty of
laughs and tales of Beowulfs’ previous
accomplishments. The people continued to celebrate
deep into the night until suddenly a great figure
appeared from out of the darkness. Grendel had been
awakened…
Part 4
 Grendel had done Beowulf a great favor, as Grendel
came to him. Beowulf accepted the challenge and
fought the great demon bare handed! Beowulf and
Grendel both displayed great strength and endurance
as they battled to the death. Although both were
admirable foes, only one could win. Grendel possessed
something Beowulf did not….fear. This gave Beowulf
the advantage
Part 5
 After an energetic battle of strength and cunning,
Beowulf was the victor. Although Grendel was not yet
dead and Beowulf was not yet finished. Beowulf then
rips one of Grendels’ arms right off his body and holds
it high for all to see. Grendel manages to escape alive
but mortally wounded. Grendel returns to his swamp
and spends his last moments within the comfort of his
mother…
Part 6
 Few knew that Grendel had a mother and those that
did were most likely dead! The main theme then
changes from Beowulfs’ heroics to the mothers’
revenge. Grendels’ mother later kills Aeschere, one of
the Kings best men/personal aids, out of revenge for
her sons’ death and returns to her swamp soon after. A
small group of men and Beowulf later travel to the
swamp on a quest to avenge the murder of Aeschere…
Part 7
 Beowulf finds the swamp where Grendels’ mother lies
in wait. He dives into the murky water down to the
very bottom where he discovers the underwater lair of
Grendels’ mother. After a great attempt of seduction,
the mother charges at Beowulf and engages him in
another great battle of man versus demon. After much
sweat and bloodshed, Beowulf stands victorious as he
cuts down Grendels’ mother with a Sword forged for
giants!
Part 8
 The battle is over, but the story has just begun.
Amongst the underwater lair, Beowulf discovers
Grendels’ corpse and cuts off his head as a trophy for
the king of Dane. The people of Dane are overjoyed as
the terrifying monsters have been slain and peace has
been restored to their land all thanks to Beowulf.
Beowulf then leaves Dane and sails back home to his
kingdom of Geat….
Part 9
 Upon returning to Geat, Beowulf is appointed king of
Geat and becomes a great ruler for over fifty years.
Then, one day a thief disturbs an old tomb of treasure
that is guarded by a ferocious dragon. The dragon is
awakened and begins wreaking havoc upon the people
of Geat. Many attempt to kill the dragon but none
prevail as there is but one man who could defeat such a
terrifying beast. His name is Beowulf...
Part 10
 Yet Beowulf is no longer the young man he was in
Denmark as fifty years have passed and Beowulf has
become an old man. Yet, his strength and courage have
not left him as he and his companion Wiglaf set off to
the dragons lair in an attempt to bring peace back to
their land.
Part 11
 Beowulf and Wiglaf confront the Dragon in what is to
be the most difficult and rigorous battle of their lives.
After many futile attempts, Beowulf finally manages to
penetrate the strong scaly skin of the dragon. His
blade cuts deep but at a great price as Beowulf has
been bitten and the dragons venom begins to spread…
Part 12
 Beowulf begun to feel the poison spread through his
body and ever closer to his heart. He sits down by a
river with his companion Wiglaf and speaks to him his
dying words. He asks that his people remember him
and his successful reign with the construction of a
burial mound overlooking the sea. The last words of
Beowulf are as followed, “You are the last of our family
Wiglaf. All the others fell when fate decided they
must. Now I must follow them…” The End
And a young prince must be prudent like that,
giving freely while his father lives
so that afterwards in age when fighting starts
steadfast companions will stand by him
and hold the line. Behaviour that’s admired
is the path to power among people everywhere.
(Lines 20–25)