Vocabulary #3

accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Ex- Emma won the accolade last July.
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
Ex- The old woman's acerbity was clear when she yelled at the kids for playing soccer in the field across the street.
attrition - noun the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; 
Ex- The council tried to wear down the opposition by attrition.
bromide - a trite or obvious remark
Ex- Some bromide about the literary life being as unfair as the normal one may have to do
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
Ex- His prejudiced behavior brands him a chauvinist.
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
Ex- The husband tried to settle the chronic disputes between his wife and her mother.
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; state
Ex- He was expounding a powerful argument.
factionalism- self-interested
Ex- Frequent internal splits have produced great factionalism.
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
Ex- Leonardo DiCaprio wore an immaculate white suit in The Great Gatsby.
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
Ex- She hurled her imprecations at anyone who might be listening.
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
Ex- Although death is ineluctable, we must not allow our natural fear of oblivion to prevent us from having an enjoyable, productive life.
mercurial - liable to sudden unpredictable change
Ex- Jim has a mercurial temperament.
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
Ex- Treatment works by palliating symptoms.
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state
Ex- Protocol prevents the prince from making any public statement in his defense.
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
Ex- She was resplendent in a lavender dress.
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
Ex- The institution was stigmatized as a last resort for the destitute.
sub rosa- happening or done in secret
Ex- The committee operates sub rosa
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
Ex- He didn't hesitate to flaunt his great personality vainglory in public.
vestige - a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
Ex- After the huge fire, only a vestige of the house remained visible in the ashes
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
Ex- He decided to enter rehab of his own volition because he wanted to restart his life.

Beowulf Essay

There are various types of heroes that are synonymous. In Beowulf, Beowulf exemplifies an Anglo-Saxon hero. In this monomyth, Beowulf displayed bravery, strength, and honor as an epic hero. Similar to Beowulf, Martin Luther King Jr. embodies the characteristics of a contemporary heroic symbol of his time, demonstrating fearlessness, intelligence, and honor. 

Beowulf is an artifact of his time, being a person who is able to provide a sense of security to people. Beowulf fought to protect people, not for revenge. “They had in remembrance my courage and might. Many had seen me come safe from the conflict; Beowulf expected no reward for his action, but rather just being able to put another notch in his belt.” Beowulf was the ideal Anglo-Saxon hero, famous for winning against evil every time which gave him the right to be confident. As this idol, people looked up to him. Beowulf wasn't arrogant-he had integrity. Beowulf was known for going against the odds and risking his life. As a king, it was Beowulf's job to protect his people, and even though he knew he couldn't defeat the dragon, it didn't stop him from trying. Wiglaf knew it was his duty to protect his king and when he saw Beowulf fall he joined the fight. This is the cultural values of duty and honor that were demonstrated. Beowulf not only displays the qualities of a hero, but it displays the nature of leadership and politics of society, and the outer forces. This epic was consumed with three big forces: fate, God, and human action. 

Martin Luther King Jr. is the ideal hero of modern day society. He was an average, respected citizen who rose above the challenge. He faced the problem of racism and segregation and symbolized the potential and power that people have. He was a hero. He was someone who fought back and cared more about the people around him than himself. Martin Luther risked his life and never gave up trying, same as the way Beowulf persevered. He proved modern society's acceptance of change. In today's society, individual rights are prominent, and Martin Luther King Jr. embodies a hero of our time that fought for what he believed was right. He is seen as someone who gave his words, actions, and life on behalf of others.

Beowulf is an epic story that symbolizes an ideal hero of that time. Beowulf portrayed these qualities as he took risks and displayed immense courage. Martin Luther King Jr. too displayed courage. Both Beowulf and Martin Luther King Jr. exemplified heroes of their time periods-heroes that embodied bravery and courage. They both fought against something they wanted destroyed, however, Beowulf used heavy violence while Martin Luther King Jr. strayed away from it. They are well known for leaving an impact on society as heroes. 

