Medieval Test- AP Lang

SG and GK Notes Part 1

- 1375-1400 -Poet unknown- sophisticated, well-acquainted with both international culture of the high middle ages and ancient traditions - Part of a time period: the alliterative revival- poet pretends the poem is an oral tale - Audience- valued alliteration as evidenced by the text- would have understood archaic poetic diction from Old English poetry- acquainted with French Arthurian romances and latest fashions in clothing, armor, and castle-building -Gawain- Arthur's sister's son- best knight- newer tellings argue Lancelot is the finest knight- in this poem he's only a name on a list - SG represents the earliest time in the court of King Arthur and the reputation of the court rests on his shoulders -STYLE- Framed by the "Brutus Books"- foundational origins of Rome and Britain back to Troy- cyclical sense of history is repeated in the cycle of the seasons, generations of humanity, and individual lives - Written in stanzas

Beowulf- Key Points in Parts 1 and 2

- Boast/Vow- inherent in heroic code - Fate/Wyrd- all roads lead to the grave - Epic Heroes- ethics- hand to hand combat (Beowulf vs Grendel)- honor travels through ancestry- weapons must match - Foundling (archetype)- Shild- prologue- rises to great power- people obey him because of the idea of comitatus- system based on oath to a king where men will defend a king to the death- rewarded through treasure -Hrothgar builds Herot as a reward- connects the Danes to goodness/godliness -king names new leader - Women were valued for wisdom - KINSHIP- worst fate is isolation- Grendel's mother takes H's fav. person b/c he took Grendel -WOMEN- Hildeburh (Finn Story)- married to Finn- brother and son burned on same funeral pyre- survives, but left behind, trying to pull warring groups together - Hrothulf (not trustworthy)- Welthow knows, Hrothgar doesn't- woman is more politically savvy- Reminds Hrothgar he has kids- essentially ask her husband to not make Beowulf king- powerful enough to pay comitatus- gives B the necklace, but B declines her offer of loyalty - Divine Weapons can't penetrate GM- in Underworld for ultimate test- Keeps sword close b/c it's the only way GM can die - B decapitates G, v/c GM decapitated E

Principles of Chivalry

- fear God/Maintain the Church - serve the liege lord - protect the weak and defenseless - give succor to widows and orphans - refrain from wanton giving of offence - live by honor and for glory - despise monetary reward - fight for the welfare of all

SG Discussion Parts 1 and 2

-G's chivalrousness- contrast w/Arthur who is generally boyish vs the mature Gawain- Gawain's humility and faith - Arthur- young foolish king, but still noble if not tactical- not really set apart from the crowd, hasn't gotten to that point yet - Women- independence is lost- tend to be seen as temptresses or objects of affection - Is it just for fame?- No, as G is already well known and fame would interfere with the Christian value of humility - Armor- Christianity/light of God- ritual of chivalry -Faith is tested, is faith naïve? - Colors of gold/red- meant to show nobility? is green meant to be sickening?

Seven Characteristics of Medieval Romance

1. About knights/nobility 2. Settings are idealized- castles, gardens, enchanted forests, etc. 3. Contain mysterious magical and supernatural elements 4. The hero/heroine is imperfect, but still noble 5. The hero/heroine often uses disguise 6. Forces pitted against one another are good and evil 7. Concern for conduct and code based on chivalric tradition

Beowulf Summary Lines 1251-1491

As the warriors sleep in the mead-hall, Grendel's mother, a horrible monster in her own right, descends on Heorot in a frenzy of grief and rage, seeking vengeance for her son's death. When she falls upon and seizes a sleeping man, the noise wakes the others. The warriors seize their swords and rush toward her. The monster panics and flees, still carrying her victim, Hrothgar's trusted adviser, Aeschere, in her grasp. Beowulf, having been given other sleeping quarters, is away from Heorot when Grendel's mother makes her raid. By the time he arrives at the hall, she is gone. The warriors discover that she has stolen Grendel's arm as well. Devastated with grief over the loss of his friend and counselor, Hrothgar summons Beowulf and explains what has occurred. He entreats Beowulf to seek out and kill Grendel's mother, describing the horrible, swampy wood where she keeps her lair. The place has a magical quality. The water burns and the bottom of the mere, or lake, has never been reached. Even the animals seem to be afraid of the water there. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that he must depend on him a second time to rid Heorot of a demon. He says that he will give him chests of gold if he rises to the challenge. Beowulf agrees to the fight, reassuring Hrothgar that Grendel's mother won't get away. The warriors mount up and ride into the fens, following the tracks of their enemy. When they reach a cliff's edge, they discover Aeschere's head lying on the ground. The scene below is horrifying: in the murky water, serpents and sea-dragons writhe and roil. Beowulf slays one beast with an arrow. Beowulf, "indifferent to death," prepares himself for combat by donning his armor and girding himself with weapons (1442). Unferth loans him the great and seasoned sword Hrunting, which has never failed in any battle. Beowulf speaks, asking Hrothgar to take care of the Geats and return his property to Hygelac if he, Beowulf, should be killed. He also bequeaths his own sword to Unferth. [His helmet] was of beaten gold,princely headgear hooped and haspedby a weapon-smith who had worked wonders

