The great drinking hall, Heorot, provides merriment for warriors and wenches alike. But it provokes only avenging rage from swamp creature Grendel. Now, in sixth-century Denmark's darkest hour, a light of hope comes in the warrior Beowulf of the Geats. With his quest to defeat Grendel and his vengeful demon mother, Beowulf embarks on a journey from the murky lagoon to the throne of the Geats. Beowulf, the Old English epic poem published anonymously centuries ago, remains one of the most influential pieces of English literature, inspiring generations of writers from J. R. R. Tolkien to George R. R. Martin.