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The sfory of Beowulf:
Once upon a time, many-many centuries ago, there lived a king of Danes named Hrothgar. He had won many battles and gained great wealth. He built a large and beautiful palace (Heorot) and he presented costly gifts to his warriors and gave splendid banquets. But the joy of the king didn’t last long. In the dark fens nearby there lived a fierce sea-monster Grendel. He wanted to destroy the palace Heorot as he disliked noise. Grendel looked like a man but was much bigger, and his whole body was covered with long hair, so thick and tough that no weapon could harm him. One night when the warriors in Heorot were asleep, Grendel rushed in, seized thirty men and devoured them. The next night the monster appeared again. The men defended themselves bravely, but their swords could not even hurt the monster. From that time no one dared to come to Heorot. For twelve years the palace stood deserted. The news of the disaster reached Beowulf, nephew of Hygelac, king of the Jutes. Beowulf was the strongest and the bravest of all the warriors. He was said to have the strength of thirty men. He decided to help Hrothgar. With fourteen chosen
companions he set sail for the country of the Danes.
Hrothgar gladly welcomed Beowulfand gave a banquet in his honor. Lale at night, when the feast was over, all went to sleep except Beowulf. Beowulf knew that no weapon could kill Grendel and decided to fight bare-handed.
Suddenly the man-eater rushed into the hall. He seized and
devoured one of the sleeping warriors, and then approached Beowulf. A desperate hand-to-hand fight began. At first Beowulf's courage fled:
The demon delayed not, but quickly clutched A sleeping thane in his swift assault,
Gulped the blood, and gobbled the flesh, Greedily gorged on the lifeless corpse,
The hands and the feet. Then the fiend stepped nearer, Sprang on the Sea-Great lying outstretched,
Grasping him close with his monstrous claw. But Beowulf grapp led and gripped him hard, Struggled up on his elbow; the shepherd of sins Soon found that never before had he felt
In any man other in al! the earth
A mightier hand-grip; his mood was humbled, His courage fled; but he found no escape!
But soon, remembering the boast he had made at the banquet and his glorious duty, Beowulf regained his courage, sprang to his feet and went on fighting. It was so terrible that the walls of the palace shook. Beowulf managed to tear off GrendePs arm, and the monster retreated to his den howling and roaring with pain and fury. He was fatally wounded and soon died:
Each loathed the other while life should last! There Grendel suffered a grievous hurt.
A wound in the shoulder, gaping and wide; Sinews snapped and bone-joints broke, And Beowulf gained the glory of battle.
Grendel, fated, fled to the fens,
To his joyless dwel ling, sick unto death.
He knew in his heart that his hours were numbered His days at,an end. For all the Danes
There wish was fulfilled in the fall of Grendel. The stranger from far, the stalwart and strong,
Had purged of evil the hall of Hrothgar,
And cleansed of crime; the heart ofthe hero Joyed in the deed his daring had done.
The next night Grendel’s mother, a water-witch, came to Heorot to avenge her son’s death. While Beowulf was asleep she snatched away one of Hrothgar’s favourite warriors. Beowulf decided to kill the water-witch too. He plunged into the water and found the water-witch in her den beside the dead body of her son. A desperate fight began. At first Beowulf was nearly overcome, as his sword had no power against the monster. But fortunately his glance fell upon a huge magic sword hanging on the wall. Beowulf killed the monster with its help. Then he cut off the heads of Grendel and of the water-witch and carried them to the surface. Heorot was freed forever. Hrothgar poured treasures into Beowulf’s hands.
At last the day carne for Beowulf to sail home. Everybody regretted his departure. When Beowulf arrived in his own land, he gave all the treasures he had brought to Hygelac and the people. Beowulf was admired and honored by everybody. After the death of Hygelac, Beowulf became the king of the Jutes.
For fifty years he ruled his country wisely and well until one day a great disaster befell the happy land: every night there appeared a fire-breathing dragon who came and destroyed the vil lages. Remembering his glorious youth, Beowulfdecided to fight and save his people, but of all his earls only Wiglaf, a brave warrior and heir to the kingdom, had the courage to help him. In a fierce battle the dragon was killed, but his flames burnt Beowulf. Beowulf ordered Wiglaf to take as much treasure as he could carry and give it to the Jutes. In his last hour he thought only of his people, for whose happiness he had sacrificed his life. Beowulf s victory over the monsters symbolized the triumph of a man over the powers of darkness and evil.
Questions and Tasks
What can you tell about Britons and their language?
When was Britain conquered by Rome and what was its result?
Why did Angles, Saxons and Jutes fight with one another?
What can you tell about “scribes”?
Why is the Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf' called, the foundation-stone of all British poetry?
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