Beowulf Summary Lines 1925-2210

Beowulf and his men return to the magnificent hall of King Hygelac and to Queen Hygd, who is beautiful and wise, though very young. The narrator tells the story of the legendary Queen Modthryth, who "perpetrated terrible wrongs" against her subjects, torturing and even killing many innocent people who she imagined were offending her. Modthryth's behavior improved, we are told, once she was married to the great king of the Angles, Offa. Beowulf and his men approach the hall, where the Geats, who have heard that their hero has returned, are preparing for his arrival. Hygelac extends a formal greeting while Hygd pours mead for the warriors. Hygelac asks Beowulf how he fared in the land of Hrothgar, recalling that he had known that Beowulf's task would be a fearsome one and that he had advised Beowulf not to face such a dangerous foe. Beowulf begins his tale by describing the courteous treatment that he received from Hrothgar and Wealhtheow. He then prophesies an unhappy outcome to the peace-weaving engagement of Freawaru, Hrothgar's daughter, to Ingeld the Heathobard. He predicts that the sight of the ancestral possessions of each worn by the kin of the other (the result of many years of warring and plundering) will cause memories of the deep and lengthy feud between the Danes and the Heathobards to surface, so that they will not be able to keep themselves from continuing to fight. Beowulf then tells the story of his encounter with Grendel. He particularly emphasizes the monster's ferocity and the rewards that he received from Hrothgar. He relates the battle with Grendel's mother as well. He then presents his king with a large part of the treasure given to him by Hrothgar, including suits of armor and four of the great horses. He gives Hygd a priceless necklace—the torque given him by Wealhtheow—and three horses. Beowulf is praised throughout Geatland for his valorous deeds and courteousness. Hygelac gives him a great deal of treasure and land of his own to rule. In time, Hygelac is killed in battle with the Shyflings, and the kingdom falls to Beowulf. For fifty years he rules the Geats, becoming a great and wise king.

Beowulf Summary Lines 2516-2820

Beowulf bids farewell to his men and sets off wearing a mail-shirt and a helmet to fight the dragon. He shouts a challenge to his opponent, who emerges from the earth. Man and dragon grapple and wrestle amid sheets of fire. Beowulf hacks with his sword against the dragon's thick scales, but his strength is clearly not what it once was. As the flames billow, Beowulf's companions run in terror. Only one, Wiglaf, feels enough loyalty to come to the aid of his king. Wiglaf chides the other warriors, reminding them of their oaths of loyal service to Beowulf. Now the time has come when their loyalty will be tested, Wiglaf declares, and he goes by himself to assist his lord. Beowulf strikes the dragon in the head with his great sword Naegling, but the sword snaps and breaks. The dragon lands a bite on Beowulf's neck, and blood begins to flow. Wiglaf rushes to Beowulf's aid, stabbing the dragon in the belly, and the dragon scorches Wiglaf's hand. In desperation Beowulf pulls a knife from his belt and stabs it deep into the dragon's flank. The blow is fatal, and the writhing serpent withers. But no sooner has Beowulf triumphed than the wound on his neck begins to burn and swell. He realizes that the dragon bite is venomous and that he is dying. He sends Wiglaf to inspect the dragon's treasure and bring him a portion of it, saying that death will be easier if he sees the hoard that he has liberated. Wiglaf descends into the barrow and quickly returns to Beowulf with an armload of treasure. The old king, dying, thanks God for the treasure that he has won for his people. He tells Wiglaf that he must now look after the Geats and order his troop to build him a barrow that people will call "Beowulf's Barrow." After giving Wiglaf the collar from his own neck, Beowulf dies.

