This document provides an overview of the epic poem Beowulf. It summarizes that Beowulf is considered the oldest surviving epic poem in English and tells the story of the Geatish hero Beowulf and his battles with the monster Grendel and Grendel's mother to defend the Danes. It also describes Beowulf's later battle with a dragon near the end of his life when he was king of the Geats.

1. Beowulf
Antonija
Petrovski
II3
Filološka gimanzija
Beograd
2012/2013.

2. Beowulf is
considered to
be the first epic
poem ever
written in
English (Anglo-
Saxon or Old
English).
This literary piece represents the foundation of English
literature.

3. Hwæt!
We Gardena
in gear-dagum,
þeocyninga,
þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas
Ellen fremedon.

4. Hear ye!
We shall
sing of the
glory in
bygone days,
of the
kings of
Daneland,
of the
bravery of
these kings.

5. Although it originates
from England, the poem
sings about Danish and
Swedish legends and
heroes.
This is because the Anglo-Saxon tribe
is one of the Germanic tribes, and they
all originally lived in the north of
Europe. When they went south to
central Europe, they started inhabiting
new areas, including the British islands.

6. The British were
Christianized in
the 8th century,
but they told the
tales of their
still-pagan
brothers and
ancestors from
across the sea.
Those were
stories of
Norsemen, but
also the stories
of their own
past.

7. Beowulf tells the tale
of the mighty hero
Beowulf, son of
Ecgtheow, raised by
the great Goetish
king Hygelac. The
poem, written
between the 8th and
11th century, tells us
of three Beowulf’s
battles.

8. The first battle is with the beast Grendel that has
been killing all the strongest Danish warriors.

9. Beowulf and his fourteen
earls receive the blessings
of King Hygelac
and his queen, Hygd the
Wise and Fair, and set
sail for Daneland.

10. The Danish king Hrothgar tells them of the
beast, and they all attend a feast in the great
mead-hall with the king and his queen,
Wealhtheow the Beautiful.

11. As night
comes, the
beast Grendel
approaches
and enchants
the warriors.
The men
cannot
escape and it
kills many.

12. But Grendel’s
strength is no
match for Beowulf,
and he ends up
killing the beast
and cleaving its arm
off.
The Danes
feast and sing to
honor
Beowulf’s
greatness, but
darkness falls
upon the land
once again.

13. She attacks
the
Grendel warriors
was a and
Beowulf
ferocious and his
beast, but men give
its even chase. The
more huge
terrifying hounds
mother track her
scent to a
seeks dark,
revenge. poisonous
lake.

14. Beowulf dives in to slay the beast alone. During
the descent he kills all sorts of ferocious sea-
serpents and at last he descends to Grendel’s
mother’s cave, After a tough battle he finally
beats the creature with a magic sword. Thus
ends Beowulf’s second adventure, and he and
his earls travel home victorious and burdened

15. After many happy and
prosperous years.
Beowulf’s reign as
king of Goetland is in
peril. A humongous
dragon is attacking
their town. Beowulf,
now carrying the
weight of his old age,
assembles a group of
warriors and goes to
face the dragon in its
lair.

16. Even though in the battle he is abandoned by all his
men but the brave Wiglaf, Beowulf overpowers the
dragon, but loses what’s left of his own strength.
Wiglaf slays the dragon, stabbing it in the heart with the
magic sword Naegling.

17. Even Beowulf is
though evil buried
is with all
destroyed, honours
Beowulf is and
too weak. there
He crowns the
Wiglaf poem
king, and ends:
dies.

18. “Thus passed to his own gods Beowulf, king
of Goetsland, in the north.”

19. The
end