KENNINGS
WHAT IS A KENNING?
A COMPOUND PHRASE THAT REPLACES A NOUN WITH A DESCRIPTIVE/METAPHORICAL EXPRESSION.
IDENTIFY THE DEVICE: "BATTLE AND BOUND FIVE BEAST"
ALLITERATION
WHY DOES BEOWULF TRAVEL TO DENMARK?
TO HELP HROTHGAR DEFEAT GRENDEL.
BEOWULF IS A WARRIOR FROM WHAT LAND?
GEATLAND.
WHO IS GRENDEL?
THE MONSTER WHO TERRORIZES HEOROT/THE DANAES.
WHAT DOES "SWAN'S ROAD" REPRESENT?
THE SEA/OCEAN
HYPERBOLE
TO GUARD/WATCH THE WEAPONS.
NAME TWO TRAITS THAT CHARACTERIZE BEOWULF AS AN EPIC HERO.
STRENGTH/COURAGE/LOYALTY/LEADERSHIP/CONFIDENCE/HONOR.
WHY DOES GRENDEL ATTACK HEOROT?
HE IS ANGERED BY THE JOY AND CELEBRATION COMING FROM THE HALL.
A SHIELD
PERSONIFICATION
WHY DOES BEOWULF CHOOSE TO FIGHT GRENDEL WITHOUT WEAPONS?
WHY DOES BEOWULF TELL HROTHGAR ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS VICTORIES BEFORE FIGHTING GRENDEL?
TO ESTABLISH HIS REPUTATION AND PROVE THAT HE IS QUALIFIED/CAPABLE OF DEFEATING GRENDEL. (TRUST)
GRENDEL IS DESCRIBED AS A DESCENDANT OF WHAT BIBLICAL FIGURE?
CAIN.
WHAT DOES "BREAST-WEBBING" REPRESENT?
CHAIN MAIL/ARMOR.
WHAT EFFECT DOES THE IMAGERY IN "BLOOD SPATTERED BENCH" AND "SLICK WITH SLAUGHTER" CREATE?
IT EMPHASIZES THE VIOLENCE/HORROR OF GRENDEL'S ATTACKS.
WHAT DID HROTHGAR DO FOR BEOWULF'S FATHER, ECGTHEOW?
HE HELPED SETTLE THE FEUD CAUSED WHEN ECGTHEOW KILLED HEATHOLAF.
WHAT DOES "FATE GOES EVER AS FATE MUST" REVEAL ABOUT GRENDEL?
HE ACCEPTS FATE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF DEATH WHILE STILL CHOOSING TO FIGHT.
WHAT DOES GRENDEL'S CONNECTION TO CAIN HELP SYMBOLIZE ABOUT HIS CHARACTER?
HIS SEPARATION FROM GOD/HUMANITY AND ASSOCIATION WITH EVIL.
WHY DO POETS USE KENNINGS INSTEAD OF SIMPLY NAMING AN OBJECT?
TO CREATE VIVID IMAGERY AND DESCRIBE AN OBJECT/METAPHORICAL WAY.
BEOWULF INCLUDES REFERENCES TO BOTH FATE AND GOD'S JUDGEMENT/PROTECTION. WHAT TWO BELIEF SYSTEMS DOES THIS REFLECT?
ANGLO-SAXON/PAGAN BELIEFS AND CHRISTIANITY.
HOW DOES HROTHGAR'S HISTORY WITH ECGTHEOW HELP EXPLAIN BEOWULF'S DECISION TO HELP HROTHGAR?
HROTHGAR PREVIOUSLY HELPED BEOWULF'S FAMILY, CREATING A BOND OF LOYALTY/RECIPROCITY THAT BEOWULF CONTINUES.
BEOWULF'S BOAST MAY SOUND ARROGANT TO A MODERN READER. WHY WOULD AN ANGLO-SAXON AUDIENCE VIEW IT DIFFERENTLY?
WARRIORS WERE EXPECTED TO ESTABLISH THEIR REPUTATION BY PUBLICLY DECLARING THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE POET REPEATEDLY DESCRIBES GRENDEL USING WORDS SUCH AS "FIEND," "GOD CURSED BRUTE," AND "PROWLER THROUGH THE DARK." WHAT DO THESE DESCRIPTIONS REVEAL ABOUT HOW THE POET WANTS THE AUDIENCE TO VIEW GRENDEL?
AN AS EVIL. DANGEROUS. ALMOST DEMONIC FIGURE WHO IS SEPARATED FROM GOD AND HUMANITY.