Anglo-Saxon Warrior: Beowulf

Beowulf is an Old English tale of a great warrior. It is a poem format and considered to be a very important piece in Anglo-Saxon works of literature. All high school students read and study this piece. Beowulf comes to help a King of the Danes, Hroogar. The monster known as Grendel has attacked the hall of the king. Grendel’s mother sets her sites on revenge when her son is murdered. And then a mighty dragon attacks Grendel.

The story can be broken down into the battles: Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and The dragon. In the 5th century, Grendel constantly attacks the king’s hall. Beowulf, the hero, seeks to rid the hall of the mighty monster. And he does so after a mighty battle. But by killing Grendel, he then evokes the anger of Grendel’s Mother. Beowulf tore off Grendel’s arm and he slowly died in his home where he escaped. He mother held him as he died.

After the defeat and death of Grendel, the men feel as if the king’s hall is safe. However, Grendel’s mother seeks revenge for her son’s death. She kills the favorite knight/warrior named Eschere. Then she returns to a deep lake. There at the lake the men travel and enter her lair. Beowulf dives into the lake and is soon attacked by Grendel’s mother. It looks like she will defeat him in the battle. Beowulf ends up beheading Grendel’s mother and wins. He uses a magic sword and leaves the lair with the head of Grendel’s mother.

Beowulf lives in peace for fifty years as a great king. However, a servant boy of his steals a golden challis from a dragon named Earaness. The dragon is angry and leaves its cave to seek out the thief. He then approaches Beowulf and Beowulf says he will fight the dragon alone. He does slay the dragon after an intense and long battle. However, he is so wounded that he dies. He is moved to a funeral pyre and set adrift onto the sea. The story ends with the men seeing the fire from the pyre from a distance.

Many students have studied this great and ancient piece of work. The story of Beowulf the warrior is broken down into the three different battles and three different sections. Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon warrior was noble and brave and becomes a hero of the great epic poem.