Biography
Beowulf
Beowulf is the hero in an anciecnt story, called Beowulf, which is the oldest narritive composed in English. Beowulf is a very powerful and epic warrior that comes to help the Danish king, Hrothgar. Hrothgar is in extreme trouble because a hideous man-eating monster, Grendel, raids his hall at night and kills all of his people. One night when Grendel enters the hall looking to kill more of Hrothgars men, Beowulf catches him off guard and kills Grendel. After the death of Grendel, Grendel's mom came to avenge his son, but Beowulf also kills her too. Beowulf ruled as king of the Geats until he is slayed in a battle with a beastly dragon. After he died he was remembered as a legend and one of the most fierce and powerful man of all time.
Hrothgar
Hrothgar is King of the Danes, or Scyldings. When he first meets Grendel, he seems childish, he throws an axe and Grendel for no reason, but as he grows up, he becomes a wise and powerful king. He builds an empire when most rulers are fighting pettily amongst themselves. He marries the young and beautiful Wealtheow, and tries to love her and take care of her. He worries over his nephew and the kings who are jealous of him. Grendel watches him grow wise with sorrow. In later years Hrothgar spends his life waiting for Grendel, fearful but helpless, and the waiting makes him quiet and thoughtful. Hrothgar is finally helped by the great warrior Beowulf, who eventually kills Grendel and his mother, keeping Hrothgar and his people safe at night.
Grendel
A large, hairy, frightening monster who lives in a cave near King Hrothgar's castle. Though he looks like a beast, Grendel can speak in a language very similar to that of Hrothgar and his people. He is thus disappointed when the townspeople are afraid of him and hate him. He feels alone, he hates his mother, because she cannot speak and is much more of an animal than he, but he can never relate to men, either, because he can't stop himself from eating them. He thinks deeply about whether life has meaning or not, but he is essentially immature and unable to form complete abstract ideas. One moment he decides that since it doesn't matter whether he kills the Danes or not, he may as well kill them. But then the next moment, he hears a Dane singing about their glorious history, and he feels that their lives are so meaningful and rich that he wants to join them. He is torn between his mother's animalistic nature, the generally moral and humane world of the Danes, and the philosophy of the dragon. The dragon, who is thousands of years old and knows everything, tells Grendel that life is pointless, so he should just take what he wants when he can get it. These differing philosophies, and Grendel's inability to resolve them, leave him confused and angry throughout his violent, isolated life.
Grendel's mother, another demonic descendant of Cain, attempts to avenge her son's death by attacking Heorot Hall. Although she manages to kill one man, she is alarmed by the strength of the Geatish warriors, and retreats to her lair, a cave underneath a lake filled with sea monsters. Beowulf follows her to her lair and beheads her with a sword that he finds there. Although she isn't nearly as strong as her man-eating son, Grendel's mother fights like an Amazon
warrior, and Beowulf has a tough time defeating her.
warrior, and Beowulf has a tough time defeating her.