Beowulf Summary Lines 2821-3182

Beowulf lies dead, and Wiglaf is bowed down with grief at the loss of his lord. The dragon, too, lies slain on the ground. The poet briefly commemorates the beast's end. Slowly, the Geatish warriors who had fled from the battle straggle back to the barrow to find Wiglaf still vainly trying to revive their fallen leader. The men are ashamed, and Wiglaf rebukes them bitterly, declaring that all of Beowulf's generosity has been wasted on them. The cost of their cowardice, he predicts, will be greater than just the life of a great ruler. He suggests that foreign warlords will be sure to attack the Geats now that Beowulf can no longer protect them. Wiglaf sends a messenger with tidings to the Geats, who wait nervously for news of the outcome of the battle. The messenger tells them of Beowulf's death and warns them that the hostile Franks and the Frisians will most certainly attack them. He expresses concern about the Swedes as well, who have a long-held grudge against the Geats; he relates the history of their feud and tells how the Geats secured the last victory. Without Beowulf to protect them, the messenger predicts, the Geats risk invasion by Swedes. The poet confirms that many of the messenger's predictions will prove true. The Geats then rise and go to Beowulf's body. They discover also the fearsome, fifty-foot-long corpse of the dragon. It is revealed that the hoard had been under a spell, so that no person could open it except by the will of God. Wiglaf recounts Beowulf's last requests and readies the people to build his funeral pyre. With seven of the greatest Geatish thanes, Wiglaf returns to the dragon's bier to collect the treasure that Beowulf bought with his life. They hurl the dragon's body into the water. The pyre is built high and decked with armor, according to Beowulf's wishes. The body is laid in and the fire is lit—its roar competes with the sound of weeping. A Geatish woman laments Beowulf's death and grieves about the war-torn future that she foresees for her people. The Geats place Beowulf's remains on a cliff high above the sea in a barrow that will be visible to all passing ships. Sorrowfully, they recount that their king was kind and generous to his people, fair-minded, and eager to earn

Beowulf Summary Lines 1492-1924

Beowulf swims downward for the better part of a day before he sees the bottom. As he nears the murky lake floor, Grendel's mother senses his approach. She lunges at him and clutches him in her grip, but his armor, as predicted, prevents her from crushing him. She drags Beowulf to her court, while a mass of sea-monsters claws and bites at him. Beowulf wields Hrunting, the sword lent to him by Unferth, and lashes at Grendel's mother's head, but even the celebrated blade of Hrunting is unable to pierce the monster's skin. Beowulf tries to fight the sea-witch using only his bare hands, but she matches him blow for blow. At last, he notices a sword hanging on the wall, an enormous weapon forged for giants. Beowulf seizes the huge sword and swings it in a powerful arc. The blade slices cleanly through the Grendel's mother's neck, and she falls dead to the floor, gushing with blood. The hero is exultant. A light appears, and Beowulf looks around, his sword held high in readiness. He spies Grendel's corpse lying in a corner. Furious at the sight of the fiend, he decapitates Grendel as a final repayment for all of the lives that Grendel took. On land, the Danes lose hope when they see blood well up from the depths. Sure that their champion is lost, they return to Heorot in sorrow. Only the small band of Geats, Beowulf's kinsmen, waits on. Back in the monster's court, the blade of the giant's sword begins to melt, burned by Grendel's fiery blood. Beowulf seizes its hilt, which remains solid and, grasping Grendel's head in his other hand, swims for the surface. He finds that the waters he passes through are no longer infested now that the demon has been destroyed. When he breaks the surface, the Geats are overjoyed as they advance to meet him and unfasten his armor. The group returns to Heorot in triumph. Four men impale the heavy head of Grendel on a spear and lug it between them. When they arrive at the hall, the Danes gawk at the head in horror and amazement. Beowulf presents the head and the sword hilt to Hrothgar, assuring him of his future security. Hrothgar praises Beowulf's goodness, evenness, and loyalty, contrasts him with the evil King Heremod, and predicts a great future for him. He delivers a long speech ab

