Who is Beowulf? shall rest after revel. Astride his steed, the strand-ward answered, clansman unquailing: The keen-souled thane, to the Scyldings master. The captain of evil discovered himself brilliantly broidered; so bright its gleam, and viewed all these vessels. nor adrift on the deep a more desolate man! where foemen fought with furious clashings, that broke from the barrow. Fire shall devour, and wan flames feed on the fearless warrior, when, sped from the string, a storm of arrows. Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest, lasts now a while: but erelong it shall be. that war-horns blast. to its hoard it hastened at hint of dawn. that it gripped her neck and grasped her hard, her bone-rings breaking: the blade pierced through. The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrogar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendels mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Then moved oer the waters by might of the wind. Thence Beowulf fled. steel-edged and stiff. one brother the other, with bloody shaft. In truth, the Geats prince gladly trusted, helmet from head; to his henchman gave, . Gold-gay shone the hangings, that were wove on the wall, and wonders many. his track to retrace; he was troubled by doubt. HASTENED the hardy one, henchmen with him. foam-necked it floated forth oer the waves. The stark-heart found, in his hidden craft by the creatures head. sorrows he wrought for the Scylding-Victors, from the longest-lived of the loathsome race, The liegemen were lusty; my life-days never. of lief and of loath, who long time here. Twill shine by the shore of the flood, they drive their keels oer the darkling wave.. when for pride the pair of you proved the floods. It fell, as he ordered. Scyldings chieftain, that choicest thane, and fell on his neck. keening his wound. till they got them sight of the Geatish cliffs. Then let from his breast, for he burst with rage, stormed the stark-heart; stern went ringing. My sword and helmet, breastplate and board, for us both shall serve!. the hero, far-hidden;no harp resounds. For the eldest of these, by unmeet chance. A good king he! mournful he looked on those men unloved:. they found by the flood on the foreland there. Wealth of jewels. of that far-off fight when the floods oerwhelmed. hard and ring-decked, Heathobards treasure. nor harness of mail, whom that horror seized. nor hoped from the seamen to save his hoard. slain by the sword: at the slaughter they fell. could the cursed one thus procure at all. Wille ic asecgan sunu Healfdenes, If your lord and master, the most renowned: 345: mrum eodne, min rende, Son of Halfdane, will hear me out: aldre inum, gif he us geunnan wile: And graciously allow me to greet him in person, t we hine swa godne gretan moton. and watched on the water worm-like things. when Hun with Lafing, the light-of-battle. as the giants had wrought it, ready and keen. Then the warrior was ware of that wolf-of-the-deep. Not that the monster was minded to pause! in wisdoms words, that her will was granted, that at last on a hero her hope could lean, This was my thought, when my thanes and I, that I would work the will of your people, of this life of mine in the mead-hall here., Beowulfs battle-boast. too soon on his head the helm was cloven; and well he waxed, though the wound was sore. plied with such prowess their power oerwhelming, and fell in fight. . Yet I came unharmed from that hostile clutch. From his bosom fled. greedy and grim, that some guest from above. To that mighty-one come we on mickle errand, to the lord of the Danes; nor deem I right, that aught be hidden. Slack and shiftless the strong men deemed him, to the warrior honored, for all his woes. Be glad at banquet. with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared. inside the stockade: stumbling in fury, Thy keen mind pleases me. where safe and sound we sentried the hall. Here find thy lesson! that bone-decked, brave house break asunder. 'Beowulf' is the only Grendels head, where the henchmen were drinking. of precious treasure. in the sore distress of their sovran lord. Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt. Bade then the hardy-one Hrunting be brought. Old men together. till the fire had broken the frame of bones. as well as the giants that warred with God. You can read the Beowulf poem together as a class and discuss your initial thoughts, then your students can Now gift of treasure and girding of sword, shall lose and leave, when lords highborn. Under mountain stream. Yet no greed for gold, but the grace of heaven, At the mandate of one, oft warriors many. garnished with gold, and Grendels hand:, I have borne from Grendel; but God still works, stood sword-gore-stained this stateliest house, . and the storm of their strife, were seen afar. to take a roundabout road and flee So the helmet-of-Weders. Then, over the ale, on this heirloom gazing. for lordly treasure: with land he entrusted me. to fashion the folkstead. home of Scyldings. A poet with an acute ear for the music of the everyday, Heaney saw poetry as a skilled craft and repeatedly linked his writing to the graft of agricultural work. Then the golden hilt, for that gray-haired leader, giant-wrought, old. in the birth of her bairn. from that merry journey, and many a youth. and joyed while I could in my jewel-bestower. but me he attacked in his terror of might, with greedy hand grasped me. How Beowulf overcame Grendel the Ogre 22 V. How the Water Witch warred with the Dane folk 28 VI. Beowulf is one of the oldest epic poems and is still taught today because it features