CHINA MAY G.

SABANGAN BSED3-ENGL1

BEOWULF

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon poem and it is one of the most important works of Old
English literature. The date of composition and the author is unknown. The anonymous poet
is referred as the “Beowulf poet”. It has no title in the original manuscript, but has become
known by the name of the story’s protagonist.

The story happened in Denmark where a king named, Hrothgar rules. King Hrothgar
built a hall he named Heorot, for him and his people, the Danes. They prepared a feast as a
celebration to the completion of the hall. They were drinking, singing and chanting while
pounding the ground loudly. The noise, however, angered and pained Grendel, the
antagonist and a monster who lives in a swampland inside a cave. The celebration suddenly
stopped when the doors of the hallway opened revealing the monster. Grendel killed almost
all the people in the hall but spared the king. Grendel then left and went back to his home.
Terrified, king Hrothgar ordered Unferth to put up his word that he will give half of his gold to
the man who can kill Grendel.

What happened to the Danes reached Beowulf, the protagonist, a young brave
Geatish warrior. Inspired by the challenge, Beowulf and his men, the Geats, sailed their way
to Denmark, unbothered by the brutal storm and determined to kill the monster. When
Beowulf and the Geats reached the land of Danes he promised to kill the monster and to
bring peace back to their land. That same night, the king held a feast for the hero’s honor.
He showed Beowulf the Royal Dragon Horn and promised to give it to him if he succeeds in
killing Grendel. When the feast ended, Beowulf stripped naked, planning to fight Grendel
unclothed. The Geats started chanting Beowulf's name, and the noise reached Grendel's
cave and he screamed in pain. Grendel then attacked the hall and killed some of the Geats.
Beowulf, unarmed, fought Grendel and was able to cut the monster’s arm. Grendel was able
to escape and found his way back to the swampland. When Grendel’s mother saw him she
asked who did it to him, and before Grendel died he muttered Beowulf’s name. His mother
screamed with rage.

King Hrothgar held another celebration for the victory of Beowulf and gave him the
Royal Dragon Horn. The Geats were all passed out in the hall except for Wiglaf who was in
the shore guarding their ship. Beowulf then had a dream of Grendel’s mother who disguised
herself as queen Wealthow, asking for a son. Beowulf woke up and heard one of the girls in
the hall screaming. Dead bodies were hanging everywhere inside the hall. Terrified, Beowulf
went to the king’s room and king said that it was Grendel’s mother, not Grendel who killed
the thanes. Angered with what happened, Beowulf, with the Royal Golden Horn and the
Hrunting sword given by Unferth, and Wiglaf went to the cave where Grendel’s mother lives.
Beowulf searched for Grendel’s mother to kill her but he was not able to stab her with the
sword. Grendel’s mother then seduced Beowulf and promised him that she will make him the
greates king alive. In return, he should love her, give her a son (for he killed Grendel), and
give the Royal Golden Horn to her.

Beowulf went back to Heorot and brought Grendel’s head to the king. He lied to
everyone that he already killed Grendel’s mother and that there was nothing more to worry
about. Hrothgar held another feast for Beowulf’s honor. The queen, in doubt asked Beowulf
about the horn but he only told her that he threw it away, because Grendel’s mother desired
it. He then again boasted and talked about how he stab Grendel’s mother chest. The king
did not believe Beowulf for he knew that she can never be killed, especially with a sword.
The king, knowing that Beowulf was lying, told him that he is not his curse anymore but
Beowulf’s. The king then announced to the people that if he dies, everything he possessed
including his wife will be Beowulf’s. Hrothgar excused himself later and suddenly jumped off
the castle wall to his death. As Beowulf and Wealthow looked down in horror, Unferth
announced Beowulf as Denmark's new King.

Beowulf, older and grayer, wearing the Danish crown, took a younger girl, Ursula.
Their relationship was kept secret but Wealthow, now Beowulf queen knew about everything
but did not say a thing. One night, Unferth came to the King with the Royal Golden Horn.
Unferth’s slave said he found the horn on the shore not too far from Grendel's cave. Beowulf
freaked out, he realized that this meant that the deal with Grendel's mother was no longer in
effect, and that trouble was sure to follow. Sure enough, one of the kingdoms villages was
attacked by a dragon one night, and almost all are killed. Unferth was spared to pass on a
message to the King that his son was waiting for him.

Beowulf knew that this dragon must be his son with Grendel's mother, and prepared
to set out to fight him. Beowulf and Wiglaf went to the cave. Beowulf insisted on going in
alone. He heard a male voice trying to decide who it should kill first, the Queen or Ursula.
Grendel's mother appeared who told Beowulf it was too late to make amends. Suddenly, a
huge dragon appeared in the caves and spewed a blast of fire towards Beowulf. He dodged
and escaped the cave while the dragon flied out and headed towards Heorot. Beowulf
grabbed the dragon and tried to fight it. He got a chain of some kind and lashed around the
dragon's neck. When Beowulf was on the back of the dragon, it nosedived into the ocean
and plunged deep to the seabed. Beowulf was violently thrown off, but he found an anchor,
grabbed hold of it and threw it in the jaws of the dragon. The dragon started blowing fire off
to the castle. Wealthow and Ursula were talking on the castles rampart when the dragon
approached them and blew another fire. The dragon burned both of the ramparts exits, and
left the women trapped and with no place to hide.

