Show:
Characters
Themes, Motifs, and Symbols
Lines 301-709
Lines 1492-1924
Lines 2821-3182
100
Who is Beowulf’s father?
Who is Ecgtheow
100
How does medieval Christianity play out in the tale?
What is creates a tension with traditional pagan codes of heroism.
100
What does Beowulf ask of Hrothgar
What is Permission to fight Grendel
100
What does Grendel’s mother do as soon as she sees Beowulf in the water?
What is She snatches him and drags him down to the depths.
100
How does Wiglaf speak to the warriors when they return after Beowulf’s death?
What is He excoriates them for being cowards and abandoning their king.
200
Who is Hrothgar?
Who is the King of the Danes whose kingdom is terrorized by Grendel
200
How can the duty of a warrior vs that of a king be summarized?
What is the quest for personal glory vs the responsibility for the people?
200
Why does Unferth disparage Beowulf’s reputation with a story about a battle at sea?
What is jealousy of Beowulf.
200
With what does Beowulf kill Grendel’s mother?
What is A famous ancient sword he finds on the sea bottom
200
What does the messenger tell the people of Geatland in addition to the news of Beowulf’s death?
What is That many future wars are close at hand
300
What is Sigemund known for?
What is slaying a dragon
300
Why are the characters so concerned with family heritage and identity?
What is they can live up to past ideals and ensure they are remembered
300
Why does Beowulf plan to fight without a sword or shield?
What is Because Grendel never fights with a sword or shield
300
What does Beowulf bring back to King Hrothgar as a prize?
What is Grendel’s decapitated head and the hilt of a melted sword
300
What happens to the massive treasure hoard?
What is collected.
400
Who helps Beowulf fight the dragon at the end of the tale?
What is Wiglaf
400
Why is the feasting after Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel so important?
What is the feast represents the return to order and new hope after turmoil.
400
What boast or promise does Beowulf make to Wealhtheow, the Queen?
What is He’ll slay Grendel or die trying.
400
Why does Hrothgar talk about the evil King Heremond?
What is Beowulf’s nobility and honor
400
What do they do with the dragon’s body?
What is They throw it over the cliff’s edge into the water.
500
Who tries to avenge Grendel’s death?
Who is Grendel’s mother
500
How was the story of Beowulf first told?
What is it was told orally for many generations before being written down.
500
What do Beowulf and Breca swim out to sea to fight?
What is Sea monsters
500
After the victory feast, where does Beowulf tell Hrothgar he wants to go?
What is Back to Geatland
500
How is Beowulf buried?
What is burned on a pyre at the cliff’s edge.