When Hygelac's son dies in a feud, Beowulf becomes king and rules successfully for 50 years. Like Hrothgar, however, his peace in his declining years is shattered by a menacing monster. The question at the end of Beowulf's life is whether he allows pride to blind him from prudent action.
What are the major events in Beowulf?
Major Events of Beowulf. The funeral of Scyld-Scefing is described. It is a foreshadowing of Beowulf's funeral at the end. Grendel, a monster attacks Heorot. Beowulf sails to the land of Danes with fourteen other Geatish warriors to defeat Grendel.
How did Beowulf become king after his husband died?
Queen Hygd offered Beowulf the throne after her husband (Hygelac) died, thinking that her young son (Heardred) was unable to protect the kingdom; Beowulf refused but served the young king faithfully. After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. Fortunes, however, do change, as Hrothgar predicted.
How does Beowulf become the king of the Geats?
Fifty years later, Beowulf becomes the King of the Geats after Hygelac and his kinsmen were killed in battle. Heorot, the banquet hall, is attacked by Grendel's mother to avenge her son's death. She takes one of Beowulf's warriors and Grendel's detached arm. Beowulf meets Grendel's mother in her lair in a cave under a lake.
How does Beowulf's battle with the Dragon end?
The fight is long and terrible and a painful contrast to the battles of his youth. Painful, too, is the desertion of his retainers except for his young kinsman Wiglaf. Beowulf kills the dragon but is mortally wounded. The poem ends with his funeral rites and a lament.
Under what circumstances does Beowulf rise to become king of the Geats and for how long does he rule?
How long does he reign? King Hygelac dies in battle, but Beowulf escapes because of his superhuman swimming ability. Hygelac's son Heardred becomes king and dies in a feud. Beowulf then becomes king and reigns 50 years.
Which event was the most important of Beowulf's rule as king of the Geats?
Which event was the most important to Beowulf's rule as king of the Geats? The battle with the Dragon.
What are the major events in Beowulf?
The epic poem, Beowulf, is over 3000 lines long! The main events include the building of Heorot, Beowulf's battle with the monster, Grendel, and his time as King of Geatland.
How long did it take for Beowulf to become king?
Hygelac gives him a great deal of treasure and land of his own to rule. In time, Hygelac is killed in battle with the Shyflings, and the kingdom falls to Beowulf. For fifty years he rules the Geats, becoming a great and wise king.
What did Beowulf do as king?
Queen Hygd offered Beowulf the throne after her husband (Hygelac) died, thinking that her young son (Heardred) was unable to protect the kingdom; Beowulf refused but served the young king faithfully. After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years.
What three things does the king give Beowulf?
his gold collar.his helmet.his byrny.his ring.
What was the first event in Beowulf?
Beowulf, along with a group of Geatish warriors, sails across the sea to the land of the Danes to fight the demon Grendel. Beowulf is graciously received by King Hrothgar and Queen Wealhtheow, who gratefully accept his offer of help. When Grendel attacks Heorot Hall, Beowulf meets him in hand-to-hand combat.
What is happening at the beginning of Beowulf?
Beowulf begins with the story of Hrothgar, who constructed the great hall, Heorot, for himself and his warriors. In it, he, his wife Wealhtheow, and his warriors spend their time singing and celebrating. Grendel, a troll-like monster said to be descended from the biblical Cain, is pained by the sounds of joy.
What was the main conflict in Beowulf?
Major conflict The poem essentially consists of three parts. There are three central conflicts: Grendel's domination of Heorot Hall; the vengeance of Grendel's mother after Grendel is slain; and the rage of the dragon after a thief steals a treasure that it has been guarding.
Where is Beowulf king of?
king of the GeatsBeowulf's uncle, king of the Geats, and husband of Hygd. Hygelac heartily welcomes Beowulf back from Denmark.
Who is the king of Danes in Beowulf?
HrothgarHrothgar Lord of the Danes, great-grandson of Scyld Scefing. Hrunting Unferth's sword. Hygd Wife of Hygelac, lord of the Geats. Hygelac Lord of the Geats; Beowulf's uncle.
Does Wiglaf become king?
The dying Beowulf tells Wiglaf to "watch his people's needs" (by which he means that Wiglaf is to become the next king.) He tells Wiglaf to build him a funeral mound and gives Wiglaf his rings, helm, and mail-shirt. He says that Wiglaf is now "the last of the Wægmundings."
What is Beowulf?
Beowulf is a heroic poem, considered the highest achievement of Old English literature and the earliest European vernacular epic. It deals with eve...
Where does Beowulf take place?
Beowulf takes place in early 6th-century Scandinavia, primarily in what is known today as Denmark and Sweden.
Who was Beowulf written by?
The author of Beowulf is unknown. It is possible that the poem was composed by and transmitted between several different poets before it was preser...
What does Beowulf present to Hrothgar?
