Mr. Upchurch’s
Communication Arts II
Beowulf
(An Overview)
Review
• Beowulf:
– The Longest of the surviving Old English
Poems
– The Earliest English Epic
– Takes place in modern-day Scandinavia and
Denmark
Might want to remember
these points!!!
Vocabulary
Words you’ll want to know
• Thane- Anglo-Saxon
knight
• Patriarch- Male
father or founder. Usually
oldest man of a particular
group
• Malignant- evil in
• Anathemasomething devoted to evil
or cursed
• Stalwartunwavering, outstanding
strength and vigor of
body, mind, or spirit
nature
YES! You will see this
again!!!
Characters
• Beowulf
Protagonist
– Part One: Thane of Hygelac with superhuman strength.
Professional Hero.
– Part Two: Elderly King of the Geats
• Hygelac (Hee-u-lahk)
– King of the Geats and Beowulf’s Uncle
• Hrothgar
– Elderly King of the Danes
• Grendel
– The first monster that Beowulf fights. Enchanted and unharmed
by weapons.
Characters
• Unferth
– Hrthogar’s Advisor/Wicked Counselor. He has a personal dislike
for Beowulf.
• Grendel’s Mother
– Mother of Grendel (obviously). Second monster fought by
Beowulf.
• Wiglaf
– Thane of Beowulf King of the Geats. Last kinsmen and Beowulf’s
heir. Helps Beowulf defeat the Dragon.
Overview of Beowulf
The Plot
• Three Battles
– Beowulf vs. Grendel
– Beowulf vs. Grendel’s Mother
– Beowulf vs. The Dragon
NOTE:
This might be
something nice
to remember…
• Two parts
– Beowulf—The Young Warrior
– Beowulf—The Old Ruler of the Geats
Battle I:
Beowulf vs. Grendel
I.
Grendel Attacks Herot
II. Beowulf comes to save
the day, because that’s
what heroes do.
III. Spends the night at
Herot and refuses to
wear armor. He wants
to meet Grendel on
equal terms and prove
his strength
IV. Grendel attacks and
eats one of Beowulf’s
men.
IV. He comes for Beowulf
next; but Beowulf uses
his amazing strength to
grab his arm and does
not let go.
IV. Grendel’s arm is ripped
off and he returns to his
lair to die
Battle II:
I.
Beowulf vs. Grendel’s
Mother
Grendel’s mom is mad
about her son’s death.
She goes to Herot and
steals a few men for
supper.
II. Beowulf swims to her
lair, which is in an
underwater cave.
III. She engages him in
fierce combat.
IV. He tries to kill her
with Hrunting
(Unferth’s sword), but
cannot.
V.
He tries to fight handto-hand with her, but
she over powers him.
VI. Finds enchanted
sword made for giants
and cuts off her head.
Battle III:
Beowulf vs. The Dragon
I.
Takes place when
Beowulf is king of the
Geats
II. Slave stumbles onto
dragon’s treasure and
takes a golden cup.
III. This makes the dragon
mad so he attacks
Beowulf’s kingdom.
IV. Beowulf is older and
not as strong. But he
still feels obligated to
protect his kingdom.
V.
He goes to the dragons
lair and attacks him
alone.
VI. His thanes fled at first
sign of trouble (aka-fire)
Battle III:
Continued…
Beowulf vs. The Dragon
I.
Dragon gains the
upper hand.
II. Beowulf stabs the
Dragon in the head
with a sword. The
sword shatters.
III. The dragon takes a
bite out of Beowulf’s
neck.
IV. Wiglaf comes to
Beowulf’s aid and
stabs the dragon in the
belly.
V.
Beowulf musters all of
his strength and stabs
his dagger into the
dragon’s flank.
Part I:
Beowulf: Young Warrior
• The first two battles
take place in this
stage. In the land of
the Danes.
• He is a professional
Hero with amazing
strength and passion.
(very Stalwart)
Part II:
Beowulf: Old Ruler
• Battle with the
Dragon.
• Elderly king of the
Geats.
Beowulf The Original
(Appreciate Your teachers’ kindness)
Beowulf can be divided into three ______
battles and two
___ parts.
An Anglo-Saxon knight was called a(n) _____.
Thane
Grendel
The first monster Beowulf fights is called ______.
Hygelac
The king of the Geats, also Beowulf’s uncle is ______.
_________
Stalwart means to be unwavering and to have outstanding
strength & vigor of body, mind, or spirit.
Wiglaf
The last surviving kinsmen of Beowulf was ______.
Warrior / _______
Old King when he fights the
Beowulf is a(n) Young
___________
dragon.
Epic Poem
Beowulf is considered the oldest English __________.
Patriarch is a male father or founder. Usually oldest man
A(n) ________
of a particular group.
BONUS:
While Beowulf is sleeping in the mead hall,
Grendel attacks. What is the first thing Grendel
does when he attacks this time?
CONCLUDING SLIDE
Just so you know…
• Tomorrow
– Begin Reading and Beowulf Together
– Ignore this slide if you are in Online
Mythology.
Work Cited
•
•
•
•
•
Dese
Beowulf Overview
Beowulf Lesson Ideas
Some more characters
The Norton Anthology of English
Literature (Volume I)