Characters
Who is Hrothgar?
King of the Spear-Danes, and head of the Hall attacked by Grendel
How long does Grendel's rampage on the hall take place before Beowulf arrives?
Twelve Years
Give an example of Beowulf demonstrating a warrior's sense of honor and duty.
Answers will vary.
Roughly how many lines is the complete poem of Beowulf?
3,000
Grendel is alleged to be a direct descendent of _______.
Cain, of the first murder in the Old Testament
What causes the Dragon to awake and attack the Danes?
A thief comes across the dragon's hoarded treasure and steals from the dragon
As a gift from God
The original text of Beowulf is written in what language?
Old English
This is the name of the great Mead Hall built for the Spear-Danes
Heorot
What is the outcome of the battle with Grendel?
Beowulf attacks Grendel, rips his arm off, hangs it on the rafters and Grendel walks off only to die. Later Beowulf cuts his head off.
How did the religious culture of the poem's writer influence the story?
-Grendel is an outcast from God and a descendant of Cain
-Beowulf's strength and greatness is considered a gift from God
-Poem itself serves as an allegory of good vs. evil
The poem "Beowulf" reflects the values and heroic culture of the _______________, the dominating Germanic tribe who ruled parts of England.
Anglo-Saxons
Who seeks revenge after Beowulf's initial feat of heroic action?
Grendel's Mother
Where does the sword that defeats Grendel's mother come from?
It is a magical sword forged by Giants that Beowulf finds in her lair after his sword cannot harm her.
What character trait is the Dragon supposed to be a symbol of, particularly when it comes to its hoard of treasure?
Greed
The poem is called a(n) _____, which is a long, narrative poem that tells the story of a heroic figure's extraordinary deeds
Epic
This warrior becomes king after Beowulf’s death.
Wiglaf
What battle trophy does Beowulf return with after his battle in the underwater lair?
The heads of Grendel & Grendel's Mother
Where in the story of Beowulf do we see the cultural importance of remembering one's ancestors and family genealogy?
The narrator lists out the family history from the first king in the opening of the poem to the current king of the Spear Danes; Beowulf has a monument built so people will remember him
Before the poem was written down, it was shared as a memorized and recited performance by ________
travelling bards
This is the first great hero of the Spear-Danes mentioned in the opening of the poem, that the current king is a descendent of
Shield Shiefling
What does Beowulf say to Wiglaf while he's about to die?
He is the last true warrior
Support or Argue this point:
Beowulf shows that true warriors never accept help; asking for or relying on others is dishonorable and makes a hero weak.
Wrong.
While individual bravery is prized, the poem also values loyalty, counsel, and collective support; helping others is part of the social code as seen in Beowulf sailing over to help the Spear-Danes or Wiglaf staying by Beowulf's side through the dragon fight.
The poem was eventually written down between 800-1000 c.e. by _______________
Christian monks
What is the difference between the Beowulf that faces Grendel & his mother vs. the Beowulf that faces the dragon?
As time has passed, he has aged into the wise older ruler he once served; he is now wiser, but weaker, and cannot fight alone.
Where is Beowulf buried?
Beowulf was buried within the barrow (monument) that was his last request when he died. He wanted it to be built so men would know who he was.
Explain the use of dark and light imagery in the scene battling Grendel's mother and how it represents good vs. evil.
The murky depth of the lake uses imagery of darkness to represent the dark nature of evil. Beowulf descending into the deep darkness to fight evil and then the burst of light at her defeat represents good's triumph over evil.
This is the name for a short descriptive title given to a character, such as "Shepherd of Evil" for Grendel
Kenning