Beowulf, the only surviving Anglo-Saxon heroic poem, is usually interpreted in two views: the two-part structure, chronicling Beowulf's battle with Grendel and the dragon, and the three-part structure, adding Beowulf''s encounter with Grendel''s mother as a separate structure. The latter will be used in this analysis.
The epic opens at Heorot, a mead hall built by King Hrothgar purposely for celebrations - singing and drinking. Angered by the noise in the hall, Grendel attacks Heorot and kills Hrothgar's men. Meanwhile, Beowulf, a young warrior from the nearby Geatland travels to Heorot to help Hrothgar. Grendel arrives while Beowulf and his men were asleep and kills one of Beowulf''s men. In the ensuing battle, Beowulf defeats Grendel by tearing the latter''s arm from his body - the first structure.
The second structure deals with the battle between Grendel's mother and Beowulf. Angered at her son''s death, Grendel''s mother seeks revenge, killing Hrothgar''s most trusted warrior and goes back to her home under a lake. Beowulf goes after Grendel's mother and the two engages in a fierce combat. Beowulf emerges victorious after beheading his opponent using a sword he snatched from the monster's armory. Before returning to the surface, Beowulf also beheads the already dead Grendel.
After his victory over the monsters Beowulf returns home to lead his people, living a relatively peaceful life as king of the Geats until his battle with the dragon - the third structure.
The dragon guarding the treasure was provoked when one of Beowulf's men stole a cup from the treasure. The dragon attacks, spewing out fire, burning everything in its way and frightening all but one of Beowulf's men away. Beowulf himself was badly wounded and although he killed the dragon, he himself died from his wounds.
As per tradition, Beowulf was cremated and was buried with the dragon's treasures.
