Characters
Who is Hrothgar?
King of the Danes
What kind of poem is Beowulf?
epic
Grendel finally shows fear when?
he is held fast in Beowulfs grip
How did Beowulf have a noble birth?
His uncle was King of Sweden
Who wrote Beowulf?
an anonymous author
Which character hates Beowulf and is jealous of him?
Unferth
How long was Grendel attacking Herot?
12 years
What wound does Beowulf inflict on Grendel?
He rips Grendel's arm off
What does Beowulf do when he sees Grendel's body in the lair?
cuts off Grendel's head
What is the main reason Beowulf is such an important piece of literature?
It is the earliest surviving poem written in English
Who was Beowulf's father?
Ecgtheow
How long is Beowulf king before he fights the dragon?
50 years
Reason that the Danes have such a difficult time fighting Grendel is?
He doesn't fight according to mens rules
Who rushes in to help Beowulf fight the dragon?
Wiglaf
Name one characteristic of an epic poem.
- super long
- relates to historic events
- superhuman abilities
- presence of supernatural
-covers a span of years
- tragic death
Who is Grendel's infamous relative?
Cain
Where does Grendel's mother live?
underwater cave
What saves Beowulf's life from Grendel's mothers near-fatal attack?
His mail shirt
How does Beowulf wish he could fight the dragon?
with his bare hands as he fought Grendel
What traits did Germanic Heroic stories possess?
a warrior protagonist who follows strict codes of honor and valor; the importance of family/kinship, and the idea that when something happened to a relative, you should seek revenge
Who is Wiglaf?
Beowulf's lone warrior who stays by his side
Where does Beowulf live?
What does the wound Beowulf receives from the dragon do?
Causes a fatal wound
What motivated Beowulf?
fame
What two things came in direct conflict with each other in Beowulf?
Christian ideal and the heroic codes of Germanic Heroic stories