The International Congress of Medieval Studies
Story Background: Hrothgar, king of the Danes, builds a towering golden mead hall to celebrate his success in war. He proudly names it “Heorot.” But Hrothgar does not know his great hall is doomed to burn when his “good” Danish warriors betray each other. From this prediction of doom and kin-killing, a demon warrior emerges: Grendel. As the doomed offspring of the first kin-killer, Cain, Grendel is the feond moncynnes, the enemy of man’s kin. Night after night, Grendel ravages Heorot, hauling off 30 men in the first raid. For twelve years, the Danes suffer Grendel’s Viking-style atrocities, until the story spreads to the land of the Geats [YAY-ats], the home of Beowulf.
Tonight’s Story. After Beowulf learns of Grendel’s assaults, he gathers champions for a daring venture, bravely launching their ship to cross over to the land of the Danes. When the ship lands, a Danish watchman accosts the Geats at spear-point, but when he sees Beowulf, he is amazed. And when Beowulf advises the watchman of his mission, he is welcomed into the Danes’ great feasting hall. In Heorot, we learn that Beowulf possesses the strength of 30 men in a single handclasp. The hero boasts of his surpassing courage and strength, and the hall celebrates — until night falls and King Hrothgar, with his entourage, exits the hall. And that’s when the contest begins!
After Grendel’s defeat, Heorot celebrates. Hrothgar adopts Beowulf as his son and honors him with the Sovereign Sword of his father, Healfdane–a gift that risks provoking Danish resentment. Then a scop relates a story about a conflict between the Danes and their enemies, the Frisians. A queen of the Danes (Hildeburh) marries a Frisian prince (Finn) as a way to build covenant bonds between the warring nations. But the peace ends in a conflagration of violence when Hildeburh’s brother (Hnaef) comes with his Danish entourage to visit her in the land of the Frisians. After the tale about the Danes and the Frisians, Hrothgar’s queen, Wealhtheow, petitions the king to leave the kingdom to their sons, and she gives Beowulf a massive golden collar as a reward. The narrator reveals that the collar will one day be worn by Beowulf’s king, Hygelac, in his infamous battle against the Frisians and the Merovingian Franks. The scene closes as the warriors bed down for the night. After Grendel’s defeat, Heorot celebrates. Hrothgar adopts Beowulf as his son and honors him with the Sovereign Sword of his father, Healfdane–a gift that risks provoking Danish resentment. Then a scop relates a story about a conflict between the Danes and their enemies, the Frisians. A queen of the Danes (Hildeburh) marries a Frisian prince (Finn) as a way to build covenant bonds between the warring nations. But the peace ends in a conflagration of violence when Hildeburh’s brother (Hnaef) comes with his Danish entourage to visit her in the land of the Frisians. After the tale about the Danes and the Frisians, Hrothgar’s queen, Wealhtheow, petitions the king to leave the kingdom to their sons, and she gives Beowulf a massive golden collar as a reward. The narrator reveals that the collar will one day be worn by Beowulf’s king, Hygelac, in his infamous battle against the Frisians and the Merovingian Franks. The scene closes as the warriors bed down for the night. After Grendel’s defeat, Heorot celebrates. Hrothgar adopts Beowulf as his son and honors him with the Sovereign Sword of his father, Healfdane–a gift that risks provoking Danish resentment. Then a scop relates a story about a conflict between the Danes and their enemies, the Frisians. A queen of the Danes (Hildeburh) marries a Frisian prince (Finn) as a way to build covenant bonds between the warring nations. But the peace ends in a conflagration of violence when Hildeburh’s brother (Hnaef) comes with his Danish entourage to visit her in the land of the Frisians. After the tale about the Danes and the Frisians, Hrothgar’s queen, Wealhtheow, petitions the king to leave the kingdom to their sons, and she gives Beowulf a massive golden collar as a reward. The narrator reveals that the collar will one day be worn by Beowulf’s king, Hygelac, in his infamous battle against the Frisians and the Merovingian Franks. The scene closes as the warriors bed down for the night.