| Cain | Grendel and his mother come from him, he is killed by abel |
| Esher | the right hand man of Hrothgar killed by Grendel’s mother; led to Beowulf”s quest for their lair |
| Beo | the son of Shield Sheafson and the father of Halfdane |
| beowulf | he is a geat and his father is Ecgtheow. hero of the story. went to help hrothgar |
| brecca | Beowulf’s childhood friend, whom he defeated in a swimming match. Unferth alludes to the story of their contest, and Beowulf then relates it in detail. |
| eanmund | killed by Onela, son of Ohthere, brother of Eadgils, |
| edgtho | He is Beowulf’s father. He is a Waegmunding by birth and a Geat by marriage. When he was younger, Hrothgar helped him settle a feud with the Wylfingas. |
| efor | geat, married to hygelac’s unnamed daughter, killed Ongenthow to avenge his brother’s death |
| finn | king of frisian killed by hengest |
| freaw | She is the daughter of Hrothgar who is unmentioned until Beowulf tells about her. Beowulf believes that her marriage to a Heathobard prince will do more harm than good for the Danes. |
| grendel | A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar’s warriors in the king’s mead-hall, Heorot. Because his ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution exacted by God for Cain’s murder of Abel, Grendel fits solidly within the ethos of vengeance that governs the world of the poem. |
| grendels mother | unnamed swamp hag, terrorizes Herot, killed by Beowulf, A demon even more monstrous than Grendel, seeks revenge on Hrothgar’s men for the death of her son. Beowulf journeys to her magical, creature-filled lair beneath the swamp in order to defeat her. |
| healfdane | The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an unnamed daughter who married a king of the Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beo as ruler of the Danes. |
| hondshew | went to herot with beowulf. ended up being the first one eaten by grendel |
| hathcyn | king of the Geats; killed by Swedish king, Son of King Hrethel, brother of Hygelac and Herebeald, accidentally kills Herebeald |
| herdred | Killed by Onela, Son of Hygd. King of the Danes for a while, mother, Hygd, wanted Beowulf King over him. |
| hengest | name of the dane responsible for killing Finn using the dazzle the duel sword |
| herot | This is the hall that Hrothgar builds in celebration of his reign. It is the site both of many happy festivals and many sorrowful funerals. |
| herbald | Geat prince; eldest son Hrethel; killed accidentally by Haethcyn |
| hrethel | King of the Geats, father of Higlac, takes in Beowulf |
| hrothgar | He is the King of the Danes at the time of Grendel’s assaults. He builds the hall Heorot as a tribute to his people and his reign. |
| hrothulf | Hrothgar’s nephew, He betrays and usurps his cousin, Hrethic, the rightful heir to the Danish throne. His treachery contrasts with Beowulf’s loyalty to Hygelac in helping his son to the throne. |
| hrunting | Unferth’s sword, given to Beowulf, has no effect on Grendel’s mother. |
| higd | Hygelac’s wife, the young, beautiful, and intelligent Queen of the Geats. Hygd is contrasted with Queen Modthryth. |
| Higlac | This King of the Geats is also Beowulf’s uncle. Upon hearing Beowulf’s courageous exploits, he gives Beowulf nearly half his kingdom. |
| ohthere | son of ongentheow, father of eadgils and eanmund, |
| onela | Halfdane’s son in law, Swedish King who killed Heardred during a raid on Geatland. |
| ongenthow | king of Swedes; father of Onela & Ohthere; killed Geat king (Haethcyn); killed by Eofor |
| shild | strong, good king, died and was put on a funeral boat, first king mentioned |
| sigemund | He is an ancient Germanic hero whose story is recounted after the fight with Grendel. He was known as the famous dragon slayer. |
| unferth | A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving himself inferior to Beowulf. |
| welthow | Hrothgar’s wife, the gracious Queen of the Danes |
| wiglaf | A young kinsman and retainer of Beowulf who helps him in the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. Wiglaf adheres to the heroic code better than Beowulf’s other retainers, thereby proving himself a suitable successor to Beowulf. |
| wulfgar | He is one of Hrothgar’s faithful thanes. As the watchman for the Danes, he is the first to greet Beowulf and his thanes to the land of the Danes. He also deems the Geat visitors as people worthy enough to meet with Hrothgar. |
| Hermod | the king/warrior that beowulf is told not to be like – foil each other |
| Bonstan | father of brecca |
| brondings | tribe we know nothing about |
| brosing | possible reference to Brisings who made a marvelous necklace |
| Dagref | a Frank warrior, Higlac’s killer, killed by Beowulf |
| Eclaf | Unferth’s father |
| Emer | son of Offa |
| Ermlaf | dane, Esher’s younger brother |
| Ermric | a king of the East Goths |
| Esher | killed by GM and was Hrothgar’s advisor and friend |
| Fitla | son (and nephew) of Siegmund |
| Froda | chief of the Hathobards, Ingled’s father |
| Garmund | offa’s father |
| Halga | 3rd son of healdane, younger brother of Hrothgar, his son is Hrothulf |
| Hareth | Higd’s father |
| Hathlaf | a Wulfing warior killed by Edgetho, his death caused a feud settles by Hrothgar |
| Hemming | a kinsman of offa |
| hergar | danish king, oldest son of Healfdane, father of Herwad |
| hermod | B’s foil |
| heward | hergar’s son |
| hnaf | killed by finn, his sister married finn, hengest took revenge for him |
| hrethric | older son of Hrothgar’s sons |
| Hrothmund | younger of hrothgar’s sons |
| hrothulf | halga’s son, halga is hrothgar’s sister |
| Ingeld | prince of Hathobards, Froda’s son, MARRIED TO FREW |
| Nagling | B’s sword that he uses against the dragon |
| Offa | married/tamed Thrith |
| Swerting | Higlac’s grandfather |
| Thrith | Welthow’s foil, killed innocents with false accusations, got tamed by Offa |
| Vels | Siegmund’s father |
| Wayland | a great smith (for armor) |
| Wextan | Wiglaf’s father |
| Wulf | Efor’s brother |
| Yrs | Haldane’s daughter and married to Onela |
beowulf characters
February 24, 2020