What is the summary of the story of Beowulf?
It deals with events of the early 6th century and was probably composed c. 700–750. It tells the story of the Scandinavian hero Beowulf, who gains fame as a young man by vanquishing the monster Grendel and Grendel’s mother; later, as an aging king, he kills a dragon but dies soon after, honoured and lamented.
What is the main theme of the poem Beowulf?
There are three main themes found in Beowulf. These themes are the importance of establishing identity, tensions between the heroic code and other value systems, and the difference between a good warrior and a good king.
How does Beowulf end summary?
They ultimately kill the venomous dragon, but Beowulf is mortally wounded from a bite in the neck. Before he dies, he names Wiglaf his successor. Beowulf is cremated on a funeral pyre, and his remains are buried in a barrow built by the sea.
What happens in part two of Beowulf?
The second part of Beowulf picks up after the first part ends, around line 1008 and extends through to about line 1924 or so. The fiend Grendel has been defeated, his arm and claw hang in the rafters of Heorot as proof and as a trophy, and Beowulf is being celebrated as the hero he is.
Who kills Beowulf?
Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid of Wiglaf, he succeeds in killing the beast, but at a heavy cost. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck, and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter.
What is the moral lesson in Beowulf?
Especially seen through the characters of Beowulf and Wiglaf, the poem Beowulf illustrates three important morals of its time: bravery, honor, and loyalty. Beowulf, the hero of the poem, exhibits great bravery in everything he does.
What are 4 major themes in Beowulf?
Themes of Beowulf
- Loyalty. Beowulf celebrates a warrior culture.
- Bravery and Valor. Beowulf is the perfect embodiment of bravery and valor.
- Vengeance. Again, the Danes and Geats are part of a warrior culture.
- Generosity and Hospitality.
What killed Beowulf in the end?
Beowulf died because of his injuries when battling with the third monster, a raging dragon. As ruling a king of fifty years, he aged and became an old man, there came a malicious dragon near his kingdom who became angry.
What happens after Beowulf kills Grendel?
He kills her with a sword forged for a giant, then, finding Grendel’s corpse, decapitates it and brings the head as a prize to Hrothgar. The Danish countryside is now purged of its treacherous monsters. The Danes are again overjoyed, and Beowulf’s fame spreads across the kingdom.
Who did Beowulf save?
the Geats
Beowulf reigns as a great king for fifty years, protecting the Geats from all the other tribes around them, especially the Swedes. He is an honorable and heroic warrior-king, rewarding his loyal thanes (warrior lords) and taking care of his people.
What are Beowulf’s dying words?
‘After they burn my body, tell my warriors to build a great burial mound on the cliffs that stick out into the sea. The sailors steering their ships on the gloomy waters will see it and call it Beowulf’s barrow, and my people will remember me. ‘ These were the last words from the thoughts of the old man’s heart.
Who becomes king after Beowulf dies?
At Beowulf’s command, Wiglaf gathers treasure from the dragon’s lair and piles it where Beowulf can see it. The dying Beowulf tells Wiglaf to “watch his people’s needs” (by which he means that Wiglaf is to become the next king.)
What is the climax of the story Beowulf?
Climax Beowulf’s encounter with Grendel’s mother constitutes the moment at which good and evil are in greatest tension. Falling action Beowulf’s glorious victory over Grendel’s mother leads King Hrothgar to praise him as a worthy hero and to advise him about becoming king.
What were Beowulf’s last words?
What is Beowulf’s dying wish?
Beowulf orders Wiglaf to go into the barrow, look at the treasure, and bring back some of it for him to see before he dies. Wiglaf obeys Beowulf’s dying wish and goes down into the barrow, where he finds amazing piles of treasure, all of it rusting and decaying.
What’s the main conflict in Beowulf?
The poem’s overarching conflict is between close-knit warrior societies and the various menaces that threaten their boundaries. Rising action Grendel’s attack on Heorot, Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel, and Grendel’s mother’s vengeful killing of Aeschere lead to the climactic encounter between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother.
What are Beowulf’s last words?
What is the climax of Beowulf?
Answer and Explanation: The battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf is the climax of Beowulf. Heorot is terrorized by a monster.