OTM
Story Structure
Story Structure
This is the stage where the hero is first called to act.
The Anticipation stage and the call
This is a story used to explain the world or human behaviour.
myth
This word means fate in Old English culture.
wyrd
This word means fearless.
dauntless
This is a comparison where meaning is transferred from one thing to another thing being described.
metaphor
This stage gives a false sense of success before danger increases.
The Dream stage
This is the language Beowulf was first written in.
Old English
This character is the main hero of the poem.
Beowulf
This device repeats the same starting sound in words.
alliteration
This question is most useful for writing a one-sentence summary because it focuses on the central action rather than minor details.
did what?
In Beowulf, this stage is shown when the hero begins to struggle against a stronger force.
The Frustration stage
This belief system explains why warriors fight for their lord rather than themselves.
comitatus
This character represents exclusion and inherited evil.
Grendel
This phrase like “bone-house” or “whale-road” compresses meaning into vivid imagery.
kenning
In a metaphor, this is the thing being described.
the tenor
This stage is important because it creates maximum tension by making defeat seem likely.
The Nightmare stage
This system shows how Anglo-Saxon society tried to control cycles of revenge.
wergild
This creature represents not just a threat, but moral and societal collapse.
the dragon
This pause in a line slows the reader and creates tension or emphasis.
caesura
This sentence structure is effective because it links two related ideas while showing balance or contrast.
a semicolon split
Which stage matters most for proving heroism because it forces the hero to act despite near-certain failure.
The Nightmare stage of the Thrilling escape — if justified as proof of survival under pressure.
This value explains why Beowulf seeks reputation, even when it leads to danger.
honour / warrior reputation / kleos
Which interpretation argues that Beowulf’s final battle weakens his heroism because it prioritises pride over responsibility.
The view that Beowulf is a flawed hero.
This device is most powerful because it allows concrete objects (like the dragon) to represent abstract ideas (like greed or death).
symbolism
This element of metaphor is most important because it explains why the comparison is meaningful, not just what is being compared.
the ground