CLT-3378 Study Guide - Final Guide: Prose Edda, Hrothgar, Poetic Edda
Document Summary
King hrothgar of denmark builds a great mead-hall, called heorot, where his warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and listen to stories sung by the scops, or bards. But the jubilant noise from heorot angers grendel, a horrible demon who lives in the swamplands of hrothgar"s kingdom. Grendel terrorizes the danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. The danes suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of grendel. Eventually, a young geatish warrior named beowulf hears of hrothgar"s plight. Inspired by the challenge, beowulf sails to denmark with a small company of men, determined to defeat grendel. Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for beowulf"s father. Ecgtheow, accepts beowulf"s offer to fight grendel and holds a feast in the hero"s honor. Unferth taunts beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past accomplishments.
