Heorot

The name of the the mead-hall King Hrothgar builds for his throne. Lavishly built, the hall has a roof of gold and various wall-hangings made from golden thread. All celebrations and matters of business take place at the mead-hall. Heorot is the site of Grendel's various attacks against Hrothgar and his men:

So his [Hrothgar] mind turned
to hall-building: he handed down orders
for men to work on a great mead-hall
meant to be a wonder of the world forever;
it would be his throne-room and there he would dispense
his God-given goods to young and old-
but not the common land or people's lives.
Far and wide through the world, I have heard,
orders for work to adorn that wallstead
were sent to many peoples. And soon it stood there
finished and ready, in full view,
the hall of halls. Heorot was the name
he had settled on it, whose utterance was law.
Nor did he renege but doled out rings
and torques at the table. (67-81)


Virtual Archive    Beowulf Home    Right Away the Mast...    About Us
Characters    Works Cited for Beowulf