Beowulf, Part 17 summary
Part 17 of 43 · 3 min to read the part
In XVII Banquet (Continued).—The Scop’s Song of Finn and Hnæf, Hrothgar rewards Beowulf’s companions before his singer recounts Hnæf’s death and Hengest’s agreement with Finn. The song shifts the feast toward grief as Hildeburg mourns her brother and son, whose bodies share a funeral fire.
What happens
- Hrothgar gives Beowulf’s companions treasures and orders gold compensation for the man Grendel kills.
- Hrothgar’s singer recounts the fighting at Finn’s stronghold, where Hnæf dies and Hildeburg loses her loved ones.
- With few warriors remaining, Finn accepts terms with Hengest that provide shared rule and gifts for the Danes.
- Both sides swear to preserve the agreement, with death threatened for Frisians who revive the quarrel through taunts.
- Hildeburg orders her son’s body placed beside Hnæf’s, and the funeral fire consumes warriors from both peoples.
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In this part
What to notice
The funeral joins the opposing peoples through shared loss. Its destruction closes the song’s movement from fighting and negotiation to mourning.
Quick check
What does Hildeburg order at Hnæf’s funeral?
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