ABSTRACT

These extended investigations were inevitable, in order to be able to say with some confidence what little can be said about the history of the Beowulf-legend.

I believe that the following clauses result from the chapters above, partly as established facts, partly as compelling conclusions drawn from what is established:

1. The Beowulf-legend consists of two parts of different origin. The folktale of the Bear’s Son, as we have called it above, lies at the bottom of the first part-Beowulf’s fight with Grendel; at the bottom of the second-Beowulf’s dragon-fight-a widespread folk-legend always bound to particular localities, which we have indicated as the ‘Thor-type’.