[Night One]
Prologue
Introduction of Scyld Scefing
Introduction of Beow
Poet meditates on gift-giving
Scyld Scefing dies
The funeral ship described
Scyld is set out on the waves
Poet meditates on Scyld's Afterworld Destination

I. 60 - 110
Beow rules the Danes
Healfdene rules the Danes
Hrothgar and his siblings are born
Hrothgar succeeds in battle
Hrothgar builds Heorot
Poet foretells Heorot's doom.
An unnamed "bold spirit" emerges,
who hears a song of Creation in the hall.
The Danes' hall-joys are contrasted
with the Hell-spirit of Grendel
Cain's crime is described.
The birth of monsters is described.
Poet meditates on God's wrath against giants.

II. 120 - 190
Grendel approaches the hall.
Poet meditates on the ignorance of the Danes.
Grendel attacks and leaves with 30 men.
Hrothgar grieves.
The Danes abandon the hall.
Grendel harries relentlessly.
Poet meditates on the helplessness of the Danes.
The story spreads to many lands.
Grendel rules the hall.
Danes seek help from idols.
Poet meditates on the saving knowledge of God.

III. 190 - 250
Hrothgar, called a "wise hero," cannot save himself.
Hygelac’s thane hears about Grendel
Hygelac's thane selects comrades and prepares the ship.
The Geats sail and land on the shore of the Danes.
The DanisHrothgar shoreguard accosts the Geats at spear-point.

.[Night Two]
IV. 260 - 320
Beowulf identifies himself to the shore guard.
The shore guard leads the Geats toward Heorot.

V. 320 - 370
Poet describes the weapons of the Geats.
Beowulf and his men approach Heorot.
Beowulf is questioned by a hall guard.
Beowulf identifies himself.
Wulfgar offers to help.
Wulfgar announces Beowulf to Hrothgar.

VI. 370 - 450
Hrothgar recalls Beowulf's reputation.
Beowulf is summoned.
Beowulf tells Hrothgar about himself.
Beowulf asks to fight Grendel alone.

VII. 450 - 500
Hrothgar recalls the exile of Beowulf's father.
Hrothgar recalls his own rise to the throne.
Hrothgar describes Danish promises to fight Grendel.
Hrothgar describes Grendel's invincible attacks.
The Geats join the Danes on the mead benches.

.[Night Three]
VIII. 500 - 550
Unferth challenges Beowulf.
Unferth describes the sea match and Breca's victory.
Unferth predicts Beowulf's defeat.
Beowulf tells his version of the sea match .
Beowulf tells of his fight with a sea monster.

IX. 560 - 660
Beowulf finishes sea monster story.
Beowulf mocks Unferth.
Beowulf restates his boast.
Wealhtheow praises Beowulf.
Night falls and Hrothgar admonishes Beowulf.

X. 660 - 710
Hrothgar leaves the hall.
Beowulf removes his armor and waits for Grendel.
Beowulf's men are fearful.
Poet assures victory through God’s will.
Beowulf waits in wrath.

XI. 710 - 790
Grendel approaches Heorot.
Poet predicts Grendel's defeat.
Grendel enters the hall and eats Beowulf’s thane.
Grendel approaches Beowulf.
Grendel and Beowulf seize each other.
Grendel is gripped and attempts to flee.
Poet meditates on Grendel's fear.
Poet meditates on the strength of Heorot
and on its eventual doom.
Beowulf’s men rise up at the sound of Grendel’s wail.

.[Night Four]
XII. 790 - 835
Beowulf holds Grendel.
The Geats discover that swords are useless.
Grendel tears away.
Beowulf hangs Grendel’s arm in the hall.

XIII. 840 - 920
The Danes return to the hall;
A minstrel tells of Sigemund and Heremod.
Hrothgar approaches Heorot with his women.

XIV. 930 - 990
Hrothgar thanks God, recalls his former helplessness.
Hrothgar greets Beowulf as his son.
Beowulf describes the fight with Grendel.
Poet compares Grendel's claw to a heathen hand.

XV. 990 - 1050
Heorot is furnished again.
Poet meditates on the hall's ruin.
Poet meditates on the mortality of man.
The happiness of the hall is described.
Poet contrasts Unferth's good reputation
with his history as a kin-killer.
Hrothulf is introduced.
Poet foretells treachery in the hall.
Beowulf receives magnificent gifts.
Poet meditates on the deadly function of Hrothgar's gifts.

[Night Five]
XVI. 1050 - 1120
Hrothgar pays for Hondscio’s death.
Minstrel relates the tale of Finn.
A fight between Frisians and Danes
ends with the death of Hildeburh's son and brother.
Finn offers peaceful coexistence with the Danes.
The treasure-heaped pyre is prepared.
Hildeburh lays her Frisian son beside her Danish brother.
The funeral pyre melts.
Poet meditates on the transcience of glory.

XVII. 1120 - 1190
Hengest abides with Finn.
Hengest returns to the Danes and is incited to vengeance.
Hengest attacks Finn's hall. The tale ends.
Wealhtheow pleads for her sons' inheritance to Hrothgar.

XVIII. 1190 - 1250
Wealhtheow brings Beowulf a golden collar.
Poet predicts Hygelac's disastrous battle wearing the collar.
Poet predicts the treachery of "worse warriors"
who loot the corpses.
Wealhtheow wishes Beowulf luck with the collar.
Wealhtheow praises the loyalty of the Danes.
The men retire.
Poet predicts imminent doom and death for one.

