Beowulf Quotations
Quotations in beowulf.
“They stretched their beloved lord in his boat, Laid out by the mast, amidships, the great ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures were piled upon him, and precious gear.”
“All over the world Men wise in counsel continue to remember him. We come in good faith to find your lord And nation’s shield, the son of Halfdane. Give us the right advice and direction.”
“In off the moors , down through the mist bands God-cursed Grendel came greedily loping. The bane of the race of men roamed forth, Hunting for a prey in the high hall.”
“He has done his worst but the wound will end him. He is hasped and hooped and hirpling with pain, Limping and looped in it. Like a man outlawed For wickedness, he must await The mighty judgment of God in majesty.”
“A few miles from here a frost stiffened wood waits and keeps watch above a mere; the overhanging bank is a maze of tree-roots mirrored in its surface.”
“Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, spoke: “Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning. For every one of us, living in this world Means waiting for our end.”
“A protector of his people, pledged to uphold truth and justice and to respect tradition, is entitled to affirm that this man was born to distinction.”
“The intruder who broached the dragon’s treasure And moved him to wrath had never meant to.”
“The veteran king sat down on the cliff-top. He wished good luck to the Geats who had shared His hearth and his gold. He was sad at heart, unsettled yet ready, sensing his death.”
“You are the last of us, the only one left Of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us all away, sent my whole brave high-born clan To their final doom. Now I must follow them.”
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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Anonymous's Beowulf . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
Beowulf: Introduction
Beowulf: plot summary, beowulf: detailed summary & analysis, beowulf: themes, beowulf: quotes, beowulf: characters, beowulf: symbols, beowulf: literary devices, beowulf: theme wheel, brief biography of anonymous.
Historical Context of Beowulf
Other books related to beowulf.
- Full Title: Beowulf
- When Published: Beowulf exists in a single damaged manuscript in the British Library. The manuscript was probably written in England in the early eleventh century, though the poem itself was probably first written down in the eighth century, and was passed on orally before that.
- Literary Period: Medieval; Anglo-Saxon
- Genre: Epic poem
- Setting: Northern Europe, especially Denmark and Sweden, around the sixth century
- Climax: Beowulf's final fight with a dragon
- Point of View: The unnamed speaker of the poem
Extra Credit for Beowulf
Old English Style. Beowulf is the longest poem written in Old English. Old English poetry uses alliterative meter, meaning that the stressed words in a line begin with the same sound. A line of Old English poetry has two halves, with a brief pause, called a caesura, in the middle of the line. The two halves of a line are linked by the alliteration (repetition of an initial consonant); at least three words in a line alliterate. Old English poetry also uses kennings , compressed metaphors like "heaven's candle" for the sun, or "whale's road" for the sea, or calling a woman married in an effort to gain peace a "peace weaver."
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39 pages • 1 hour read
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Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Pages 57-149
Pages 149-213
Character Analysis
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Discussion Questions
“So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by/and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness./We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns.”
The famous first lines of Beowulf—including the Old English exclamation “Hwaet,” here translated as “So”—ground us in the poem’s world. With the immediacy of that “Hwaet,” we are immersed in a culture founded on warlike heroism, honored ancestry, and storytelling .
“Beow’s name was known through the north./And a young prince must be prudent like that,/giving freely while his father lives/So that afterwards in age when fighting starts/steadfast companions will stand by him/and hold the line. Behaviour that’s admired/is the path to power among people everywhere.”
The moral principles here introduced will continue to be important throughout the poem. Displays of heroism and generosity create and maintain power in this world. While personal strength and correct behavior is the seed of power, allegiance maintains that power.
“Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark,/nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him/to hear the din of the loud banquet/every day in the hall, the harp being struck/and the clear song of a skilled poet/telling with mastery of man’s beginnings,/how the Almighty had made the earth/a gleaming plain girdled with waters;/in His splendour He set the sun and the moon/to be earth’s lamplight, lanterns for men,/and filled the broad lap of the world/with branches and leaves; and quickened life/in every other thing that moved.”
The introduction of Grendel gives us a sinister taste of his rage at his exclusion from society, and introduces us to the blend of ancient custom and Christian belief that underpins Beowulf’s world. The poem described here retells the first chapter of the book of Genesis. Grendel’s anger at hearing this poem might subtly associate him with Satan (fittingly, since Grendel and other monsters were believed to be the descendants of the murderous Cain.)
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The poet presents Beowulf as a Christian hero who trusts the Lord’s judgment. But he is also a pagan hero who fights to win glory. That was a true trophy which the battle-brave Beowulf set down before them, under the hall-roof—the hand, arm, and shoulder, with Grendel’s claw, all connected together.
By establishing fame in his lifetime, an individual can hope to be remembered by subsequent generations—the only consolation that death affords. Explanation of the famous quotes in Beowulf, including all important speeches, comments, quotations, and monologues.
They are often quoted by all in various conversation and specific writings, speeches, and addresses. The epic poem, Beowulf, dated around 700 A.D has memorable quotations. Some of the quotations from Beowulf have been explained below. These quotations have been taken from Seamus Heaney’s translation of the poem.
Find the quotes you need in Anonymous's Beowulf, sortable by theme, character, or section. From the creators of SparkNotes.
John Garner’s 1971 postmodern novel Grendel offers a twist on Beowulf by retelling the story from the standpoint of the monster Grendel. Read the full poem summary, an in-depth character analysis of Beowulf, and explanations of important quotes from Beowulf.
Here are examples of some of the most famous quotes from Beowulf. These will help you gain a deeper understanding of this great epic poem. Beowulf was written in Britain but is set in Scandinavia, and is known only from a single manuscript which dates from close to AD 1000.
What quotes from Beowulf depict Grendel and his mother as monsters? How do the Danes in Beowulf acquire wealth, fame, and honor? How did the Geats honor Beowulf after his death?
The best study guide to Beowulf on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
What quotes from Beowulf depict Grendel and his mother as monsters? What does the quote from Beowulf foreshadow, and how does it reflect pagan beliefs?
Important Quotes. “So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by/and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness./We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns.” (Page 3) The famous first lines of Beowulf—including the Old English exclamation “Hwaet,” here translated as “So”—ground us in the poem’s world.