Will Study For Food

Since we're now seniors, that means college applications and scholarships. To be honest, I haven't really been looking into scholarships yet, but it is something that I need to do. I've been so overwhelmed with school work, ACT/SAT prep, and college applications that I haven't devoted any time into researching scholarships. I need scholarships so that I can actually go to a college of my choice and further my education to start on the path for my future career. I need scholarships so I don't make my parents go bankrupt and have to sell their house. I don't really have a goal of how much money I would like to receive from scholarships; I will be thankful for anything I get. Every little bit pf money adds up and helps out. One scholarship that I absolutely will be applying for is the Santa Barbara Foundation Scholarship. This foundation gives scholarships to quite a few students, in hope that a lack of money won't stop them from attending college. Scholarship awards range from $500 to $5,000 per academic year. Recipients must maintain full-time status and a minimum 2.0 GPA to remain eligible. Recipients are eligible for 4 years of undergraduate funding and 4 years of medical/graduate level funding. Beginning now, I am going to research other scholarship opportunities that are available to me.

Comprehension Questions

Prologue

1. The way Shield became ruler of the Danes was unusual because he was an orphan that was adopted by the king of the Danes. Shield's funeral was legendary because he was laid to rest on his ship covered in treasure. Shield is Hrothgar's great grandfather.

Heorot is Attacked

1. Hrothgar took the responsibility to construct the magnificent Heorot, a mead-hall. Grendel attacked the hall every night for 12 years. The Danes felt great grief and sorrow and lost hope in God, praying to rid Grendel from their land.

The Hero Comes to Heorot

1. When Beowulf heard of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel, he gathered soldier and set sail to Heorot.

2. When the Geats first arrive in Denmark they meet the sea-guard of Danes. The sea-guard warns the Geats not to raid the Danes, however, Beowulf tells him he has come to help defeat Grendel.

3. Hrothgar's herald is Wulfgar. Wulfgar tells Beowulf and his men that he has seen braver strangers as them. He tells Hrothgar to exchange words with Beowulf because of his bravery. Hrothgar then tells Wulfgar to bring Beowulf to him so that they can discuss Grendel. I am surprised Hrothgar knows so much about Beowulf.