[Night Six]
XIX. 1250 - 1320
The Danes are asleep.
Poet meditates on the Danes' false confidence.
Poet links Grendel's mother with Cain.
Poet describes Grendel as Cain's offspring.
Poet relates the revenge motive of Grendel's mother.
Grendel’s mother attacks.
Poet compares Grendel's mother to deadly warriors.
Grendel's mother kills Hrothgar's friend.
The Danes are helpless; Hrothgar grieves.
Beowulf is summoned from another building.

XX. 1320 - 1380
Hrothgar bewails the death of Aschere.
Hrothgar analyzes the motives of Grendel's mother.
Hrothgar describes the history and mysterious reputation of Grendel and his mother.
Hrothgar promises to reward Beowulf for revenge.

XXI. 1380 - 1470
Beowulf answers Hrothgar, promises revenge.
March to the mere.
Beowulf prepares to fight;
Unferth offers Hrunting.

XXII. 1470 - 1560
Beowulf asks Hrothgar to protect his men;
swims to the BeowulfottoMessenger of the mere;
He is wrestled down to the floor.

[Night Seven]
XXIII. 1550 - 1650
Beowulf defeats G’ mother;
chops off G’s head (hilt melts);
Hrothgar abfandons cliff watch ;
Beowulf and his men drag the head to the hall.

XXIV. 1650 - 1740
Hrothgar praises Beowulf; examines hilt.
Poet tells the history of the giants' war with God.
Hrothgar admonishes Beowulf against arrogance.
Tells about Heremod, OPEN SENTENCE

XXV. 1740 - 1820
Hrothgar addresses the inevitability of death;
feast and sleep; intimations of problems.
Beowulf returns Hrunting.
Beowulf greets Hrothgar.

[Night Eight]
XXVI. 1820 - 1890
Hrothgar urges Beowulf to return;
Beowulf vows that he will.
Hrothgar grieves; Beowulf leaves Heorot with treasure.

XXVII. 1890 - 1960
Beowulf gives sword away to ship guard;
Beowulf sails off to Geatland;
story of Hygd and Modthryth

XXVIII. 1970 - 2040
Beowulf is greeted Beowulfy Hygelac.
Beowulf begins story about Hrothgar;
Tells about Freawaru. OPEN SENTENCE

[Night Nine]
XXIX. 2040 - 2140
Beowulf ends story of Freawaru;
Beowulf finishes his recap of fights;
Beowulf ends his story with theme of rewards.

XXXI. 2150 - 2220
Beowulf boasts about his gifts;
gives to Hygelac and Hygd;
description of disasters to kingdom ;
dragon appears after he is robbed.

XXXII. 2220 - 2310
Poet describes slave's motives and tells the history of the hoard.
The Last Survivor laments.
The dragon seeks the missing cup;
tThe dragon explodes with rage.

[Night Ten]
XXXI. 2310 - 2390
Dragon ravages the Geats;
Beowulf’s hall is burned;
Beowulf plans attack (iron shield; no help)
Beowulf recalls revenge against G mother
and Hygelac’s slayer;
recalls swimming away; refusing the kingdoMessenger ;
recalls Onela killing Heardred; GOOD KING!

XXXIV. 2390 - 2450
Beowulf kills Onela;
Beowulf seeks the dragon; feels death weary;
Beowulf Beowulfrags aboutt Hrethel’s love for him ;
Beowulfegins the story of Hathcyn/Herebeald.

XXXV. 2460 - 2600
Hrethel dies of grief;
Hathcyn’s vengeance on Swedes;
Eofor avenges Hathcyn;
Beowulf about aboutt how he slew Daeghrefn;
Beowulf says he foregoes boasting;
Beowulfut insists the battle is his alone to fight (no coward’s venture);
Beowulf challenges the dragon; he falls down;

[Night Eleven] (220)
XXXVI. 2600 - 2690
Wiglaf joins Beowulf;
the story of his sword is revealed:
murder of Eanmund, but live w/ Geats;
Wiglaf exhorts Beowulf’s men, proclaims Beowulf’s innocence.
Wiglaf joins Beowulf; they fight the dragon;
Naegling snaps; Beowulf is mortally wounded.

XXXVII. 2690 - 2750
Wiglaf hits the dragon with Eanmund's sword.
Beowulf rips the dragon with his dagger.
The dragon falls.
Beowulf knows he is wounded: proclaims his innocence, wishes for a son;
urges Wiglaf to seek the treasure.

XXXVIII. 2750 - 2820
Wealhtheowenters the treasure hoard;
Beowulf gives thanks and commands a mound be built;
Beowulf gives his armor to Wiglaf, declares him “the Last Survivor.”

[Night Twelve]
XXXIX. 2820 - 2890
Wiglaf keeps death watch ;
Poet meditates on dragon and Beowulf’s death ;
Wiglaf rebukes his comrades.

XL. 2890 -2950
Messenger is sent to Beowulf’s counselors;
Messenger ’s version of Hygelac’s defeat;
Messenger ’s version of Hathcyn’s attack on Ongentheow.

XLI. 2950 - 3060
Execution of Ongentheow;
Hygelac’s reward for Eofor and Wulf;
Messenger ’s prediction of disaster for Geats;
Beowulf’s men see the rusted treasure.

XLII. 3060 - 3140
Poet meditates on the doom of treasure;
Wiglaf bewails Beowulf’s "recklessness";
Wiglaf and Beowulf’s men plunder the hoard;
they pusHrothgar the dragon off the wall.

XLIII. 3140 - 3180
Beowulf’s funeral pyre and mound are built.