The book starts off when Healfdane, the king of the Danish castle dies and they build a hall named Herot to honor him with. Hrothgar rules the Danish castle next but its not long after until Grendel appears in Herot and sneaks in at night to kill the warriors during their sleep. After few night of Grendel doing this a man named Beowulf, the strongest of the Geats sails across the sea with his mightiest of men to defeat the monster Grendel that is terrorizing Herot. Beowulf greets the King Hrothgar and offered to help defeat Grendel. After Beowulf defeats Grendel, he hangs Grendel's claw from the ceiling in Herot. Everyone was thrilled that Grendel can no longer harm any more warriors especially the king, Hrothgar being the most thrilled rewarded Beowulf with many treasures. Grendel's mother comes along one night to get revenge for her only son's death and takes the claw back with her. The next day Beowulf goes to the bloody lake to find Grendel's mother. Hrothgar's courtier lent Beowulf a sword named Hrunting which could not cut through Grendel's mother's skin or harm her in any way. Beowulf finds a sword hanging on the wall that not any typical man could not lift. Beowulf uses the sword to cut through Grendel's mother's neck which cuts her head off. The sword melts in the bloody water so Beowulf carries the head back with him to show that Grendel's mother is dead. Beowulf tells the King and Queen that he defeated her and the king rewarded Beowulf with more treasures and wanted to make him one of his own sons. Beowulf replies by saying he need to get back home to his king. Once Beowulf and his men return home, Beowulf tells King Higlac about his battles with Grendel and Grendel's mother and shows his treasure he was rewarded with.
Later on Beowulf becomes King of Geatland. One day a thief went to a tower and took a jeweled cup that a dragon was protecting in the tower. This made the dragon anger to a point where he followed the thief's footsteps to get back his jeweled cup. The dragon begins to kill and destroy everything in sight. The Geats go to Beowulf to tell him about the dragon and to get him to go kill the dragon. Beowulf in his armor with his shield and sword goes to find the dragon's tower. Once Beowulf enters the tower the dragon attacks him quickly. Beowulf takes his sword and splits the dragon in half. As Beowulf is slowly dieing, he makes Wiglaf the next king to lead the people of Geats and requests that the people of Geats build a tomb and called the tower, Beowulf's Tower. Wiglaf goes back to the Geats and tell them the sadden news. Wiglaf told the wealthiest of people to bring wood to let the fire burn on Beowulf's body at his funeral. After the funeral the people began to build the tower as Beowulf has request to honor him by so everyone around can see it.
Later on Beowulf becomes King of Geatland. One day a thief went to a tower and took a jeweled cup that a dragon was protecting in the tower. This made the dragon anger to a point where he followed the thief's footsteps to get back his jeweled cup. The dragon begins to kill and destroy everything in sight. The Geats go to Beowulf to tell him about the dragon and to get him to go kill the dragon. Beowulf in his armor with his shield and sword goes to find the dragon's tower. Once Beowulf enters the tower the dragon attacks him quickly. Beowulf takes his sword and splits the dragon in half. As Beowulf is slowly dieing, he makes Wiglaf the next king to lead the people of Geats and requests that the people of Geats build a tomb and called the tower, Beowulf's Tower. Wiglaf goes back to the Geats and tell them the sadden news. Wiglaf told the wealthiest of people to bring wood to let the fire burn on Beowulf's body at his funeral. After the funeral the people began to build the tower as Beowulf has request to honor him by so everyone around can see it.