Reading Notes: Beowulf, Part B

The Battle with Grendel

This narrative is intense and bloody. I loved the fight scene! Beowulf, a mighty warrior, is battling against a terrible monster, Grendel. The fight is described as being nearly even, with the two parties struggling back and forth in silence. Both are exhausted, but neither can give up. Finally, Beowulf has an opportunity to gain the upper hand. He swiftly takes Grendel's arm and twists it behind his back. In a moment of pure strength, he actually rips the arm off of Grendel. Before he can do anything else, Grendel escapes into the night, and people flood onto the scene to see what Beowulf has done.
There are certainly components of this story that I could incorporate in my own storytelling. This is one of the first significant fight scenes that I have read all semester. I enjoy the intensity of two powers locked in battle. In my own story, I would like to include a fight scene but perhaps in a different context. Though this story is fraught with great powers and serious injuries, I think it would be funny to retell this perhaps in the context of an elementary school lunch room or playground. Two kids are locked in a battle over a lunch box, and they battle silently throughout the scene in order to avoid the attention of the teachers. While no arms would be ripped off, somebody could win and gain the lunch box!

Battle with the Dragon/The End of Beowulf

Here we see another great fighting scene! However, the end result of this battle differs from that with Grendel. Again, Beowulf engages in a mighty battle. This time, he fights against a dragon, and cannot seem to gain the upper hand. As it seems that he is finished and that the dragon is victorious, his friend Wiglaf comes to his aid and slays the dragon. However, the damage is done, and Beowulf dies an honorable death as a warrior on the battlefield. Beowulf forgives his other friends for not coming to help him. I think the storytelling themes in this narrative can be continued from the previous story. We see another significant battle, and I like the idea that this was viewed as an honorable death. I also appreciate that Beowulf forgave his friends. If I choose to continue with the elementary school narrative, perhaps there could be an ending where one kid follows the honor of Beowulf - maybe he even gives up his own lunch to help another, or forgives his friends for not stepping in.

Bibliography:
"The Story of Beowulf: The Battle with Grendel" by Strafford Rigs; online link
"The Story of Beowulf: The Battle with Grendel" by Strafford Rigs; online link

Image Information: Beowulf posing with a sword.
Image Link: Flickr