Beowulf Reading Notes

Prologue- Chapter 10

• Originally in Old English, passed down orally
• Blend of fiction and non fiction, elements of both
• Beowulf son of great king Scyld
• Grendel monster who eats the sleeping men
• Beowulf wants to prove his strength and bravery

Trista by Ovid

• exiled, understood by no one
• longs to be in Rome
• hates people surrounding him

Far Corners of Earth by Tu Fu

• feels hopeless, lost cause

Beowulf
Wrath of Grendel

• celebration at Herot, Grendel the monster waits outside
• snatches 30 men, Herot deserts

Coming of Beowulf

• hears of Grendel and heads towards kind
• call themselves the Geats, men who follow Higlac

Battle with Grendel

• Beowulf wins using bare hands

Mother's Lair

•  Beowulf vows to kill Grendel's mother in underwater lair

Battle with Grendel's Mother

• weapons are useless at first, uses sword on wall to defeat her
• returns home and grows old as king, dragon invades

The Last Battle

• Sword breaks, men flee
• Wiglaf helps Beowulf kill dragon
• dying Beowulf asks for Dragon's treasure

The Spoils and The Farewell

• Beowulf buried with treasure, denounced Geats bitter over death
• The Spoils and Farewell