Upon his return to Heorot, Beowulf presents to King Hrothgar Grendel’s decapitated head and the jeweled hilt of the sword he used to kill Grendel’s...
Was Beowulf real?
There is no evidence of a historical Beowulf, but other characters, sites, and events in the poem can be historically verified. For example, the po...
What happened in the second part of Beowulf?
The second part passes rapidly over King Hygelac’s subsequent death in a battle (of historical record), the death of his son, and Beowulf’s succession to the kingship and his peaceful rule of 50 years. But now a fire-breathing dragon ravages his land and the doughty but aging Beowulf engages it.
Where does Beowulf take place?
Beowulf falls into two parts. It opens in Denmark, where King Hrothgar’s splendid mead hall, Heorot, has been ravaged for 12 years by nightly visits from an evil monster, Grendel, who carries off Hrothgar’s warriors and devours them.
What happens to Grendel in Heorot?
During the night Grendel comes from the moors, tears open the heavy doors, and devours one of the sleeping Geats. He then grapples with Beowulf, whose powerful grip he cannot escape. He wrenches himself free, tearing off his arm, and leaves, mortally wounded. The next day is one of rejoicing in Heorot.
What does Beowulf do to the dragon?
Beowulf kills the dragon but is mortally wounded. The poem ends with his funeral rites and a lament. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now. Beowulf belongs metrically, stylistically, and thematically to a heroic tradition grounded in Germanic religion and mythology.
What does King Hrothgar say after Grendel's death?
Thus, after Grendel’s death, King Hrothgar speaks sanguinely of the future, which the audience knows will end with the destruction of his line and the burning of Heorot.
Why is Beowulf so important?
It is significant that his three battles are not against men, which would entail the retaliation of the blood feud, but against evil monsters, enemies of the whole community and of civilization itself.
When did Beowulf's poem appear?
The poem did not appear in print until 1815. It is preserved in a single manuscript that dates to circa 1000 and is known as the Beowulf manuscript (Cotton MS Vitellius A XV) . Beowulf preparing to cut off the head of the monster Grendel, illustration from Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, 1910.
Who offered Beowulf the throne?
Queen Hygd offered Beowulf the throne after her husband (Hygelac) died, thinking that her young son (Heardred) was unable to protect the kingdom; Beowulf refused but served the young king faithfully. After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. Fortunes, however, do change, as Hrothgar predicted.
What is Beowulf's initial reaction to the dragon?
Interestingly, Beowulf's initial reaction is a feeling of guilt. He believes that he has somehow offended God. However, Beowulf is nothing if not devoted to God, country, and duty. He is the protector of his people and almost immediately begins preparations to fight the dragon.
What happened in Lines 2200-2400?
Lines 2200-2400. Summary. Years pass. Hygelac is killed in battle. His son, Heardred, inherits the throne, with Beowulf's support, but is also slain. Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules well for 50 years. To everyone's alarm, however, a terrifying dragon begins to stalk the countryside at night, destroying homes — including Beowulf's great ...
How many men did Beowulf carry off the war gear?
He also put up quite a fight when Hygelac died in Frisia; Beowulf escaped by defeating many of the enemy in close combat, carrying off the war gear of 30 men.
What is Beowulf's shield made of?
Always conscious of weapons and tactics, Beowulf prepares by ordering a new shield, made of iron, since the dragon-fire would make short sparks of his usual linden-wood.
Why does Beowulf order a new shield?
Always aware of his battle gear, he orders a new shield to replace his old linden-wood protector; this one is to be covered with the strongest iron. Because Beowulf's own hall was one of the homes destroyed by the dragon, the king, too, will seek revenge. The poet has no reservations about giving away his ending.
Who killed Ongentheow?
Ongentheow Scylfings' (Swedes') king killed by Hygelac's warriors Wulf and Eofor. Ohthere and Onela Ongentheow's sons, Swedes. Onela killed Geat King Heardred. Eadgils and Eanmund Ohthere's sons, Swedes. They had a feud with their uncle, Onela, and were temporarily sheltered by Heardred.
What is the poem Beowulf about?
Beowulf. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect hero. The poem explores his heroism in two separate phases—youth and age—and through three separate and increasingly difficult conflicts—with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Although we can view these three encounters as expressions of the heroic code, ...
What is Beowulf's reputation for bravery?
His defeat of Grendel and Grendel’s mother validates his reputation for bravery and establishes him fully as a hero. In first part of the poem, Beowulf matures little, as he possesses heroic qualities in abundance from the start.
Where is the second part of Beowulf set?
The second part of the story, set in Geatland, skips over the middle of Beowulf’s career and focuses on the very end of his life.
What does Hrothulf do in Denmark?
Instead of rushing for the throne himself, as Hrothulf does in Denmark, he supports Hygelac’s son, the rightful heir. With this gesture of loyalty and respect for the throne, he proves himself worthy of kingship.