4. When he enters, Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he will slay Grendel if Hrothgar in return provides shelter and food to his men. Hrothgar paid off Beowulf's father's feuds and now Beowulf has returned to repay an old favor.
Feast At Heorot
1. Unferth accuses Beowulf of vanity and losing to Breca in a contest. Beowulf explains that he was busy killing 9 sea monsters, and declares his strength. Beowulf then accuses Unferth of being responsible for the death on his family. This shows Beowulf's confidence and his will to prove himself to others.
2. During the feast, Queen Wealhtheow greeted everyone including Beowulf, and thanked God that he had come.
The Fight With Grendel
1. Instead of arming for battle, Beowulf disarmed, taking off all of his armor and putting away his sword.
2. When Grendel enters Heorot, he kills a man and then goes after Beowulf. Beowulf grabs Grendel and while trying to break free, Beowulf rips off Grendel's arm. Grendel escapes, but his wound is fatal.
Celebration at Heorot
1. Beowulf is like Sigemund because he is a hero who saved others from a monster. Beowulf isn't like Heremod because Heremod was a selfish king who never protected his people.
2. Hrothgar considers Beowulf to be his son and gives him a sword, shield, a golden set of armor, and a helmet. Unferth has nothing more to say as Beowulf is clearly a hero.
3. Finn's step-brother, leader of the Scyldings, dies in battle and his second in command makes truce in the war with the Frisians. With the truce, the Scyldings stayed with Finn over winter, eventually killing him and leaving back with his sister Hildeburh. Using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes is not a good idea.
4. Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to give the throne to Beowulf.
5. The necklace Beowulf is given, he eventually gives to his uncle Hygelac. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to look after her sons.
6. Many men remain in the hall because they don't know the danger that is coming-Grendel's mother is coming for revenge.
Another Attack
1. Grendel's mother has come to Heorot because she is angry about the death of her son. It is not for the same reason that Grendle had, she has come in anger and vengeance for her son.
2. Hrothgar is in great sorrow after Grendel's mother takes the kings advisor, Aeschere. Hrothgar offers Beowulf chests of gold to slay the monster and set them free again from evil.
3. The mere is like a lake with boiling water and full of sea serpents and dragons. No man has ever reached the bottom and very few have ever gone near it. This is where Grendel's mother's den is.
Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond to Grendel's mother by sending Beowulf and his men to slay her so that they can be free from demons.
2. Before Beowulf enters the mere, he shoots one of the serpents with an arrow that lives within the dark waters of the mere.
3. Beowulf prepares for battle by dressing in noble garments. Unferth gives Beowulf the sword known as Hrunting. This sword has never failed a man in battle.
4. When Beowulf enters the mere, he spends the majority of the day swimming to the bottom. When he finally reaches the bed of the mere, Grendel's mother feels his presence and grabs him. Where Grendel's mother lives, it is engulfed with blood and gore of humans that the giants have killed.
5. The sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth becomes unless when trying to penetrate Grendel's mother's skin.
6. Grendel's mother cannot penetrate Beowulf's armor which allows him to escape her knife.
7. Beowulf then kills Grendel's mother by slicing her neck with a sword made for giants. When she first dies, a light appears, guiding Beowulf out of the cave. Beowulf cuts the head off of Grendel and brings it to the surface. The blood of Grendel melts the sword he used to kill Grendel's mother. The hilt of the sword is still intact however, so he brings that to the surface as well.
8. Beowulf finds his small group of surprised Geats awaiting his return.
Further Celebration
1. Beowulf gives to Heorot the head of Grendel and the sword hilt.
2. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that he will provide protection for him and his people. Hrothgar tells us that Heremod was a horrible king who searched only for death and destruction. He tells us this so that Beowulf understands how to be a just leader. Heremod dies alone because of the pain he has put on his people. Hrothgar teaches us the example of how to lead when given an overwhelming source of power.
3. Unferth receives the sword he let Beowulf borrow when trying to kill Grendel's mother.
Beowulf Returns Home
1. Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf will be the king of Geats, received many treasures, and make peace with other nations.
2. Hydg is young and beautiful. She is wise while Modthryth is very evil and merciless.
3. He wants to end the feud between the Danes and Ingeld. Ingled will devoice the daughter and attack Hrothgar. An old warrior will convince Ingeld to fight. No because hero’s are supposed to be always act with honor.
4. He reports his adventures in a very exaggerated way. He's honest about the story but he explains it in a way that builds himself up more. It’s not that expected because he’s supposed to a noble hero but he is concerned about glory so it makes sense.
5. Beowulf gives most of his treasure to Hygelac and Hygd and in return Hygd gives him treasure and land for himself.
The Dragon Wakes
1. Part 2 takes place 40 winters (40 years) later.
2. Thief has stolen his gold. The man was poor and hungry and it was left there by a man from an ancient race who realized he, like his ancestors, would die and therefore buried the treasure.
3. The dragon rampaged through the land trying to find the thief and destroys his throne hall.
4. Beowulf thinks his home was burnt because he believes he has angered God. He makes a new shield to fight the dragon. He will fight it alone. He will die.
5. Hygelac dies against the Frisians. Beowulf was able to get away but he mourned for his death. He was offered the throne, but did not accept out of respect for Hygelac.
6. Heardred is killed while fighting the Swedes. Beowulf avenges him by killing Onela, the Swedish king.
7. Beowulf brings 11 men with him to meet the dragon.
8. Hygelac's oldest brother Herebeald was killed by a relative. An arrowed missed its target and hit Herebeald, devastating King Hrethel. There is a lengthy portion detailing his lamentations. War breaks out between the Swedes and the Geats. Beowulf avenges Hygelac's death by defeating Daeghrefn in front of the legions.
Beowulf Attacks the Dragon
1. Beowulf tells his companions to wait back while he fights because he is the only one that has any hope of killing him.
2. The first time Beowulf faces the dragon. his shield, helmet, and sword fail him and he is wounded. His companions all flee the dragon except for Wiglaf who stays to help. He tells the others that Beowulf chose them as his coompanions because he believed them to be great warriors and that they should not abandon him now in his time of need. He rushes to aid Beowulf.
3. The second time Beowulf meets the dragon, he bites him in the neck, leaving a mortal wound. Wiglaf impales the dragon.
4. Beowulf tells Wiglaf to bring the dragon's treasure to him. Beowulf thanks God for the treasure. He wants to be buried in a tower on a high cliff by the water where sailors can see the tower and remember his name.
Beowulf's Funeral
1. The warriors see Wiglaf trying to revive Beowulf and Wiglaf gets mad at them for leaving Beowulf. Wiglaf expects the Geats to be attacked and their nation destroyed. 
2. The messenger announces that Beowulf is dead. Ongentheow and his men make fun of the Geat. Hygelac comes to the Geats with reinforcements. Ongentheow retreated once he saw more men, but was cornered by Hygelac and was killed. The messenger says that the treasure is cursed. Beowulf can't be cursed because he had never been greedy. The final image is of a dragon.
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd how great Beowulf was at fighting.
4. The dragon was pushed off the edge of the cliff into the ocean because it was evil.
5. The Geats mourned and sung and everyone was sad during the 10 day burial.
6. The Geats say that Beowuf was a kind man. It is not something you would usually call a war hero who is killing a lot of people.

