Beowulf

Title: Beowulf
Author: Rosemary Sutcliff
Major Themes: Legends, Monsters, Dragons
Synopsis: When a monster terrorized the people of a mead hall in Denmark, the hero Beowulf came from England to the rescue.

We have been working through a study of the Middle Ages this year, and are nearing the end of our textbook. Because we still have a few months in the school year, we decided to go through a list of books set in the Middle Ages to finish out the year. We do all our history by reading aloud together, so this list fits us perfectly. Our first choice from the suggestions given was Beowulf by Rosemary Sutcliff. We have enjoyed many great books by her, so everyone wanted to hear this one. 

In the Great Hall of Hygelac, in the kingdom of the Geats, the story was told of how Hrothgar of the Danes had built a new hall in which to feast with his warriors. The first night in which they slept in it, however, a monster came in during the night and brutally slew many of the warriors. Now, Hrothgar and his warriors lived in fear of the monster, Grendel. Beowulf, in honor of Hrothgar’s friendship with his own father, is determined to go to the kingdom of the Danes and deal with the monster. After a fierce fight, the monster was slain—but then a new terror appeared. Would Beowulf be able to conquer this monster as well?

What a retelling of this ancient legend! It was interesting to read this and talk about what the truth may have been that started this legend. I have heard it proposed that the monster Grendel was actually some sort of dinosaur. We discussed how that could have been, and then as people told and retold the story, it grew into the form which has been related in this account. Though this is a very bloody story, we enjoyed reading it.

WARNING: Three times, Beowulf has to fight a monster/dragon, and these scenes are very bloody and tense.