The Setting
What does Beowulf send Wiglac back into the dragon's cave/ lair for just before his own death?
The guarded treasure
List the (3) major battles of the epic poem
1. Beowulf v. Grendel
2. Beowulf v. Grendel's mother
3. Beowulf & Wiglac v. the Dragon
A tower build by the Geats to fulfill one last dying request of Beowulf
In Anglo- Saxon culture, being a warrior was the same as being...
a hero.
What fails Beowulf in his final battle?
Acceptable answers:
- Fate fails him.
- His shield is melted by the fire.
- His helmet is pierced by the dragon.
- His sword breaks against the dragon's scales.
What are the (2) major territories referenced in this text?
- The Danish Territory (Modern Day Denmark)
- The Geat Territory (Modern Day Sweden)
Who is Beowulf, and why is he important to the story? Provide 2 reasons.
- Beowulf is a human Geat warrior.
- He's important because he is going to help King Hrothgar defeat Grendel.
- He's important because he's the strongest warrior during this time.
- He's important because his name is the title of the epic poem.
Why is it so significant that Wiglac fights the dragon with Beowulf?
He is symbolic of a true warrior hero, like Beowulf- the only other one.
What's the language that Beowulf was originally written in?
Old English
List the (3) elements of the Anglo- Saxon Heroic Code
- Loyalty
- Obtaining Fame & Glory (Boasting)
- Courage & Bravery
Who is Wiglac, and why is he representative of a true heroic warrior?
Wiglac fights with Beowulf to defeat the dragon when all others abandon him out of fear.
Wiglac inherits the throne of the Geats after Beowulf's death.
Characterize King Hrothgar with (3) adjectives. Explain each!
Empathetic- cares/ feels for his people
Adaptable- figuring out how to defeat Grendel
Resilient- did not abandon his kingdom/ people
etc.
During which battle does fate (wyrd) finally fail Beowulf's character?
The 3rd & final battle against the dragon.
In Anglo- Saxon culture, what was one guiding factor in decision- making?
Fate or wyrd!
What's being used here? *Pay attention to the commas
"Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty
Hills and bogs, bearing God's hatred..."
Caesura- midline pauses in text with punctuation for dramatic effect
This epic poem reflects life during/in...
All acceptable answers:
- Anglo- Saxon/ Dark ages time period
- Scandinavia, Year 500
Who is referred to as "Wexstan's son?"
Wiglac
What could be used to symbolize the characters below?
- King Hrothgar
- Beowulf
- Grendel
- K.H. - a Crown
- B. - a Shield or Helmet
- G. - Darkness, anything evil/ sinister
Why were epic poems originally recited and not read?
Because they were memorized and not written down (probably due to limited resources, daylight, and knowledge of the written word.)
What's a kenning?
compound word that represents a metaphorical (symbolic) meaning
"mankind's enemy" symbolizes/ represents Grendel
1. After which battle does Beowulf become King of the Geats?
2. How long is his reign of peace before he is called to his third and final battle?
1. The Battle with Grendel's Mother
2. 50 Years
Who says this quote, and WHY?
“I say what anyone who speaks the truth
Must say. . . .
Too few of his warriors remembered
To come, when our lord faced death, alone.
And now the giving of swords, of golden
Rings and rich estates, is over,
Ended for you and everyone who shares
Your blood: when the brave Geats hear
How you bolted and ran none of your race
Will have anything left but their lives."
Wiglac- after Beowulf dies- he is ashamed of his fellow Geats for abandoning their warrior king in his ONE time of need.
The treasures that he and Wiglac won from the final battle- as a testament to Beowulf's ultimate sacrifice and life as a heroic warrior who protected the Danes and Geats without fear for 50 years.
- No man is worthy of the treasures which is why they are buried with Beowulf.
What/ who are scops?
Professional poets who used to recite everything from history lessons to poems/ stories to pep talks.
What does the expression "whale- road" mean, and what kind of expression is it?
- Use the sentence below to apply context clues to try & determine the word's meaning & the kind of expression it is!
*Beowulf traveled the whale-road from Sweden in order to arrive in Danish territory.
- refers to the sea/ ocean- (whales travel via the sea/ ocean while people travel via the road)
- a kenning- represents the sea/ocean