Vocabulary #2

accoutrements - additional items of dress or equipment, or other items carried or worn by a person or used for a particular activity
Ex- The new system will provide the country with all the communications accoutrements of a more developed economy.
apogee - the highest point; a final climactic stage
Ex-  The White House is considered the apogee of American achievement.
apropos - adj. of an appropriate or pertinent nature; adv. by the way; at an opportune time
Ex- For alphabetical and even musical clichés it's apropos.
bicker - noun a quarrel about petty points; verb argue over petty things
Ex- Whenever the phone rings, they bicker over who's going to answer it.
coalesce - verb fuse or cause to grow together; mix together different elements
Ex- The puddles has coalesced into shallow streams.
contretemps - noun an unexpected and unfortunate occurence
Ex- The hotel had to deal with more than one contretemps before the end of the night.
convolution - noun the action of coiling or twisting or winding together; a convex fold or elevation in the surface of the brain; the shape of something rotating rapidly
Ex- The crosses were adorned with elaborate convolutions.
cull - noun the person or thing that is rejected or set aside as inferior in quality; verb remove something that has been rejected;look for and gather
Ex- The anecdotes are culled from Greek and Roman history.
disparate - adj. including markedly dissimilar elements; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
Ex- They inhabit disparate worlds of thought.
dogmatic - adj. characterized by assertion of unproved or unprovable principles; relating to or involving dogma; of or pertaining to or characteristic of a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
Ex- He gave his opinion without trying to be dogmatic.
licentious - adj. lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained
Ex- Tom is licentious and has no regard for mortality toward the law.
mete - to distribute equally
Ex- He denounced the maltreatment meted out to minorities.
noxious - adj. injurious to physical or mental health
Ex- They were overcome by the noxious fumes.
polemic - adj. of or involving dispute or controversy; noun a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)
Ex- Brittany was surprised by John's polemic against the cultural realtivism of the sixties.
populous - adj. densely populated
Ex- Jenny was tired of the traffic on the populous island.
probity - noun complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
Ex- The committee feels that he has demonstrated little probity in this matter.
repartee - noun adroitness and cleverness in reply
Ex- His agile mind, quick wit and ready repartee made him something of a favorite to the media.
supervene - verb take place as an additional or unexpected development
Ex- Any plan that is made is liable to be disrupted by superveneing events.
truncate - adj. terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off; verb make shorter as if by cutting off; approximate by ignoring all terms beyond a chosen one; replace a corner by a plane
Ex- Time didn't allow him to read the entire novel, so he simply presented a truncated version.
unimpeachable - adj. beyond doubt or reproach; completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; free of guilt; not subject to blame
Ex- The police questioned the unimpeachable witness because more details about the crime could be uncovered.

Beowulf (Prologue-X)

