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Beowulf (MAXNotes Literature Guides)

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For 12 Years, Grendel, A gruesome monster roamed the Danish Kingdom, stalking the King's High Hall, devouring 15 of Hrothgar's sleeping warriors. Then Grendel would seize 15 more to take back to his marshy home. Beowulf heard of this and set sail to tame the beast. Beowulf took 15 men. After a feast was prepared for Beowulf, Grendel came and consumed one warrior before Beowulf ripped off his right arm. Beowulf hung hte arm on the wall above the door and was honored with a feast and gifts. On the next night Grendel's mother snatched Aeschere, Hrothgar's dearest counselor and grabbed Grendel's arm from above the door. Hrothgar and others went to the marshy lair, where they saw the head of Aeschere. Unferth offered Beowulf his sword, the best in the land, forfeiting a chance to win imortality for himself. Beowulf sank into the murky waters and was encircled by vicious creatures. After an immense struggle he came to the cave of Grendel's mother. Beowulf failed with weapons and Unferth's sword, but grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her to the ground. Almost overcome, Beowulf grabbed a sword of a fallen warrior and plunged it into her heart. Then swung his sword at Grendel and seperated his head from his body. Then as he swam the sword melted. Beowulf returned the sword to Unferth, without telling him of its failure. Beowulf soon became the King of the Geats. One day after Beowulf resigned, a servant, who didn't like his position, stumbled upon a golden goblet. THe dragon guarding it was furious. Beowulf was old. Wiglaf stayed to defend Beowulf. After the dragon bit the neck of Beowulf, Wiglaf and Beowulf defeatedthe dragon. Beowulf, weak because of the lack of blood was dying. Beowulf gave Wiglaf his armor, kingly jewels, and the last of his family line. Then the Geats celebrated Beowulf's life.

By reading Beowulf I came across many interesting themes. The one that strikes me the most odd is the hints towards Beowulf's sexual preference. Throughout the epic, Beowulf is always surrounded by his "men", there are no mentions of women that Beowulf is involved with. Another example of Beowulf's homosexuality is when he and a friend went swimming together in the ocean. The unlearned reader may think that this was just a competition to see who could swim the farthest. But if read more carefully you can see that they were just frolicking in the water together. Along with many other examples given throughout the epic, the advanced reader is able to infer Beowulf's homosexuality.