3. The first page of the Beowulf manuscript

4. Beowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem.
This work of Anglo-Saxon literature dates to between the 8th and the 11th century.
At 3183 lines, it is a very long poem.

5. The story is set in Scandinavia.
Beowulf fighting the dragon using his magical sword, “hrunting”

6. Beowulf is a Geatish hero (Dark blue = his land)

7. The main protagonist, whose name is Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hroðgar, the king of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot is plagued by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills both Grendel and Grendel's mother, the latter with the help of a magical sword, Hrunting.

8. The 3 antagonists he fights are:
Grendel’s mother (here with Beowulf). She is never given a name
An unnamed dragon
Grendel

9. Grendel attacks the mead hall called Heorot (and all its inhabitants)
In ancient Scandinavia a mead hall was a large building with a single room.

10. Grendel’s mother is the second enemy Beowulf faces.
Grendel’s mother and Beowulf

11. Later in life after returning to Geatland (modern southern Sweden) and becoming king, Beowulf fights z a dragon who is terrorising the area.

12. Beowulf decided to follow the dragon into its lair, but only his young Swedish relative Wiglaf dared join him. Beowulf finally slays the dragon, but is mortally wounded.