Introduction to Beowulf
By:
Eddie Sprangle,
Andrew Smith,
Christian Rivera
History of the Poem
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Written by unknown Anglo-Saxon poet
composed of scop stories
Originally written in Old English
Original was thrown out a window to save
from a fire
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/c
ontext.html
EWS
Historical References
Paganism
● There are many different views of this religion.
● The heart of the village is the mead hall, the place for
entertainment, drinking and feasting
● They are ruled by a king, Hrothgar
Holt McDougal Literature: British Literature Grade 12. Orlando:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012
EWS
Historical References
Christianity
● Throughout the poem you’ll find references to the
Bible and God
● References to Cain as in the Bible character who killed
Abel
● References to the creation to the earth by The
Almighty
EWS
Holt McDougal Literature: British Literature Grade 12. Orlando:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012
Setting
● Time- Around 500 A.D.
● Place- Denmark and Geatland ( now
southern Sweden)
● Heorot the mead hall, Grendel's Mother’s
underwater cave
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowul
f/summary.html
EWS
Characters
Grendel
● is man and part fiend.
● he was attacking Heorot for more than a decade because of all the joy they are having.
Grendels Mother
● no human has defeated her so far.
● she gets revenge for her son and then later on dies fighting Beowulf.
Dragon
● guards treasure that Beowulf wants.
● he is eventually killed by Beowulf.
http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf981e/char.html
AKS
Characters
Beowulf
● he is very strong and is a hero.
● he kills 3 monsters and 2 were descendants of Cain.
● risk his life no matter what happens.
● does his actions for the fame and fortune.
Hrothgar
● not afraid to hide anything.
● admirable and a king for his people.
● has a compassion for his people and the warriors.
http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf981e/char.html
AKS
Minor Characters
Wiglaf
● Beowulfs top warrior.
● after Beowulf dies he becomes the next leader of Geats.
Welthow
● Hrothgars queen.
Unferth
● follower of Hrothgar
● very jealous and doesn't have courage to back anything up
http://www.litcharts.com/lit/beowulf/characters
AKS
Theme- loyalty
Beowulf is loyal to Hrothgar for assisting Beowulf's father.
Hrothgar sheltered Beowulf’s father and settled the
dispute by paying tribute. Beowulf shows great loyalty to
the Geatland when he returns by risking his life when
everything is falling apart.
AKS
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/b/beowulf/critical-essays/major-themes-in-beowulf
Theme-Revenge
Revenge starts with Grendel and his mother. Grendels
mother attacks Heorot because someone there had killed
her son. Beowulf at the end seeks revenge on the dragon
for causing damage to the town and the burning of
Beowulfs house.
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/b/beowulf/critical-essays/major-themes-in-beowulf
AKS
Plot of Beowulf
After so many years of the Danes having to suffer
from all the Fear, Danger, and Death from the
hands of Grendel. A young courageous warrior
named Beowulf sails to Denmark to defeat
Grendel. Beowulf rips off the arms of Grendel, and
he then goes into the swamp and left to die.
Beowulf then holds up the arms of dead grendel as
a token a victory. King Hrothgar leads the men to a
feast and grants Beowulf with treasure and gifts.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html
CFR
Avenging Grendel
The mother of Grendel seeks to avenge
her son’s death and kills Aeschere one
of the most trusted advisors of
Hrothgar. The men find the swamp
where Grendel’s Mother lies and
Beowulf jumps in, he finds and kills her
with the sword marked for a giant.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html
The reason for Beowulf sailing
to Denmark to kill Grendel to
be able to earn Fame and
Fortune.
“ So fame (c)omes to the men
who mean to win it (a)nd care
about nothing else.”
CFR
Into the Future
About 50 years later, when Hygelac and Hygd
die Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats.
Beowulf disturbs the barrow as he is stealing
the treasure of the Dragon.
CFR
The Death of Beowulf
As the Dragon is beginning unleash
Beowulf goes after it. As Beowulf
kills the Dragon With the aid of
Wiglaf, Beowulf kills the Dragon.
While the Dragon is in the mortally
wounded Beowulf gets bitten in the
neck and the venom of the dragon
kills him so after.
CFR
The Geats soon after the death of Beowulf
fear that their enemies will come and attack
them. They then bury Beowulf with a lots of
treasure.
CFR
Work Cited
http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf981e/char.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/b/beowulf/critical-essays/majorthemes-in-beowulf
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/context.html
Holt McDougal Literature: British Literature Grade 12. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
Company, 2012
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html