The following is an outline of Beowulf by Dr. Jane Zatta, Associate Professor (Mediæval English Literature), Department of English, School of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
| The building of Heorot; ravages of Grendel. Origin of Scyldings and Scyld's burial; song of creation (90-98); Cain's punishment (107-114). |
| Beowulf's voyage, reception in Denmark, entertainment in the royal hall. Unferð episode; settling of Ecgþeow's feud. |
| The Grendel episode: the watch for Grendel, the fight with Grendel. |
| The return from the mere: in the morning many of the warriors follow the tracks of Grendel to the mere, return rejoicing while a singer recites lays of Sigemund and Heremod (874-915). |
| Entertainment in the hall; Finnsberg tale; allusions to Eormanric and Hama; fall of Hygelac (1202-1214). |
| Attack by Grendel's mother (race of Cain, 1261-1266); conversation between Beowulf and Hroðgar. Hroðgar bemoans the loss of Æschere. |
| The fight with Grendel's mother: expedition to the mere, the fight, triumphant return to Heorot. |
| Speeches by Hroðgar and Beowulf; Hroðgar's sermon, story of Heremod, Beowulf's departure. |
| Beowulf's return: homeward journey; description of Hygd and story of Þrið and Offa. |
| Beowulf's reception by Hygelac: story of Ingeld; feud between the Danes and the Heaðo-Bards. Beowulf and Hygelac give and receive gifts. |
| The robbing of the hoard and the ravages of the dragon. Speech of the Last Survivor. |
| Preparation for the fight. Story of Beowulf's youth, of the feud with the Swedes. Story of Beowulf's return swimming with 30 suits of armour after Hygelac's death. Story of the usurpation of Onela, the death of Heardred, and Eadgil's revenge. Story of the death of Herebeald and Hreðel's grief. Story of the Swedish invasions after Hæðcyn's death; story of how Beowulf killed Dægrefn in hand to hand combat. |
| The dragon fight: story of Wiglaf's father Weohstan who killed Eanmund and was rewarded by Onela. |
| Beowulf's death. |
| Wiglaf's rebuke, story of fight at Ravenswood and the death of Ongenþeow at the hands of Wulf and Eofor. |
| The ancient curse fulfilled. |
| The funeral of Beowulf. |
Click here for the complete tale in Old English located at the Labyrinth at Georgetown University (Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records version).
Click here for the Translation (Chicken!) located at the University of Virginia.
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