What is the story behind Beowulf?
Beowulf is an anonymous Old English poem about a hero from Geatland (in modern Sweden) who travels to Denmark where he kills man-eating monsters, and who, in later life, back home in Sweden, confronts and kills a fire-breathing dragon, but dies in the effort.
Where was Beowulf Manuscript Found?
the British Library
Due to the fame of Beowulf, the Nowell Codex is also sometimes known simply as the Beowulf manuscript. The manuscript is located within the British Library with the rest of the Cotton collection.
What was the Beowulf manuscript written on?
They were written on parchment (most commonly of a calf, sheep, or goat skin), but most manuscripts important enough to illuminate were written on the best quality of parchment, called vellum. Began using in the late middle ages manuscripts written on paper.
How many sections are in Beowulf?
The manuscript text of Beowulf is divided into forty-three numbered sections (plus an unnumbered prologue); most critics, however, view the structure of the poem as either two-part (Young Beowulf / Old Beowulf) or three-part (Grendel / Grendel’s Mother / The Dragon).
Who wrote down Beowulf?
It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as the “Beowulf poet.”
Who is the hero of the poem Beowulf?
The hero of the poem is a prince named Beowulf who rules over the Geats near Denmark. For 12 years, the evil monster Grendel has been attacking people in Denmark and eating the king’s soldiers.
Who is the king of Denmark in Beowulf?
Hrothgar is the Danish king and he and his people have been terrorized by a monster. Beowulf brings 14 of his finest men with him. He is returning the favor, Hrothgar sheltered Beowulf’s father during a deadly feud.
Who is the king of the Geats in Beowulf?
Beowulf, now king of the Geats, is an old man. After many years of peace, a dragon attacks Beowulf’s kingdom. In a brutal battle that is much tougher than the fights with Grendel and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf kills the dragon. But Beowulf also gets hurt and dies.
Who is the monster in the story Beowulf?
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. The monster, Grendel, was a huge, terrifying creature that would enter the town and tear apart its people.