Beowulf: Beowulf at Home (Lines 1913–2199) Summary & Analysis

When Beowulf and the other Geats arrive home, the harbor guard greets them in great friendship and welcomes them home.

The warriors go to Hygelac's hall, to appear before the king and his young queen, Hygd. The narrator states that Hygd is a good queen, generous with gifts, in contrast to another queen, Modthryth. When Modthryth was young, if anyone but her lord looked into her eyes she would order the person killed. She became a generous queen, though, after she was given in marriage to Offa I of the Angles.

Beowulf and his men are invited to speak to Hygelac. Hygd offers them mead, and Beowulf describes the generosity and courtesy of Hrothgar and Wealhtheow.

Beowulf mentions, also, that Hrothgar is going to marry his daughter, Freawaru, to Ingeld, the son of Froda of the Heatho-Bards, in hopes of ending a feud between the two clans. Beowulf doesn't think the marriage will end the feud. Some day in the future, he predicts, a young Heatho-Bard will see a Heatho-Bard swords being worn by Danes who won it in battle, and the old feud will erupt again.

Beowulf next relates his fight with Grendel, detailing both the ferocity of the monster and the treasure he received from Hrothgar, and then describes the fight with Grendel's mother.

After finishing his story, Beowulf turns over most of his treasure of armor, weapons, gold, and horses to Hygelac and Hygd. In addition he gives Wealhtheow's golden necklace to Hygd. The narrator describes the mutual generosity and loyalty between Hygelac and Beowulf as the proper way for kinsmen to treat each other.

The narrator notes that in his younger days Beowulf was scorned and not seen as a courageous warrior, but that Beowulf has changed and become a man of great deeds.

In order to acknowledge and reward Beowulf's loyalty and bravery, Hygelac gives Beowulf numerous gifts, including a magnificent sword that belonged to Hygelac's father Hrethel. Hygelac also gives Beowulf land, a hall, and a throne.