47 pp. Number 22 in the Harvard Outline Company Examination Brief series. A summary of Beowulf in outline form is preceded by an introduction (3-9) and followed by commentary (18-33), an essay on the poetic tradition in which Beowulf participates (33-46), and select bibliography (47). The summary is in prose but includes frequent quotations from the translation of Raffel (1963).

The summary begins:

A. The Fight with Grendel

I. Introduction: the building of Heorot by Hrothgar; the attacks of Grendel upon Heorot (ll. 1-188).

The epic opens with the story of Scyld Scefing (pronounced Shild Schayfing), the eponymous hero of the Danes, who came to them as a foundling alone in a boat. A later version of the story tells that a sheaf of corn (wheat) was found at his head. His name means "Shield of the Sheaf;" he it was who brought to the Danes the skills of war and of farming (though this fact is not mentioned in Beowulf). This mythical founder of the Scylding dynasty had a glorious reign and was given splendid burial when he died. Surrounded with weapons and covered with jewels, his body was placed in a ship. High on the mast was his golden standard. Sadly, it was surrendered to the keeping of the sea and the care of God. (ll. 53-85).

The line of Scyld's descendants is given (including the Beowulf who is not the hero of the poem) until we come to King Hrothgar, who built the great mead-hall Heorot (the Hall of the Hart) for feasting and the giving of gifts. It towered over the country-side, until that time came when it was destroyed by flames during the deadly feud between Hrothgar and his son-in-law. (ll 86-188). (9)

And ends:

Wiglaf had the rest of the hoard brought out; it was placed on a wagon, around the dead King. The dragon's corpse they pushed off the cliff and into the sea. The wood was made ready for the torch. The weeping warriors give their slain lord to the flames. The keening begins. In the midst of the lamentation an old woman sings a song of misery, of the terror and slavery that lie ahead of the Geats. "Heaven swallowed the billowing smoke." The mound is built and it towers high; the treasure is buried with the ashes. Then twelve brave men

Rode their horses around the tower
Telling their sorrow, telling stories
of their dead king and his greatness, his glory …

No folk had had a king so mild, so generous, so worthy of praise. (ll. 3057-3182). (18; ellipses in original)

BAM.