Prologue
- Great king, Scyld Scefing, greater than all others and no one would challenge him
- His son, Beowulf, continued the rule earning respect and loyalty
- Beowulf died and was sent to a burial at sea with his ship of treasure
Chapter I
- The kingdom was left to Healfdene who upheld the reputation of the Scyldings
- Healfdene's children were Heorogar. Hrothgar, and Halga
- A great hall, Heorot, was built in honor of Hrothgar's generosity and bravery in battle
- A creature, Grendel-descendent from Cain (giant race who had survived God's flood), heard the music and happiness
Chapter II
- At night, Grendel went to Heorot and took 30 thanes to his lair
- Hrothgar was saddened; it was worse than any other crime
- The thanes lived elsewhere in fear of Grendel and for 12 years he harassed Hrothgar
- Hrothgar couldn't rule upon his throne because no one would approach the hall, in fear of Grendel and his rule over Heorot
- The Sclydings lived in misery and suffered without hope and faith in God
Chapter III
- Hrothgar suffered
- Hygelac of the Geats heard of the wrath of Grendel and his mightiest warriors set sail to Heorot, land of the Danes
- They thanked God for their safe journey
- A Scylding watchman stopped them and demanded to know where they came from and why
- Strangers were very dangerous in Anglo-Saxons times
- Hrothgar remembers Beowulf and his father, Ecgtheow, and are welcomed to Heorot
Chapter IV
- The leader of the Geat sailors says he is the son of Ectheow and that he has heard of Grendel and has came to fight him
- The watchman escorts them to Heorot
Chapter V
- While observing the decorated streets, Wulfgar stops them and asks them their business
- Hrothgar is upon his throne when Wulfgar asks him to speak with Beowulf and his men
Chapter VI
- Hrothgar remembers Beowulf and Ecgtheow descended from the line of Hrethel and has heard about his strength and welcomes Beowulf
- Wulfgar tells the news
- Beowulf greeted Hrothgar, citing his recent defense of the Weders
- He says he will battle Grendel unarmed, and if he fails, Grendel will devour his body but they should send his armour back to Hygelac
Chapter VII
- Hrothgar talks about the war between the Geats and Wylfings: the Geats asked for help when Beowulf's kin killed Heathloaf of the Wylfings. Hrothgar was young, his older brother Heorogar died but the feud was settled when he paid with treasure
- Grendel has brought hate and humiliation to the hall; many warriors have attempted to defeat him but they have failed
Chapter VIII
- Unferth rose to challenge Beowulf; he asks if he did contest with Breca (son of Beanstan) for 7 days in the stormy winter sea where Breca arrived in the land of Brondings
- Beowulf rises to the drunken Unferth and says he has superior strength in the sea; as children he and Breca dared to risk their lives at sea with only a sword against a whale-fish. A flood drove them apart and a creature dragged Beowulf to the bottom where he killed it with a stroke of the sword
Chapter IX
- Beowulf killed 9 sea-monsters and the tide brought him to the land of Finns
- Grendel brought suffering and humiliation to Hrothgar
- Beowulf had no fear of feud from the Danish Clan; in the morning he will know of the might of the Geats
- Hrothgar was happy with Beowulf's commitment; the queen Wealhtheow also thanked him
- Hrothgar wished Beowulf good luck and to seek glory
Chapter X
- A guard keeps watch for monsters and watches Beowulf's possessions
- Beowulf was ready to battle Grendel, unarmed; God would decide the one who is right
- All the warriors slept, except Beowulf who awaited the battle

Textbook Notes Pgs. 30-60

From Tristia by Tristia Ovid
- Tristia had moved from her home country, Dardanian Troy, when it was attacked by the Grecian Army
- Now in Pontus, the days go by slow
- She despises the common theme of death races
- Feels like a barbarian not being able to communicate with people of the new land, they think its shameful to live without plundering men
- She communicates by making signs
- She was exiled from Rome
- "Injured the power of Caesar the god," was sent to assimilate with the Scythian race as a punishment
- She believes she should've been exiled but not to that city
Far Corners of Earth by Tu Fu
- Describes a shift of clouds over the Chiang-han mountains where there's loss and confusion
From Beowulf
- Anglo-Saxons/Britain embodied the traditions that shaped their world in one towering figure, Beowulf (sword-wielding slayer of monsters)
- Takes place in Scandinavia, told in Old English
- Beowulf seeks to help Danish king Hrothgar in fighting Grendel the swampland monster (1st of 3 moral battles)
- Traveling minstrels called scops captivated audiences w/long narrative poems that changed and grew from scop to scop
- Written down in 11th century
- Main Themes: Bravery, loyalty, heroism
- The Electronic Beowulf Project revived the burnt original manuscripts
The Epic
- Long, narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary figure
- Hero battles forces that threaten the order of his world
- Story told in serious manner
Legendary Hero
- larger than life character whose accomplishments are celebrated in traditional tales
Vocabulary
- Reparation: something making up for a wrong or injury
- Solace: comfort
- Purge: purify
- Writhing: making twisting or turning motions
- Massive: big and solid
- Loathsome: disgusting
Beowulf

