Beowulf

Characters

• Scyld Scefing

  • “good king” (11)

• Beowulf Scylding

  • Son of Scyld Scefing (12)

  • “beloved king” (53)

• Healfdene

  • After Beowulf Scylding (56)

• Heorogar

  • Firstborn son of Healfdene (59)

  • Died (467)

  • Better than Hrothgar (469)

• Hrothgar

  • Son of Healfdene (59)

  • Successful in war (64)

  • Honorable in battle (65)

  • Built great mead-house (69)

  • “Wise old king” (279)

  • “protector of the Scyldings” (371, 456)

  • Knew Beowulf when he was a child

• Halga the Good

  • Daughter of Healfdene (59)

  • Onela’s queen (62)

• Grendel

  • Condemned among Cain’s race (106-7)

  • Took 30 thanes from Heorot (123)

• Son of Healfdene

  • Ruler of Danes (271)

  • “famous prince” 9345)

• Thane of Hygelac

• Hygelac

  • Uncle to Thane of Hygelac

  • King of Thane of Hygelac

  • Son of Hrethel the Geat

• Thane of Hrothgar

• Wulfgar

  • “proud warrior” (332)

  • “herald and servant to Hrothgar” (335-6)

  • “prince of Wendels” (348)

• Beowulf (the Geat)

  • “Hygelac’s board-companion” (343-4)

  • Son of Ecgtheow (373)

  • Grandson of Hrethel the Geat (374)

  • Lost swimming contest to Breca (506-524)

  • Friend of Unferth (530)

  • Resolved to kill Grendel unarmed

• Ecgtheow

  • Father of Beowulf (373)

  • Son-in-law of Hrethel the Geat (374)

  • Killed Heatholaf (460)

• Hrethel the Geat

  • Father of Hygelac

• Unferth

  • Son of Ecglaf (499)

  • Friend of Beowulf (530)

  • Killed his brother (587)

• Lady of Helmings

• Wyrd

  • Personified fate

Plot

• Heorot

  • Great mead-hall built by Hrothgar

• Beowulf comes to help Hrothgar deal with Grendel