Beowulf shares characteristics with many old english epic poems. Beowulf is the story, in epic poem form, of a great geat warrior who came to the aid of the danish king hrothgar in defeating a monster that was terrorizing his people. Beowulf was probably composed as an elegy for a death of a king in 7th century. It has variously been dated to between the 8th and the early 11th centuries. Beowulf is the oldest surviving anglossaxon epic poem. Ii which tells of beowulfs reception among the danes, his encounter with grendel.
Once upon a time, in the far north of what is now called europe, there was a kingdom known as geatsland, and its ruler was named hygelac. Besides being a fine story, beowulf is of great interest because it is our earliest epic, that is, the oldest poem in the anglosaxon language which tells. The easy reading edition of the epic 3,182 line poem especially retold for children and young adults by strafford riggs. His novels the hobbit and the lord of the rings trilogy are steeped in the mythology and culture in which. In 2000, david calcutt uk wrote a very interesting play which is quite faithful to the original beowulf story. He brings back grendels head as a trophy the monster has meanwhile died of his wound, and is rewarded with many gifts by the grateful hrothgar. The story of beowulf retold for easy reading abela publishing. The story of beowulf myths, legend and folk tales from.
Beowulfs drive for gold a commentary on the structure of his story will throw more light. The story of beowulf the junior literary guild, new york, 1934. The story of beowulf kindle edition by strafford riggs. Beowulf spots a huge, heavy, ancient sword from the days of. Beowulfs whole mission in hart was the discharge of a solemn obligation of help from the strong to the weak. Character list danes scyldings scyld scefing a mythical figure, scyld was the founder of the tribe of the scyldings long before beowulfs story begins. These are someof the reasons why beowulf is a great example of an early english epic. Parts of beowulfs story help us date it, at least peripherally. In 1925 professor archibald strong translated beowulf into verse. Beowulfs trusted sword, naegling, is no match for the monster. Whigh tells of beowulfs reception among the danes, his encounter with grendel.
Beowulf was written in england, but is set in scandinavia. Depending on the christian interpretation of the poem, it could be either. It opens in denmark, where king hrothgars splendid mead hall, heorot, has been ravaged for 12 years by nightly visits from an evil monster, grendel, who carries off hrothgars warriors and devours them. Beowulf is the story, in epic poem form, of a great geat warrior who came to the aid of the danish king hrothgar in defeating a monster that was terrorizing. When the western mound to the left in the photo was excavated in 1874, the finds showed that a powerful man was buried in a large barrow, c. Which tells something of the youth and early manhood of beowulf, how he heard of the monster grendel, and of daneland. The story of beowulf index internet sacred text archive. The story of beowulf, by strafford riggs 1933, at i which tells something of the youth and early manhood of beowulf, how he heard of the monster grendel, and of daneland. The story of beowulf, by strafford riggs 1933, at iii which tells of how a dragon appeared in geatsland, and how beowuif and wiglaf destroyed it. Beowulf leaves his kingdom to wiglaf, the only knight to come to his aid. Beowulf is an heroic epic poem of unknown authorship, recorded between the 700s and the early s, estimatedly. Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in the english language and the earliest piece of vernacular european literature. The main interest which the poem has for us is thus not a purely literary interest. Beowulf insists on fighting the dragon alone even though the kings death will leave geatland vulnerable to attack from old enemies.
The havamal the sayings of odin the wise one download. He had beowulf cut off grendels mothers head with unferths sword hrunting, rather than with grendels mothers giant sword he leaves out the. Pdf gold and the heathen polity in beowulf richard north. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough. Led by the fugitive and accompanied by eleven of his warriors, beowulf seeks out the dragons barrow. The story of beowulf, by strafford riggs 1933, at iii which tells of how a dragon appeared in geatsland, and how beowuif and wiglaf destroyed it, and how sleep came to beowulf. Parts of beowulf s story help us date it, at least peripherally. When beowulf talked about going to fight grendel, he denied himself the use of a sword because he wanted a fair handtohand fight with. This is the story of beowulf as retold for young adults and children by strafford riggs.