- When created, England was changing from a pagan to Christianity

- Pagan Anglo-Saxons told tales rued by fate where people struggled against monsters in regards to their place in the world

- Christian converts taught that human choices between good & evil were at the center of creation

- Beowulf interprets both the Christian and Pagan traditions

- Starts out during a celebration at Herot and outside is the murderous monster, Grendel

The Wrath of Grendel

- Grendel, the powerful monster grew upset with the constant music that played in the banquet hall of the Danish King Hrothgar that rejoiced in the beauty of Earth.

- Thousands of evil spirits formed from their murderous crimes due to God’s banishment of them by Cain’s responsibility for the death of Abel, who opposed God’s will.

- Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve; Cain killed his brother because he was envious of the attention Abel received from God.

- When all the warriors in the hall were done partying, Grendel went inside killed thirty men and took them back to his lair.

- In the morning the king mourned his companions that he lost, and knew it wouldn’t be the end of Grendel’s wrath.

- The only way the warriors could try to stay alive were if they escaped Grendel.

- For twelve winters Grendel’s defeat of the Danes ruled, killing many and most men.

- Grendel wouldn’t make peace or accept a truce or price

- Grendel continued to kill but wouldn’t touch King Hrothgar’s throne because it was protected by God, and the king’s council debated over remedies to get rid of Grendel.

- The King and council were conflicted by doing the Devils work by trying to get rid of Grendel and banishing him to hell, but trying to do right by God.

The Coming of Beowulf

- The death of the King’s son was extremely painful for the King and kingdom

- Higlac was the king of the Geats and Beowulf's feudal lord and uncle as well as a very strong man

- Higlac heard that Grendel violently forced and demanded a boat to be fitted out for him to go see Higlac

- Beowulf chose the mightiest, bravest, and best men of the Geats he could find to accompany him on his journey to Hrothgar (14 men total)

- He knew the sea would lead them straight to that distant, Danish shore

- They sailed their boat and arrived fully dressed in mail with the best armor and uninvited

- Hrothgar's lieutenant met them on the shore, demanding to know who they were and why they came unannounced

- He asked Beowulf to immediately explicate their reason for their visit before they take action against them

- Beowulf explained who they were and that they were there to hunt Grendel and protect the people and their King from the monster

- The mounted officer believed their words and that he and his men would guard their ship and protect it, saying that any warriors who battle Grendel successfully should go home bearing their love

- Once Beowulf and his men arrived at Herot, they were called in to see the King

- Beowulf arose and went to meet Hrothgar with some of his men, ordering a few to remain behind with their weapons

- Beowulf and his men arrive at Herot and are called to see the King 

- Beowulf ordered some of his men to stay with their weapons, while he took others and himself "into Hrothgar's Presence"

- Beowulf describes himself to the kind to make him seem more favorable, by saying things like "They have seen my strength for themselves, Have watched me ride form the darkest of war, Dripping with my enemies' blood."

- Beowulf over does it on the compliments to the king then asks for the kings permission to "purge all evil from this hall" (including Grendal, who Beowulf is willing to go into great battle against) Beowulf is willing to die for his cause and exaggeratedly says so. 

The Battle with Grendel 

- Grendal came from the marsh and journeyed to Herot and was met harshly with Herot being so firmly defended. 

- Grendal stormed through the doors quickly, saw the young and sleepy soldiers lining the halls, grabbed one and killed him, snapping shit and drinking the blood. 

- Grendal clutched Beowulf but was suprised by his strength and attack. Grendal's first reaction was to run but Beowulf didn't let him go. 