SG Summary

During a New Year's Eve feast at King Arthur's court, a strange figure, referred to only as the Green Knight, pays the court an unexpected visit. He challenges the group's leader or any other brave representative to a game. The Green Knight says that he will allow whomever accepts the challenge to strike him with his own axe, on the condition that the challenger find him in exactly one year to receive a blow in return. Stunned, Arthur hesitates to respond, but when the Green Knight mocks Arthur's silence, the king steps forward to take the challenge. As soon as Arthur grips the Green Knight's axe, Sir Gawain leaps up and asks to take the challenge himself. He takes hold of the axe and, in one deadly blow, cuts off the knight's head. To the amazement of the court, the now-headless Green Knight picks up his severed head. Before riding away, the head reiterates the terms of the pact, reminding the young Gawain to seek him in a year and a day at the Green Chapel. After the Green Knight leaves, the company goes back to its festival, but Gawain is uneasy. Time passes, and autumn arrives. On the Day of All Saints, Gawain prepares to leave Camelot and find the Green Knight. He puts on his best armor, mounts his horse, Gringolet, and starts off toward North Wales, traveling through the wilderness of northwest Britain. Gawain encounters all sorts of beasts, suffers from hunger and cold, and grows more desperate as the days pass. On Christmas Day, he prays to find a place to hear Mass, then looks up to see a castle shimmering in the distance. The lord of the castle welcomes Gawain warmly, introducing him to his lady and to the old woman who sits beside her. For sport, the host (whose name is later revealed to be Bertilak) strikes a deal with Gawain: the host will go out hunting with his men every day, and when he returns in the evening, he will exchange his winnings for anything Gawain has managed to acquire by staying behind at the castle. Gawain happily agrees to the pact, and goes to bed. The first day, the lord hunts a herd of does, while Gawain sleeps late in his bedchambers. On the morning of the first day, the lord's wife sneaks into Gawain's chambers and attempts to seduce him. Gawain puts her off, but before sh

Beowulf Summary Lines 710-1007

Gleefully imagining the destruction that he will wreak, Grendel bursts into Heorot. He tears the door from its hinges with his bare hands and immediately devours a Geatish warrior while Beowulf carefully observes. When Grendel reaches out to snatch up Beowulf, he is stunned to find his arm gripped with greater strength than he knew possible. Terrified like a cornered animal, Grendel longs to run back to the safety of the swamplands. He tries to escape, but Beowulf wrestles him down. The combatants crash around the hall, rattling the walls and smashing the mead-benches. Grendel begins to shriek in pain and fear; the sound terrifies all who hear it. Beowulf's men heroically hack at the demon as Beowulf fights with him, but no weapon on earth is capable of harming Grendel. Beowulf summons even greater strength and rips Grendel's arm completely out of its socket. Fatally wounded, Grendel slinks back to his swampy home to die. Back in the mead-hall, Beowulf holds up his gory trophy in triumph. He proudly hangs the arm high on the wall of Heorot as proof of his victory. The following morning, the Danish warriors are amazed at Beowulf's accomplishment. They race around on horseback in celebration, following the tracks of Grendel's retreat to the marshes. Beowulf's renown begins to spread rapidly. A Danish bard sings Beowulf's story to honor him and also recites the story of Sigemund, a great hero who slew a terrible dragon. The dragon was the guardian of a treasure hoard, which Sigemund won by slaying the dragon. The bard also sings of, and contrasts Beowulf with, Heremod, an evil Danish king who turned against his own people. Hrothgar enters the mead-hall to see the trophy. He thanks God for finally granting him relief from Grendel. He then praises Beowulf, promises him lavish rewards, and says that he has adopted the warrior in his heart as a son. Beowulf receives Hrothgar's gratitude with modesty, expressing disappointment that he did not kill Grendel in the hall so that all could have seen the demon's corpse. The narrator mentions that the trophy arm, which seems to be made of "barbed steel," has disproved Unferth's claims of Beowulf's weakness. Order is restored in Heorot, and all the Danes begin to repair the