Story is heavy on the grendel adventure and proclaims brave nobility. Character list danes scyldings scyld scefing a mythical figure, scyld was the founder of the tribe of the scyldings long before beowulf s story begins. One example of this is the life and death of beowulfs lord or king, hygelac, who raided the franks in 520 ce. Beowulf is an epic poem with adventure, monsters, dragons, and, of course, a good hero. The beowulf poem, a prose translation the gold scales. And unferth folded his hairy arms over his silver breastplate and glared at beowulf in rage and hatred. Set in a time when men were knighted for achieving great feats, and great the feats of beowulf were.
Beowulf a hero s tale retold download pdfepub ebook. What is the moral lesson taught in the story of beowulf. Download now the easy reading edition of the epic 3,182 line poem especially retold for children and young adults by strafford riggs. Skelton, from stories of beowulf by henrietta elizabeth marshall. Beowulf retells the story so far from the beginning, describing the way he defeated grendel and grendels mother. It would occupy too much room in the present volume to give a further account of this interesting poem, which well deserves to be submitted to the public, with a. Sharon turners 1805 version of the story ends around line 517, in the middle of unferths initial challenge to beowulf. The story of beowulf retold for easy reading home facebook. N ow we have heard, by inquiry, of the glory of the kings of the people, they of the speardanes, how the athelings were doing deeds of courage. The much studied poem relates events from what is now denmark and sweden. The first manuscript was written in the language of the saxons, old english, also known as anglosaxon.
Beowulf is an epic because it has action that consists of deeds of great valor, the setting of beowulf is in. Beowulf shows a sense of honor by first getting permission from his king to travel to heorot to help. Beowulf is cremated on his funeral pyre overlooking the sea, and then he is buried in a barrow containing the dragons treasure. Beowulf explains that freawaru is engaged to ingeld, the leader of the heathobards. In this image, from an 8thcentury vesparian psalter, we see an anglosaxon lyre. Beowulf, knowing his death is near, decides to fight the dragon. Beowulf study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The words of beowulf and unferth folded his hairy arms over his silver breastplate and glared at beowulf in rage and hatred. Inside, a dragon guards a treasure trove left there long ago by the last survivor of an extinct people. Perhaps the most common question readers have is what language beowulf was written in originally.
He might have been a court poet, or a monastic poet. His novels the hobbit and the lord of the rings trilogy are steeped in the mythology and culture in which beowulf is set. After line 517, all we get from the 1805 edition is this. Beowulf summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Most scholars read beowulf as a multisectional poem, with the first being the story of heorot, where the danish warriors celebrate their heroic deeds in song until the attacks by grendel begin. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the story of beowulf. Set in a time when men were knighted for achieving great feats, and great. The black and white illustrations are stylized and sometimes a bit cartoonish, and nicely dimensionalize the story. The date that beowulf was conceived is uncertain, but can be narrowed down, depending on where it was created. I advise john gardeners book grendel as a tasty companion read. Unexpectedly, young beowulf, a prince of the geats of southern sweden, arrives with a small band of.
If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem, then this book is for you, because here it has been retold in the form of an easy reading novel aimed at children and. The story of beowulf by strafford riggs this is a long out of print retelling of the beowulf saga. Beowulf is the picture of a whole civilization, of the germania which tacitus describes. Beowulf s trusted sword, naegling, is no match for the monster. Tolkien was a professor of anglosaxon at oxford university, and an authority on beowulf. Strafford riggs 1934 the story of beowulf the junior literary guild, new york, 1934. Download pdf stories of beowulf told to the children. Thanks to eliza of, for unearthing and transcribing this gem.