- Beowulf and Grendal battled violently. Herot shook and trembled, it was built to only come down in fire but the battle was a much great force

- He was the strongest man, Beowulf was going to kill the "monster"

- Beowulf's men woke up to Beowulf fighting Grendel and were ready to fight, if needed; they were courageous, but Grendel was pretty indestructible against them and he could easily beat them all

- But, he(Grendel) was now declining, dying, and had been defeated

- His shoulder bone broke, a sign of the battle being over

- Beowulf won "glory, Grendel escaped" to his den though, to die a slow and miserable death

- Beowulf was very prod, the Danes were happy and his accomplishments were listed; he ended - Hrothgar's people's problems

- Beowulf hung Grendel's "arm, claw, shoulder and all" on the rafters; it was basically a trophy of the victory and proof of the win

The Monsters' Lair (there was a celebration of Beowulf's victory, but Grendel's mother kills Hrothgar's best friend and takes Grendel's claw, Beowulf hears from the king about the underwater lair)

- The king is talking the whole time

- Peasants in fields saw female and male creatures and told the king's wise men

- Grendel they named the man one, no one knows if there were any before them or any other creatures like them

- The creatures lived in a secret wolf den with rocks and a waterfall to an underground lake (my visual interpretation of the text) It's very dark, roots hanging from the top, no one knows how deep

- The king wants Beowulf to kill the mother, Beowulf is his only help and hope of "being saved", he will reward him with gold and treasure for winning

The Battle with Grendel's Mother (Beowulf decides to kill her and goes to the lake)

(Beowulf is speaking to the men) 

- To Hrothgar, if he(Beowulf) should die during battle, he wants Hrothgar to be "Father and protector" of his comrades. 

- He wants Higlac to have the things Hrothgar gave him. To Unferth, who questioned his bravery before the Grendel battle, he leaves his "famous old sword" <symbolic value

- He jumped into the lake without others responding, sank for "hours" before reaching the bottom

- Grendel's mother saw him, her "welcome" was trying to kill him, but his armor was too strong to penetrate

- She carried him to her home, he couldn't get out his weapon

- The fight brought other monsters swimming to see

- She brought him into her home which nothing could attack them in

- He attacked her but realized he couldn't hurt her

- They continue to fight, and she draws a blade on him, her only son, but she hit his armor and he was unharmed

- He then struck her across the neck and rejoiced at her death

- He then picked up his sword and went to find Grendel but found him dead

- Beowulf then left taking nothing but Grendels head and the jeweled sword

- The Geats rejoiced when Beowulf returned

- They then gifted the Danes with Grendel's head

The Last Battle

- Beowulf honored by Hrothgar; he becomes king and rules Greatland for 50 years

- Dragon comes into kingdom when Beowulf is an old man, he decided to slay the beast 

before battle, tells his men about the royal house 

- Wanted to fight without any armor, then realizes the dragon breathes fire 

- Believes he's the only man who can do it

- Wants to claim dragon's riches

- Dragon attacked with breathe first

- His armor held up, then started to melt

- First time in life, he fought with fate against him

- His sword broke in two, but got a stab into the dragon

- Beowulf fell back, dragon attacked, breathed fire at him, he suffered

- Once king, now a beaten warrior, all other men fleed without helping him, only man that stayed was Wiglaf, Wexstan's son

- Onela got armor from the king. - Wexstan kept the shining gifts for his son but was killed. - His heir, Wiglaf, inherited the treasures. He went into war with Beowulf and was strong and courageous. - Wiglaf brought the soldiers together, telling them Beowulf had given them the swords, it is time to defend with them. It is better for them to suffer than to cause agony to the king. He yelled encouragement and went into the dragons deadly flames. - Wiglaf and Beowulf kill the dragon. The Beowulf is wounded and is dying. He asks Wiglaf to retrieve the treasure the dragon was protecting. The Spoils- Wiglaf goes into the cave. Finds lots of gold and sparkling things. He grabs as much as he can and takes it to the dying king. - Beowulf says he gave his life for this treasure, use it to help and lead his people. - He said he wanted to be burned high at the waters edge so sailors could see this tower and call it Beowulf's tower. He gave all he had to Wiglaf and said their family had been swept away as warriors and now he was following them. Then he died. - Wiglaf is mad at those who deserted Beowulf- The Geats burn his body. The Farewell- The Geats built the tall and strong tower Beowulf requested, his ashes sealed inside. All the treasure was left at his grave deep in the ground. 
- Twelve men road around the tower telling of their stories and sadness and of his greatness. They said there was not other king worthy of such praise.