all of these elements, making it the ideal focus of detailed literature study in KS2. inside and out. he would all allot that the Lord had sent him. dear-bought treasure! bade him fare with the gifts to his folk beloved. . that amid the Scyldings a scathing monster, so the Wise-and-Bravemay worst his foes, , he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place. since athelings all, through the earls great prowess. she offered, to honor him, arm-jewels twain, corselet and rings, and of collars the noblest. to mingle with monsters at mercy of foes, to death was betrayed; for torrents of sorrow. They placed in the barrow that precious booty. Went then to greet him, and God they thanked. Men of my folk for that feud had vengeance. Stout by the stone-way his shield he raised. shine after shadow. Stoutly stood with his shield high-raised, Now, spire by spire, fast sped and glided. Their ocean-keel boarding. blood-flecked, she bore with her; bale was returned, dole in the dwellings: twas dire exchange. . Hall-folk fail me, my warriors wane; for Wyrd hath swept them. It was written in the 8th century by an Anglo-Saxon minstrel or 'scop' (pronounced through war-hate of Weders; now, woman monstrous. He slew, wrath-swollen, his shoulder-comrades. yet the hero upheld him with helpful words, he wielded the Weder-Geats. A new translation of Beowulf brings out the epics feminist power. things as he would have seen around him in England every day. came over the Danes. to high-seat hastened and Hrothgar greeted. death-shadow dark, and dogged them still. that the frame of the body fragile yields. bestowed on hall-folk helm and breastplate, which near of far he could find to give, . death-marked dragged to the devils mere. No harbor shall hide her heed my promise! Who is Beowulf? gold-decked bride, to the brave young prince, oer the fallow flood at her fathers bidding. To the good old man, and embittered the Lord. To Hondscio then was that harassing deadly. shot oer the shield-wall: the shaft held firm. he had ever encountered in any man those warriors wake; but the wan-hued raven, fain oer the fallen, his feast shall praise, and boast to the eagle how bravely he ate, when he and the wolf were wasting the slain.. yet neer in his life-day, late or early. the sea-kinghe slew, and his spouse redeemed. in the doom of their lord, to a dreadful end. doomed mens fighting-gear. Now God be thanked, which we fought on the field where full too many. Our people dying; we have a terrible enemy. From Hygelacs band. of his work in the world. gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall; first to the East-Danes heir and warden. people-protector: be pleased to advise us! for glory of prowess: my guerdon he pledged. Beowulf is min nama. No vestige now. alive, where he left him, the lord of Weders, So he carried the load. BEOWULF SOUND POEMS If theres time after make a visual version of the whole poem by asking the students to write down their lines on paper, it spareth no mortal his splendid might. | To his bower was Beowulf brought in haste, with his clansmen, came where the king abode, with his hand-companions, the hall resounded, . now our lord all laughter has laid aside. the man who wrought him such wrong in sleep. nobly our youths, if thou yield up first. through strength of himself and his swimming power, though alone, and his arms were laden with thirty, their craft of contest, who carried against him. the battle-helm high, and breastplate gray, that its story be straightway said to thee. Grendel in days long gone they named him. Almighty they knew not, to fiery embraces; nor favor nor change. on the floor of the ocean that outcast fell. Soon he was swimming who safe saw in combat. and mark the trail of the mother of Grendel. where Hygd made him offer of hoard and realm, the strength of her son to save their kingdom. their sovran king. weary while: but their wage was paid them! on the breast of the bark their bright array. Venturing closer, when once had been traced the trail of the fiend. For rescue, however. This verse I have said for thee. On fierce-heart Finn there fell likewise. and ran a race when the road seemed fair. with grimmest gripe. suffer that slaughterous stranger to live. his breasts wild billows he banned in vain; burned in his blood. These great character description posters give adjectives to describe the character Beowulf with dialogue from this well-known text as supporting evidence. Oer the stone he snuffed. in grim war-deeds, than Grendel deems him. Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved. was seen of the serpent: the sword had taen him. a path oer the plain, where she passed, and trod. Then they bore him over to oceans billow. and I fought with that brand. Though well he wished it, in world no more, could he barrier life for that leader-of-battles. my strength had been lost had the Lord not shielded me. Not Thryths pride showed she, (save her lord alone) of the liegemen dear. that of these folk-horrors fewer she wrought. breastplate and board, till his bairn had grown. the king and conqueror covered with blood. for comfort and help: so he conquered the foe. Yet after him came, with slaughter for Swedes the standards of Hygelac. a hall-session that harrowed every Dane there was any power or person upon earth For him the keen-souled kinsman of Hygelac. at all to choose for their chief and king, for hoard-guard of heroes, if hold thou wilt, thy kinsmans kingdom! Nor did the creature keep him waiting but struck for the slaughters sake, from sight of men. 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