Real-World Context
Beowulf was composed in this language.
Old English
Who is Hrothgar?
King of the Danes
How long does Grendel terrorize the mead hall Herot?
12 years
Why does Grendel's mother attack the mead hall Herot?
To avenge her son's death
Why does the dragon wake up and attack the Geats?
A thief steals a cup from his treasure hoard.
How did Scandinavian cultures, such as the Geats in Beowulf, typically dispose of their dead?
Cremation
In his youth, Beowulf is the greatest (JOB) of the Geats.
Warrior
How does Beowulf defeat Grendel?
He rips his arm off with his bare hands.
What TWO things does Grendel's mother take from the mead hall Herot during her attack?
1. Her son's arm
2. Hrothgar's close friend
Wiglaf criticizes his fellow warriors for what?
Running away instead of helping Beowulf fight the dragon
What are the seven deadly sins?
(We talked about these recently.)
Envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, wrath
Beowulf is from this country.
Geatland
What curse protects Grendel and his mother?
They are immune to normal weapons.
Grendel's hellish lair lies in a (PLACE 1) at the bottom of a (PLACE 2).
Be specific.
A cave under a swamp/marsh
What two deadly sins does the dragon represent?
Anglo-Saxons valued traits such as...
Need at least 2
Bravery
Strength
Loyalty
Kinship
The ancestor of Grendel and all other monsters
Cain of the Bible
What practical reason does Beowulf have for letting Grendel kill one of his men?
To analyze Grendel's tactics
What trophy does Beowulf take from the lair, and why?
Answer BOTH parts
Grendel's head
To show that Grendel is truly dead
What THREE things make the dragon difficult to defeat?
1. Toxic fire
2. Solid, sword-breaking scales
3. Beowulf is older and weaker.
Anglo-Saxons (and thus Beowulf) started out as (RELIGION 1) before they converted to (RELIGION 2).
ANSWERS MUST BE IN ORDER.
Pagan
Christian
This person envies and insults Beowulf
Unferth
Why, primarily, does Grendel attack the mead hall Herot?
As a reject of God, he despises His favorite people.
How does Grendel's mother die?
Be specific.
Beowulf beheads her with a magic sword that is not affected by the curse.
BESIDES seeing the treasure, what are BOTH of Beowulf's dying wishes?
1. For Wiglaf to succeed him as King of Geatland
2. For the Geats to build a great memorial in his honor