From the character sketches in the last post, we already know Beowulf fights three monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Fire Dragon. Though each fight is part of a larger narrative, they have three distinct plots, defined as a series of causally-related events that revolve around a central problem, rise to a climax, and ultimately come to a resolution.

Here is the first plot, which revolves around Beowulf’s fight with Grendel.

PLOT SUMMARY

Exposition – The Background

At the outset of the story, we learn of a powerful barbarian king of Denmark named Hrothgar who has built a large hall called Heorot. Symbolic of his strength as well as his generosity, his people gather and feast there nightly, enjoying the security of armed peace.    

Inciting Incident – The Problem

The inciting incident is the problem that sets the plot in motion. Put differently, it is an event of such great proportions that it fundamentally alters the world of the story and must be played out to its fullest extent. 

That’s where Grendel comes in. One night, seemingly out of nowhere, a horrific monster named Grendel breaks up one of the feasts in Heorot and eats a bunch of Hrothgar’s men.

Rising Action – The Build-up

Grendel makes feasting on the Danes his nightly ritual. Unable to defeat such a powerful foe, Heorot is cast low, and Hrothgar finds himself king of a wasted kingdom. Though the Danes had been a brave clan, they are shamed with fear (not to mention sleep deprived) for twelve years. Even Hrothgar turns into a shadow of his former self.  

Their ill fortune finally reaches Sweden. Prince Beowulf, known far and wide as a great warrior, decides to come to their aid.

He sails to Denmark and finds Hrothgar eager to receive him. Only Unferth, a jealous Dane, resents Beowulf’s offer. He contends that Beowulf isn’t really that great, calling him both a coward and a liar. Beowulf tells a story that proves otherwise and gains Hrothgar’s blessing to fight Grendel.

The Geats and the Danes enjoy a feast in Heorot, fully knowing that Grendel will eventually show up. In anticipation, the Danes gradually slip away to their hiding places, but not before giving Beowulf and his men soft blankets and pillows. The irony of their hospitality is never lost on my students!

Climax – The Breaking Point

Scared as they are, all the Geats nonetheless fall asleep—except for Beowulf. Grendel arrives, rips off the door, snatches up a man, and eats him. He reaches for his next victim and chances upon Beowulf.

Vigilant as ever, Beowulf meets Grendel’s grip with his own. The two get locked in a type of arm-wrestling match that ends up with Beowulf ripping off Grendel’s arm, mortally wounding him. Though Grendel manages to flee, he does not live. Meanwhile, Beowulf “wildly waves in the air his blood-soaked trophy,” aka Grendel’s arm.

Falling Action – The Unraveling

Naturally, everyone decides it’s a good idea to nail Grendel’s arm to the wall and have a party like in the days of old.

Resolution – Problem Solved

At long last, Hrothgar’s honor is restored, and his men can sleep easy again. Beowulf has saved the day. In thanks, Hrothgar bestows treasures on Beowulf and his men.

PLOT ANALYSIS

When I study Beowulf’s fight with Grendel with my students, we always come up with a number of different “problems” that could serve as the inciting incident and soon realize they are all related. The most obvious, at least most literal, problem is Grendel eating the Danes. We can go a little deeper, though, and also define the problem in figurative terms with a focus on Hrothgar.

All of Hrothgar’s power, the very essence of his manhood, has been stolen. To put it bluntly, Hrothgar has turned into a weakling, unfit to rule over his people. Lucky for him, no one else is willing to kill Grendel, so none can overthrow him. We are left to wonder if Hrothgar’s rule had somehow invited Grendel in, perhaps by letting his guard down or falling into a sinful pride. Either way, Hrothgar needs to be redeemed so his kingdom can thrive.

As we know, Beowulf does that for him. Sure, Beowulf likes the sport of fighting Grendel and the glory that comes with it, but that is not his real motive. He is fundamentally looking out for Hrothgar and his kingdom by saving their lives and their honor.

Here we see the kind of Christian-barbarian blending that makes Beowulf so important historically. Whoever immortalized this epic for us had great respect for the mindset of the Germanic and Scandinavian people it represents. He knew honor was most understood and respected on the battlefield, but he also knew that Christians needed to serve a higher purpose. For them, honor was gained through service and sacrifice. Hence, Beowulf was a hero among barbarians and Christians.

Illustration from Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race (1910)