English Literature: Its History and Significance for the Life of the English-Speaking World | Page 8

out to sea.[4]
"And no man," says the poet, "neither counselor nor hero, can tell who
received that lading."
One of Scyld's descendants was Hrothgar, king of the Danes; and with
him the story of our Beowulf begins. Hrothgar in his old age had built
near the sea a mead hall called Heorot, the most splendid hall in the
whole world, where the king and his thanes gathered nightly to feast
and to listen to the songs of his gleemen. One night, as they were all
sleeping, a frightful monster, Grendel, broke into the hall, killed thirty
of the sleeping warriors, and carried off their bodies to devour them in
his lair under the sea. The appalling visit was speedily repeated, and
fear and death reigned in the great hall. The warriors fought at first; but
fled when they discovered that no weapon could harm the monster.
Heorot was left deserted and silent. For twelve winters Grendel's
horrible raids continued, and joy was changed to mourning among the
Spear Danes.
At last the rumor of Grendel crossed over the sea to the land of the
Geats, where a young hero dwelt in the house of his uncle, King
Hygelac. Beowulf was his name, a man of immense strength and
courage, and a mighty swimmer who had developed his powers
fighting the "nickers," whales, walruses and seals, in the icebound
northern ocean. When he heard the story, Beowulf was stirred to go and
fight the monster and free the Danes, who were his father's friends.
With fourteen companions he crosses the sea. There is an excellent bit
of ocean poetry here (ll. 210-224), and we get a vivid idea of the
hospitality of a brave people by following the poet's description of
Beowulf's meeting with King Hrothgar and Queen Wealhtheow, and of
the joy and feasting and story-telling in Heorot. The picture of
Wealhtheow passing the mead cup to the warriors with her own hand is

a noble one, and plainly indicates the reverence paid by these strong
men to their wives and mothers. Night comes on; the fear of Grendel is
again upon the Danes, and all withdraw after the king has warned
Beowulf of the frightful danger of sleeping in the hall. But Beowulf lies
down with his warriors, saying proudly that, since weapons will not
avail against the monster, he will grapple with him bare handed and
trust to a warrior's strength.
Forth from the fens, from the misty moorlands, Grendel came
gliding--God's wrath[5] he bore-- Came under clouds, until he saw
clearly, Glittering with gold plates, the mead hall of men. Down fell the
door, though fastened with fire bands; Open it sprang at the stroke of
his paw. Swollen with rage burst in the bale-bringer; Flamed in his eyes
a fierce light, likest fire.[6]
At the sight of men again sleeping in the hall, Grendel laughs in his
heart, thinking of his feast. He seizes the nearest sleeper, crushes his
"bone case" with a bite, tears him limb from limb, and swallows him.
Then he creeps to the couch of Beowulf and stretches out a claw, only
to find it clutched in a grip of steel. A sudden terror strikes the
monster's heart. He roars, struggles, tries to jerk his arm free; but
Beowulf leaps to his feet and grapples his enemy bare handed. To and
fro they surge. Tables are overturned; golden benches ripped from their
fastenings; the whole building quakes, and only its iron bands keep it
from falling to pieces. Beowulf's companions are on their feet now,
hacking vainly at the monster with swords and battle-axes, adding their
shouts to the crashing of furniture and the howling "war song" of
Grendel. Outside in the town the Danes stand shivering at the uproar.
Slowly the monster struggles to the door, dragging Beowulf, whose
fingers crack with the strain, but who never relaxes his first grip.
Suddenly a wide wound opens in the monster's side; the sinews snap;
the whole arm is wrenched off at the shoulder; and Grendel escapes
shrieking across the moor, and plunges into the sea to die.
Beowulf first exults in his night's work; then he hangs the huge arm
with its terrible claws from a cross-beam over the king's seat, as one
would hang up a bear's skin after a hunt. At daylight came the Danes;

and all day long, in the intervals of singing, story-telling, speech
making, and gift giving, they return to wonder at the mighty "grip of
Grendel" and to rejoice in Beowulf's victory.
When night falls a great feast is spread in Heorot, and the Danes sleep
once more in the great hall. At midnight comes another monster, a
horrible, half-human creature,[7] mother of Grendel, raging to avenge
her offspring. She thunders at the door; the Danes leap