Beowulf Summary Lines 1008-1250

Hrothgar hosts a great banquet in honor of Beowulf. He bestows upon him weapons, armor, treasure, and eight of his finest horses. He then presents Beowulf's men with rewards and compensates the Geats with gold for the Geatish warrior that Grendel killed. After the gifts have been distributed, the king's scop comes forward to sing the saga of Finn, which begins with the Danes losing a bloody battle to Finn, the king of the Frisians, a neighbor tribe to the Danes. The Danish leader, Hnaef, is killed in the combat. Recognizing their defeat, the Danes strike a truce with the Frisians and agree to live with them separately but under common rule and equal treatment. Hildeburh, a Danish princess who is married to Finn, is doubly grieved by the outcome of the battle: she orders that the corpses of her brother, the Danish leader Hnaef, and her son, a Frisian warrior, be burned on the same bier. The Danes, homesick and bitter, pass a long winter with the Frisians. When spring comes, they rise against their enemies. Finn is then defeated and slain, and his widow, Hildeburh, is returned to Denmark. When the scop finishes recounting the saga, Wealhtheow enters, wearing a gold crown, and praises her children, Hrethric and Hrothmund. She says that when Hrothgar dies, she is certain that the children will be treated well by their older cousin, Hrothulf, until they come of age. She expresses her hope that Beowulf too will act as a friend to them and offer them protection and guidance. She presents Beowulf with a torque (a collar or necklace) of gold and a suit of mail armor, asking again that he guide her sons and treat them kindly. That night, the warriors sleep in Heorot, unaware that a new danger lurks in the darkness outside the hall.

My Own SG Discussion Notes

In terms of excess and abundance, the best evidence would lie in lines 40-55, with the poet in question expressing the "rich pleasure" of the feast itself. (Raffel 58). More interestingly, however, is how the poet brings in the seasonal motif again, expressing how it was "springtime in Camelot, in the Christmas snow,/In that castle" (Raffel 58). With spring being the season of new beginnings and full blooms, it also helps develop not only the abundance of the scene, but also the joyous mood of those within the castle. They are as light and airy as spring itself. This also comes back in Part 2 when the seasons change, as do the moods of those in the castle. In terms of the audience, I would say in both today and the Middle Ages, escapism is a major part of abundant description. It's more than possible the poem in question would have been targeted at nobility, but even so, fantastical elements are in general usually appealing, and the nobility might even want to find belief in their own social status in a sense. Arthur is unusual, in my opinion, because of his childishness in a sense. He's described as "boisterous and merry as a boy" and on top that enjoys games and festivities to a degree that is different from the almost stoicism kind of expected from a ruler (Raffel 59). He's not really set apart from the rest, in a sense, at least not in his own home. In terms of our impression of him as a leader, I would say it displays his clear sense of pride and gusto, but possibly not his tactical prowess, which seems to be a theme with kings so far (Hrothgar). The Green Knight seems, in my opinion, to represent something larger than itself. He's quite clearly supernatural, but as he arrives with those almost symbols of the holly branch and ax he seems to be even more of that. Not to mention his almost simultaneous large yet trim figure, which, again, seems to convey this almost god-like statue, which makes me think he represents some form of concept, perhaps something to do with the seasons, or even greed, as I also think there is some connection between him and the castle in Part 2 considering similarities between the green knight and the lord of the manor in terms of physique, challenges and vows, and the fact the l

Beowulf Context

Initially, it appears, Anglo-Saxon culture did focus on almost Norse ideas regarding battle and expansion, with the Anglo-Saxons themselves, at least originally, being expansionists having led the Germanic conquest of Britannia. This, of course, relates to their own ancient heroic ideals in a cycle of vengeance and reward that is orally related through Germanic heroic poetry. However, with the spread of Christianity and with it literacy, the originally pagan Anglo-Saxon culture did shift, with its literature displaying this constant throughout history of both honoring past ideals and reflecting upon current changes in society, which is especially intriguing in a modern context where now the religious values of Christianity have been and are being questioned and reflected upon. Throughout Anglo-Saxon literature, the initial values of heroism and strength in battle collide with Christian virtues, creating what appear to be conflicted characters in regards to optimism and hope in regards to victory. This clash also got me thinking about how Christianity, historically, was often hand-in-hand with a firm belief in education, such as in Puritan society, and how Christianity almost created the idea of books might relate to how societally religion has been considered inherently valuable to humanity, possibly because of its relationship to knowledge. Furthermore, it appears that at least within Old English poetry, there was an emphasis on formal speech, which was far from the average language of the Anglo-Saxon, another instance of possibly clinging to some stability in what was clearly an era rife with changes in both ideology and language. It was also interesting to note the figurative use of language in Anglo-Saxon literature, which could relate to the enigmatic and shifting nature of Anglo-Saxon culture at the time, whilst also serving the purpose of elevating the language. Overall, Anglo-Saxon culture seems to have represented this age-old idea of relating a distant, almost mythical past to the realities of a knowledge-bound present.