History beowulf is the earliest major work in english. Unexpectedly, young beowulf, a prince of the geats of southern sweden, arrives with a small band of retainers and offers to cleanse heorot of its. Todays free book is the story of beowulf by strafford riggs, with illustrations by henry pitz. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem, then this book. From the old testament, he is the brother of cain, also killed by cain, progenitor of mankind and humanity goodness. As mentioned in the intro some parts are choppy, but hardly detract from the story when it fires back up. It is one of the most important works of old english literature. In the british museum there is a little book, worn and brown with age, spoiled by fire and water. He also said, i returned from a fight when i destroyed five a family of giants, which proves the great strength that beowulf had. This is the story of beowulf as retold by strafford riggs. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. You can find out more about this book in the beowulf unit of the. Strafford riggs the story of beowulf 1933 stresses not only beowulfs childhood within the text, but goes on to compare hygelacs thanes to.
The story of beowulf retold for easy reading abela. When i read the play, i noticed that he made a few changes. Download pdf stories of beowulf told to the children free. Although the image itself is from a religious work depicting david, the psalmwriterperformer, it is helpful to see an anglosaxon lyre which scops storytellers would likely have used during a beowulf performance. Beowulf dives into the lake where the dragons live, and after terrifing adventures kills the mother. Mythical son of edgetho, higlacs nephew and followerbound warrior. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem, then this book is for you, because here it has been retold in the form of an easy reading. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem.
Beowulf study guide from litcharts the creators of. The thief steals a cup, but the dragon discovers the theft and burns the land, including beowulf s meadhall. Find out about the history of this famous poem and how the story ends in this lesson. Not only the hero of beowulf but virtually everyone else in this poem is. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem, then this book is for you, because here it has been retold in the form of an easy reading novel aimed at children and young people. The early english epic beowulf is filled with a marvelous hero, ghastly villains, far off lands, and deeds of great valor. A prose translation, it captures the mood of the original without being selfconsciously archaic. More than 3,000 lines long, beowulf relates the exploits of its eponymous hero, and his successive battles with a monster named grendel, with grendels revengeful mother, and with a dragon which was guarding a hoard of treasure. Eadgils was buried at uppsala gamla uppsala, sweden according to snorri sturluson.
In beowulf s old age, a thief finds a passageway into an old barrow. The author of beowulf is a mystery, as most poets of the anglosaxon period are. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars. Beowulf is the longest epic poem in old english, the language spoken in anglosaxon england before the norman conquest. In beowulfs old age, a thief finds a passageway into an old barrow. Beowulf is arguably one of the greatest epics ever wrote, but it is rarely appreciated because the old english is. This is a long outofprint retelling of the beowulf saga.
The words of beowulf this story is part of the beowulf unit. Beowulf, plot beowulf was written in old english and its the oldest epic poem in the english language. The saga of beowulf retold as a story for young adults. If you ever just wanted to know the story of beowulf without having to plough through the 3,182 lines of the epic poem, then this book is for you. His ship funeral early in the poem is a significant ritual. The thief steals a cup, but the dragon discovers the theft and burns the land, including beowulfs meadhall. The story of beowulf by strafford riggs with illustrations by henry pitz 1933. Access this video with closed captions at the following link. He also describes hrothgars generosity and the kindness of his daughter freawaru. Anglosaxon word beo means bright or noble and wulf means wolf, so beowulf means brighe or noble wolf.
Representations of anglosaxon england in childrens literature. One example of this is the life and death of beowulf s lord or king, hygelac, who raided the franks in 520 ce. I have tried to lend to others the conviction i have long. Beowulf and grendels mother wrestle and struggle together. If you have struggled in the past reading the ancient classic, then bookcaps can help you out. Jul 21, 2017 most scholars read beowulf as a multisectional poem, with the first being the story of heorot, where the danish warriors celebrate their heroic deeds in song until the attacks by grendel begin. Tolkien read 25 november 1936 in 1864 the reverend oswald cockayne wrote of the reverend doctor joseph bosworth, rawlinsonian professor of anglosaxon. Shild and the dragon is the first story in a new series of kid beowulf eddas stories exploring the rich world of characters from kid beowulf. The story of beowulf by strafford riggs 1933 this is a long outofprint retelling of the beowulf saga. Back in sweden, beowulf becomes king of the geats and has a long and successful reign. Beowulf told a story of when he killed nine seabeasts with his sword.
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