ANGLO-SAXON LIFE
What Anglo-Saxon word means fate or destiny?
Wyrd
What is the name of Hrothgar’s mead hall?
Herot
Beowulf belongs to what group of people?
The Geats
Why does Grendel come to Herot on the night Beowulf is waiting for him?
He hopes to find and kill people there.
Identify the literary device:
“Up from his swampland, sliding silently”
Alliteration: he sounds like a snake
What was wergild?
Money paid to the family of someone who had been killed or injured.
How many warriors does Grendel kill during his first attack described in the poem?
Thirty men.
Why does Beowulf travel to Denmark?
To help Hrothgar and the Danes defeat Grendel.
What happens when Grendel grabs Beowulf?
[He] was instantly seized himself, claws/ Bent back as Beowulf leaned up on one arm.
Identify the literary device:
“But fate, that night, intended / Grendel to gnaw the broken bones / Of his last human supper.”
Foreshadowing
Why could paying wergild help prevent a blood feud?
It could compensate the victim’s family and prevent them from seeking revenge.
Why do the songs and celebrations inside Herot anger Grendel?
The songs celebrate God’s creation, goodness, and human happiness, which contrast with Grendel’s evil and isolation.
Why is the Danish watchman suspicious when Beowulf and his men arrive?
They are armed strangers who arrived without a password, permission, or advance notice.
How does Grendel’s attitude change after Beowulf grabs him?
He changes from confident and eager to kill to frightened and desperate to escape.
What do these lines reveal about Beowulf?
“My hands / Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life / Against the monster.”
Beowulf is an honorable warrior who wants to fight a fair fight.
Why was the mead hall more important than simply being a place to eat and drink?
It represented community, safety, loyalty, and the king’s power.
Grendel is described as a descendant of Cain. What literary device is being used?
Biblical Allusion.
What does the watchman’s statement, “A soldier should know the difference between words / And deeds,” suggest about how Anglo-Saxons believed a warrior should earn his reputation?
Through his actions and accomplishments rather than through words alone.
Beowulf’s men attack Grendel with their swords. Why doesn't this help Beowulf?
Grendel has bewitched weapons so that human blades cannot harm him.
Identify the literary device used in the following lines:
“That shadow of death hunted in the darkness”
Kenning
Beowulf mentions both God and fate when discussing the outcome of his battle. What does this combination reveal about the poem?
The poem combines Christian influences with older Anglo-Saxon beliefs.
After repeated attacks, Hrothgar’s warriors begin sleeping away from Herot. What does this reveal about the effect Grendel has had on them?
Grendel has broken their courage
Why does Beowulf tell Hrothgar about defeating giants and killing sea monsters?
He is establishing his reputation and proving that he has the strength and experience necessary to defeat Grendel.
At the end of the battle, Beowulf hangs something from the rafters of Herot. What is it, and why is it important?
Grendel’s arm, claw, and shoulder. It provides visible proof that Beowulf defeated Grendel and fulfilled his boast.
What TWO literary devices are juxtaposed in these lines to emphasize the power and intensity of the battle?
“Herot trembled, wonderfully
Built to withstand the blows, the struggling
Great bodies beating at its beautiful walls”
Alliteration and personification