Beowulf was swinging right in front of the dragon’s neck, when he spotted a large
glowing red area, just like the red jewel in Hrothgar's horn. Beowulf stabbed the red area, to
find that it opens up into the dragon’s throat and also gave Beowulf a clear shot of the
dragon’s heart. However, Beowulf cannot reach the heart. Frustrated, Beowulf took his
sword and chopped off his arm that was tied in chain. He tried to stab the heart again but he
lost his sword to the dragon’s body. Beowulf then swung his way to the dragon’s heart and
grabbed it with his bare hand, he squeezed the heart and it bursts. The dragon and Beowulf
fell down.

Both Beowulf and the dragon were sprawled on the beach. The tide washed over
them both, and Beowulf, barely conscious, saw the dead dragon melted away to reveal a
human form, looking remarkably like a young Beowulf covered completely in Grendel's
mother's golden film. The body was carried away by the tide and Wiglaf arrived in search of
the king. Beowulf knew that he was about to die, and revealed that he made arrangements
for Wiglaf to become the new king. Finally at peace, Beowulf died. He was burned with a
boat for his funeral. King Wiglaf stayed behind to watch while grieving at the loss of his
friend. Then he saw Grendel’s mother appeared in front of him, eyes fixed.

One of the central themes of Beowulf is loyalty. Beowulf came to the assistance of
the Danes not only because he wanted to gain honor and payment or increase his reputation
but because of a family debt. Beowulf was devoted to the king because Hrothgar came to
the assistance of his father, Ecgtheow, years before. Wiglaf, one of the Geats also showed
loyalty to Beowulf. He stood and fought with him until the very end. The Danes’ King
Hrothgar anf Queen Wealtheow embody the themes of generosity and hospitality. The king
provided land, weapons and share of treasure to his warriors in return for their support of the
leader in battle. Beowulf was also given a golden horn for killing Grendel. Whealtheow and
the king openly welcomed the Geats and prepared feast a lot of times. Revenge serves as a
motivating factor for several characters throughout the poem. Grendel’s mother revenge was
more specific. She attacked Heorot because Beowulf killed her son. Good vs. Evil was
showed by the never ending conflict of Beowulf and the demons and the dragons.

I watched the 2007 movie version of Beowulf and I was able to understand it more
than the story. Though there are missing parts, the important events such as Beowulf’s
battle with the Grendel, his mother and the dragon were shown in the movie. There were
English terms that I am not familiar with which made it hard for me to understand the story,
but the movie helped me understand as it gave a visualization of the story. The movie was a
great one though I hope they showed the back story of Grendel and his mother and how the
king ended up having a curse agreement with Grendel’s mother.

Selflessness is one of the values I got in the story. Beowulf sacrificing his life his life
for the good of mankind also happens in real life when we have to sacrifice things for family,
friends and other people. It also taught me that we have to be brave and to never lose hope
if we want to get what we want. Life gives us a lot of obstacle that we have to go through, so
we have to be brave enough to cross them just like Beowulf fighting several monsters before
he got victory. Be faithful to your spouse. King Hrothgar and King Beowulf both committed
infidelity. Queen Wealtheow would not even share a night with King Hrothgar for she knew
that he had an affair with Grendel’s mother. Though it was not clearly stated that King
Hrothgar was Grendel’s father, the meaningful stare of the queen to the king when Beowulf
asked about Grendel’s father tells us otherwise. On the night of attack Grendel also did not
kill the king. King Beowulf also found a younger woman, Ursula, who he shared his nights
with at the back of his queen. Be a good a good leader, Beowulf led his people and showed
courage even in a moment most people showed fear.

I would, with no doubt be a Beowulf to my friends and family. I will be by their side if
they need me, help them to the extent of my ability and protect them at all cost. I may not be
as strong and as brave as Beowulf but I will protect my family and friends in the best way
that I can. I can also be a good leader like Beowulf. Prioritizing the people and sacrificing
may it be small or big things for their sake, I can also do that. I also always show my
gratitude to my friends and family who has been with me every step and supported me, like
Beowulf who showed his gratitude for Wiglaf, who has been there fighting with him, by
passing him his throne. Beowulf may not be a real person but we can all be Beowulf to the
people around us and make him an inspiration to be a better person.

Movie Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A4Fb8d2O9Bb3C36I0zNTnt33G-EzHS7i/view?

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