Beowulf Novel: Chapter Summaries
Summaries of the novel Beowulf.
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Chapter One: “A Ship Without A Sail”
A baby is sent to Denmark by a boat without a sail. Believing that he is the son of Oden, the Danes make him their king and name him Scyld Scefing. Scyld lived a long life, being very strong and tall… but when the time came, he was put on a ship without a sail,
and sent out to sea to be cremated.
Chapter Two: A Hall Full Of Blood
Scyld left behind a son, who then had four children.. one of which was named Hrothgar, who was chosen to be the next king. He ordered his men to build a great hall made of gold and ivory, as he had seen in a dream.. after the hall was build, he named it Hall Herot he wished to invite the wisest and the strongest of the land to come dine in his hall. But when his guests were asleep, a disgusting monster named Grendle entered the hall and devoured the guests. If it was not for the love Hrothgar’s wife showed to him, Grendle would have killed him as well.
Chapter Three: Ten Men Against Grendle
Hrothgar was disgusted of what had happened. Wondering what would have caused this, his nephew, Unferth, explains that it was the work of Grendle.. Hrothgar then orders 9 of the best war-lords of the land to come help him defeat the beast. They wait for him in the hall, heads standing high, armour polished. Grendle then enters the hall and tears the 9 war-lords to pieces.. King Hrothgar managing to escape with his life…
Chapter Four: Beowulf
The story of Hall Herot, Grendle and king Hrothgar spread over the lands, and into the ear of Beowulf, a bee hunter from the land of the Geats. Beowulf decided to take on this mysterious creature, so he gathered 14 average men and set sail for Denmark. Beowulf got his name when he was young and got stung in the eye by a bee… that would explain his poor vision to be one of his weaknesses… after they landed in Denmark, after much hassle the coastguard finally escorted them to the castle. Beowulf left his sword on top of the mountain, because fighting Grendle is like fighting the sea, you don’t use a sword.
Chapter Five: Nine Sea-Monsters
Beowulf meets with Hrothgar ands Unferth. Beowulf is bearing a bag of apples that he picked from an orchard on the other side of the mountain. Unferth tries to break Beowulf’s courage by telling him that he has no chance against Grendle, and that the apples he is about to eat are bewitched. Beowulf accepts the fact that everyone has a bit of good and evil inside them, so he happily eats the apple.
Chapter Six: Beowulf Against Grendle
Beowulf and his men are in Hall Herot, his men all asleep… Beowulf the only one awake, along with Unferth… wanting to see if “Beowulf shakes hands with Grendle”… finally the beast shows up, Unferth soils himself as Grendle kills one of Beowulf’s men… Beowulf then grabs Grendle’s arm… and with the power of light, love and good… he disarms Grendle…LITERALLY!
Chapter Seven: Celebrations
Grendle’s arm is hung from the rafters of the hall, while the Danes and the Geats participate in a three day feast, all except for Unferth, who is mourning the death of Grendle. Beowulf is showed with gifts, poems and a story of Fitela and Sigmund… everyone is happy and grateful, except Unferth…
Chapter Eight: Revenge
A creature stirs in the night… emerging from the fen… scaly, disgusting and snake like. Unferth knew. As the monster walks into hall Herot, Unferth welcomes Her… She is… GRENDLE’S MOTHER! The hero’s awake to find one of there men are dead… Unferth is missing… now Beowulf must set out to find and kill who did this…
Chapter Nine: Into The Fen
The heroes set out to the fen to avenge the death of their man, to kill Grendle’s mother… they arrive at the fen to see Unferth’s head hanging from a tree… Beowulf then enters the blood coloured, foul scented, eyeball infested waters of the fen.
Chapter Ten: Beowulf Against Grendle’s Mom
Beowulf swims down and down into the murky waters. Breathing on air bubbles, managing to stay alive and swim down more and more until he is captured in Grendle’s mother’s clutch. He is dropped down, and down with the pull of Her… He starts to chant words as she begging’s to fall into a sleep… Beowulf then strangles Her… She is now dead.
Chapter Eleven: Grendle’s Head
Beowulf emerges from the waters, to his men, who though he was dead. They return to the Kingdom Of Denmark and tell them the good news… and about Unferth’s death. They shower him and his men with gifts and give them great thanks.
Chapter Twelve: Beowulf Goes Home
A crow hums notes to bring the dawn and heals Beowulf’s toothache. After being honoured in Denmark, he finally decides that he wishes to go back home. The coastguard thanks Beowulf for what he has done and prepares his ship for him… Beowulf tells him that he can have his sword, which he had left on top of the mountain. The coastguard thanks him and asks why he didn’t bring the sword with him on his journey, Beowulf replied… “Fighting Grendle is like fighting the ocean, you wouldn’t bring a sword to fight the ocean”.
Chapter Thirteen: King Beowulf
The news has spread about Beowulf’s achievements, and the Geats are glad to have him back. He gives his riches and rewards to his uncle, King Hyriglec and his wife Hyro. Beowulf went back to his normal life… but then the Geats were invaded by Friesland, and his uncle was killed… his son took over when he was young, but after a few years, he was killed… and Beowulf took over.
Chapter Fourteen: The Firedrake
For forty years, everyone in the land of the Geats was happy… all except one slave who was beaten and mistreated. He couldn’t take it anymore… so he though if he stole some treasure from the mountain burial grounds, he could give it to his master to stop the whipping. The Firedrake, a giant fire-breathing lizard guarded the burial grounds… the slave grabbed a cup, and manages to escape… the Firedrake became enraged…
Chapter Fifteen: Beowulf Against The Firedrake
Beowulf decided to go up against the Firedrake. He gathers fourteen men including Wiglaf, a young, small soldier. Beowulf orders his men to bring up a wooden stake, some beehives and a giant glove up to the Firedrakes mountain… puzzled at his request, they obey and start heading up the mountain.
Chapter Sixteen: Bees
Young Wiglaf waits behind a rock in the Firedrake’s lair… while Beowulf taunts the dragon… making it enraged. As the Firedrake was about to scorch him, agile Wiglaf jumps out and shoves the stake in its mouth, keeping it opened… Beowulf then threw the glove at the Firedrake… the glove contained a Queen bee… the queen flew down the Firedrake’s thought and… As bees always follow their queen… the other bees all follow the queen down into the Firedrake’s stomach… as they proceed to sting him from the inside until he was dead. When the time came, they buried Beowulf in a large fist of land. And if anyone asks about Beowulf, the true thing to say is…
“Beowulf was Beowulf”.
Liked it







it’s nice but..it’s missing some chapters…this only have 15 chapters in it??? why is that??
Yah thats how it rolls dawg
nIcE iT hElpEd mE a lOt!=D
thanks for the great help
wheress CH. 11 ?
Wow I published this after I handed it in as an english assignment last year and it has over 3000 views.
Chapter 11 is there, the heading is on the first page and the summary is on the second. Sorry for the confusion.
its only 16 chapters? thats kinda short. but, overall this is good. thanks
No problem. Kind of sad that this article is my most popular one, looks like people aren’t reading their books for school :O thats okay, reading is stupid.
who’s the author?
OMG this was like the best site i can get to its going to help my
A in Humanities go to an even higher A.
its good over all but, i have diff book and i turend this n and got fcked lol
I thought that there were more than 16 chapters in Beowulf.
thnxx so much for postingg this u jusz did all my h.w for me all i havee to do isz copy disz nd show my teacher thnxx so muchhhh