Beowulf Lines 662 – 835

Important Passages 194-209: pay close attention to the way Beowulf is introduced 258-285: Beowulf speaks 440-455: Beowulf speaks again Fate, wyrd: 440-1 and 455

Important Passages How does Beowulf announce he will fight Grendel? 679-686: without a sword! Kennings use to describe Grendel: 703: shadow-stalker; 765: terror-monger What happens during the fight between Beowulf and Grendel?

Lastly, the money question: The Beowulf poet often refers to Beowulf indirectly instead of directly by his name: look especially at line 736, where he’s called “Hygelac’s kinsman.” Indeed, when he’s first introduced to us, in line 194, the poet calls him “Hygelac’s thane.” Analyze this tendency of the poet to refer to Beowulf indirectly. Why does he do this? How does looking closely at the poet’s naming of Beowulf shed light on our understanding of the cultural values implicit in the poem?

A Summary of the Parts We Skip Hrothgar throws a huge party for Beowulf and his men at Heorot The warriors all go to sleep at Heorot Grendel’s mother attacks them! She grabs one man, Hrothgar’s trusted advisor, and runs away to her watery lair when the other men wake up So Hrothgar asks Beowulf to come to his aid once more Beowulf agrees, of course, and swims down to where Grendel’s mother is hiding (note: this takes him more than half a day) They fight; he cuts off her head—Hooray!

A Summary of the Parts We Skip, cont’d Beowulf goes home to Geatland, tells everybody there all about what happened in Denmark Time passes; Hygelac is killed in battle Beowulf succeeds him and rules Geatland for 50 years as a wise and respected king

For Tomorrow: Read lines 2510-2820 BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS Beowulf fights a dragon, make sure you know who wins, why, what happens with his warriors, etc…