General Prologue Notes

Neoplatonic Allegory- 2 contrasting forces: Nature and Spirit - Four Elements: Air, Water, Fire Earth - Plants- lust, a vegetative state - Birds- temper -Humans- rationality Church- Friar (lustful), Monk (vegetative in terms of hunting and excess), Prioress (in terms of material values of a courtly existence), Squire (to an extent in terms of being a teenage boy), Knight (moral ideal- human), Cleric (hungry for knowledge, should have graduated), summoner and pardoner (lecherous and scheming) Trade- carpenter, dyer weaver, haberdasher (new money union), Serjeant (human, good at his job, wisdom of legal cases), Wife of Bath (lusty, but also in charge of her own destiny), Skipper (has a temper, is quite possibly a pirate) Land- Yeoman, Franklin, Plowman (all relatively human)

Beowulf Summary Lines 2211-2515

Soon it is Geatland's turn to face terror. A great dragon lurks beneath the earth, jealously guarding its treasure, until one day a thief manages to infiltrate the barrow, or mound, where the treasure lies. The thief steals a gem-covered goblet, arousing the wrath of the dragon. The intruder, a slave on the run from a hard-handed master, intends no harm by his theft and flees in a panic with the goblet. The poet relates that many centuries earlier, the last survivor of an ancient race buried the treasure in the barrow when he realized that the treasure would be of no use to him because he, like his ancestors, was destined to die. He carefully buried the precious objects, lamenting all the while his lonely state. The defeat of his people had left the treasures to deteriorate. The dragon chanced upon the hoard and has been guarding it for the past three hundred years. Waking up to find the goblet stolen, the dragon bursts forth from the barrow to hunt the thief, scorching the earth as it travels. Not finding the offender, the dragon goes on a rampage, breathing fire and incinerating homes and villages. It begins to emerge nightly from its barrow to torment the countryside, still seething with rage at the theft. Soon, Beowulf's own throne-hall becomes the target of the dragon's fiery breath, and it is burned to the ground. Now an old king, Beowulf grieves and wonders what he might have done to deserve such punishment from God. He begins to plot his revenge. He commissions a mighty shield from the iron-smith, one that he hopes will stand up against the breath of flame. He is too proud to assemble a huge army for the fight, and, remembering how he defeated Grendel single-handedly in his youth, feels no fear of the dragon. The poet recounts the death of King Hygelac in combat in Friesland. Hygelac fell while Beowulf survived thanks to his great strength and swimming ability. Upon returning home, Beowulf was offered the throne by the widowed Hygd, who knew that her own son was too young and inexperienced to be an effective ruler. Beowulf declined, however, not wanting to disturb the order of succession. Instead, he acted as protector and guardian to the prince and supported his rule. Only when Hygelac's son met his

GP Summary

The narrator opens the General Prologue with a description of the return of spring. He describes the April rains, the burgeoning flowers and leaves, and the chirping birds. Around this time of year, the narrator says, people begin to feel the desire to go on a pilgrimage. Many devout English pilgrims set off to visit shrines in distant holy lands, but even more choose to travel to Canterbury to visit the relics of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, where they thank the martyr for having helped them when they were in need. The narrator tells us that as he prepared to go on such a pilgrimage, staying at a tavern in Southwark called the Tabard Inn, a great company of twenty-nine travelers entered. The travelers were a diverse group who, like the narrator, were on their way to Canterbury. They happily agreed to let him join them. That night, the group slept at the Tabard, and woke up early the next morning to set off on their journey. Before continuing the tale, the narrator declares his intent to list and describe each of the members of the group. The narrator begins his character portraits with the Knight. In the narrator's eyes, the Knight is the noblest of the pilgrims, embodying military prowess, loyalty, honor, generosity, and good manners. The Knight conducts himself in a polite and mild fashion, never saying an unkind word about anyone. The Knight's son, who is about twenty years old, acts as his father's squire, or apprentice. Though the Squire has fought in battles with great strength and agility, like his father, he is also devoted to love. A strong, beautiful, curly-haired young man dressed in clothes embroidered with dainty flowers, the Squire fights in the hope of winning favor with his "lady." His talents are those of the courtly lover—singing, playing the flute, drawing, writing, and riding—and he loves so passionately that he gets little sleep at night. He is a dutiful son, and fulfills his responsibilities toward his father, such as carving his meat. Accompanying the Knight and Squire is the Knight's Yeoman, or freeborn servant. The Yeoman wears green from head to toe and carries an enormous bow and beautifully feathered arrows, as well as a sword and small shield. His gear and attire

