Beowulf'Tis better to die than to live in shame. The oldest existing story written in Old English, "Beowulf" is the classic tale of courage and honor. In the Great Hall of Hrothgar, King of the Danes, the warrior Beowulf, son of a Swedish King, wages battle with the monster Grendel. The introduction contains a short history of the English language and a description of Anglo-Saxon culture. |
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arms atheling avenged bade bairn band barrow battle bear Beowulf blade blood bore brave breast breastplate bright carried clansmen Danes Danish daring dear death deeds doom dragon earl earth edge fain fared fate fear fell feud fiend fight flood folk followed gave Geats gifts give glory gold greet Grendel grim guard hall hand hard hardy haste head heard heart heirloom held helmet Heorot hero hoard honor Hrothgar Hygelac jewels killed king kinsman knew land liegemen lived lord loved mighty mind monster murder night o’er once prince rings ruled Scyldings seek seemed seized shield slaughter sons soon sorrow sought soul sovran spake stood struggle sword thane thee thou told treasure twas wall warriors waters waves weapons wide wielded wise wound young youth