The great hall where Grendel attacks is Heorot. King Hrothgar builds this Danish mead hall as a center of royal power, feasting, gift-giving, music, and communal life.
Grendel is enraged by the joy inside Heorot. For twelve years, he comes at night, killing and devouring Hrothgar’s warriors while they sleep. The attacks eventually force the Danes to abandon the hall after dark.
Beowulf arrives from Geatland and chooses to face Grendel there without weapons. Their struggle damages the hall, but Beowulf’s strength enables him to tear away Grendel’s arm. The severed limb is displayed at Heorot as proof of the victory.
The name Heorot is Old English for “hart,” or stag. The hall is often interpreted as a symbol of human civilization and fellowship, standing in contrast to the dark, isolated marshes where Grendel lives. Meduseld belongs to Tolkien’s world, while Valhalla comes from Norse mythology.