Beowulf Summary Lines 1-300

The narrator opens the poem with a discussion of Shield Sheafson, a great king of the ancient Danes and the founder of their royal line. He began life as a foundling (an infant abandoned by his parents) but quickly rose to be strong and powerful. All of the clans had to pay him tribute, and, when he died, he was honored with an elaborate funeral ceremony. His body was put into a boat, covered with treasures and armor, and cast off to sea. Shield Sheafson's life ended as it began, with him cast adrift on the water. Sheafson's son, the renowned Beow, inherited the kingdom after his father's death. In time, Beow too passed away and Halfdane, his son, became king. After Halfdane, Hrothgar stepped forward to rule the Danes. Under Hrothgar, the kingdom prospered and enjoyed great military success, and Hrothgar decided to construct a monument to his success—a mead-hall where he would distribute booty to his retainers. The hall was called Heorot, and there the men gathered with their lord to drink mead, a beerlike beverage, and listen to the songs of the bards. For a time, the kingdom enjoyed peace and prosperity. But, one night, Grendel, a demon descended from Cain (who, according to the Bible, slew his brother Abel), emerged from the swampy lowlands, to listen to the nightly entertainment at Heorot. The bards' songs about God's creation of the earth angered the monster. Once the men in the mead-hall fell asleep, Grendel lumbered inside and slaughtered thirty men. Hrothgar's warriors were powerless against him. The following night, Grendel struck again, and he has continued to wreak havoc on the Danes for twelve years. He has taken over Heorot, and Hrothgar and his men remain unable to challenge him. They make offerings at pagan shrines in hopes of harming Grendel, but their efforts are fruitless. The Danes endure constant terror, and their suffering is so extreme that the news of it travels far and wide. At this time, Beowulf, nephew of the Geatish king Hygelac, is the greatest hero in the world. He lives in Geatland, a realm not far from Denmark, in what is now southern Sweden. When Beowulf hears tales of the destruction wrought by Grendel, he decides to travel to the land of the Danes and help Hrothgar defeat the

Beowulf Summary Lines 301-709

The watchman guides Beowulf and his men from the coast to the mead-hall, Heorot, where he takes his leave. A herald named Wulfgar, who is renowned for his wisdom, stops Beowulf and asks him to state his business with Hrothgar. Beowulf introduces himself and requests to speak to the king. Wulfgar, impressed with the group's appearance and bearing, takes Beowulf's message immediately to Hrothgar. Hrothgar tells Wulfgar that he remembers Beowulf from when he was a young boy and recalls his friendship with Beowulf's father, Ecgtheow. He says that he has heard tales of Beowulf's great prowess—one story holds that the Geat has the strength of thirty men in each of his hands—and hopes that Beowulf has come to help the Danes against Grendel. He orders Wulfgar to welcome the Geats to Denmark. Beowulf comes before Hrothgar, whom he greets solemnly. Beowulf recounts some of his past glories and offers to fight Grendel unarmed. Hrothgar recounts a feud during which Beowulf's father killed Heatholaf, a member of the Wulfing tribe. Hrothgar sent treasure to the Wulfings to mend the feud, and Beowulf's father pledged his allegiance to Hrothgar. Hrothgar then accepts Beowulf's offer to fight Grendel, though he warns him that many heroes have died in the mead-hall trying to battle the monster. He invites the Geats to sit and enjoy a feast in Heorot with the Danish warriors. At the feast, a Dane named Unferth, envious of his kinsmen's admiration of Beowulf, begins to taunt the Geat. He claims that Beowulf once lost a swimming match against Breca and that Beowulf will meet with defeat for a second time when he faces Grendel in the mead-hall. Unruffled, Beowulf accuses Unferth of drunkenness and describes his own version of what happened in the swimming match. Carrying swords to defend themselves against sea monsters, he and Breca had struggled in icy waters for five days and five nights when suddenly Beowulf found himself pulled under by a monster. After slaying the monster and eight other sea beasts, Beowulf was washed ashore on the coast of Finland. Beowulf notes that neither Unferth nor Breca could have survived such an adventure and mocks Unferth by pointing out his obvious helplessness against Grendel. (MURDERED HIS BROTHE