Translated and read by Seamus Heaney.

The main protagonist, Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king
of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot, is plagued by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills both
Grendel and Grendel's mother, the latter with a magical sword.

Later in his life, Beowulf is himself king of the Geats, and finds his realm terrorized by
a dragon whose treasure had been stolen from his hoard in a burial mound. He attacks the
dragon with the help of his thegns, but they do not succeed. Beowulf decides to follow the
dragon into its lair, at Earnan?s, but only his young Swedish relative Wiglaf dares join him.
Beowulf finally slays the dragon, but is mortally wounded. He is buried in a tumulus by the
sea.

Beowulf is considered an epic poem in that the main character is a hero who travels great
distances to prove his strength at impossible odds against supernatural demons and beasts.
The poem also begins in medias res ("into the middle of affairs") or simply, "in the middle",
which is a characteristic of the epics of antiquity. Although the poem begins with Beowulf's
arrival, Grendel's attacks have been going on for some time. The poet who composed Beowulf,
while objective in telling the tale, nonetheless utilizes a certain style to maintain excitement
and adventure within the story. An elaborate history of characters and their lineages are spoken
of, as well as their interactions with each other, debts owed and repaid, and deeds of valor.

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