Belly+of+the+Whale

Beowulf's "belly of the whale" moment was after the gathering in the mead hall. Nightfall approached and all the civilians left Heorot. All of Beowulf's men went to sleep while Beowulf stayed awake, waiting for Grendel to come.


 * "Then out of the night came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift; the hall-guards were slack, asleep at their posts, all except one; it was widely understood that as long as God disallowed it, the fiend could not bear them to his shadow-bourne. One man, however, was in fighting mood, awake and on edge, spoiling for action," (703-709).**


 * "Mighty and canny, Hygelac's kinsman was keenly watching for the first move the monster would make," (736-738).**