2. Manuscript of Beowulf Is based on oral traditions passed down by Scops. Believed to be written by monks. The precise date of the manuscript is hard to date. The poem is known only from a single manuscript.

3. Social Structure of the Geats The Geats were separated into different districts or hærrad. Stenkil, a Geat, was elected king of Sweden. Christianity was starting to take hold of their beliefs. There were three classes. The karls, jarls, and þræll. Kings were only viewed as exceptionally able and imperious men. Slaves were prisoners of war or raids. People that were lower than the three classes were outcasts.

4. Art of the 5 th and 6 th Century

5. Invasion of the Goths Into the Roman Empire

6. 6 th Century Bracteate

7. Heorot

8. Plot Summary Beowulf comes to the Scylding’s help, with him he brings 14 of his warriors. They are brought before Hrothgar, King of the Danes, and Beowulf introduces himself. Later in the night Grendal attacks. Beowulf rips Grendal’s arm clean out of his socket. Beowulf presents Grendal’s arm to Hrothgar. A bard sings a song about Beowulf’s victory. Grendal’s Mother seeks revenge on her sons killer. She slips in during the night and abducts one of the Scyldings. Beowulf and Hrothgar and a retinue of Scyldings and Geats follow the mother’s tracks into a dark. Unferth leads Beowulf his sword, but it useless against her skin and he casts it aside. Beowulf spots a giant magical sword at the bottom of the mere, and uses to it to cut through the mother’s spine at the neck, killing her.

9. Plot Summary (Continued) Beowulf returns home to Geat, and becomes king. He reins for 50 years. A Dragon is reported to have been terrorizing the villages and had destroyed several houses. Beowulf travels to slay the dragon, bringing the remaining 11 of his men. Beowulf’s sword Naegling fails to do any damage to the dragons tough scales. Wiglaf rushes to his King’s aid when all the other thanes abandon Beowulf to the Dragon, and together they slay the dragon. Beowulf is mortally wounded and soon after dies. Wiglaf is named King by the dying Beowulf, and is given his burial wishes.

10. Takes place around 5 th and 6 th century. Beowulf and his company travel from the land of Geat. Hrothgar is King of Denmark. Hrothgar’s Heorot is located in Roskilde Time Period & Place

11. Conflicts Man vs. Man Man vs. Self

12. Beowulf Hrothgar The Dragon Major Our Hero King of the Danes Monst ers Grendal Grendal’s Mother Characters

13. Protagoni st Beowulf Hrothgar Antagonis t Grendal Grendal’s Mother

14. Themes Heroic deeds Reputations Loyalty Revenge

16. “You are the last of us, the only one left of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us away, sent my whole brave high-born clan to their final doom. Now I must follow them.”

17. Beowulf Fights with Grendal

18. Beowulf Battles Grendal’s Mother

19. Beowulf & the Dragon

20. “They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-mined, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame.”

21. The End