The Background of Beowulf
King Hrothgar builds a great mead-hall, called Heriot, where his warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their king, and listen to stories sung by the scopes, or bards. But the noise from Heriot angers Grendel, a horrible demon who lives in the swamp lakes of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel terrorizes the Danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of Grendel. Eventually, a young warrior named Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s problems. Beowulf sails to Denmark with a small company of men, determined to defeat Grendel.
Setting
- Scandinavia
- Denmark
- Sweden
- 5th and 6th Century Europe