Beowulf study guide questions.

Question 1

Hrothgar

Answer 1

King of Denmark, his throne is in Herot, his kingdom was attacked by Grendel. Helfdanes son.

Question 2

Beowulf

Answer 2

Son of Edgetho and is prince of the Geats. He is the main character, and kills Grendel and his mother. He rules Geatland for 50 years, and never used a weapon in battle until fighting the dragon.

Question 3

Wiglaf

Answer 3

Son of Wexstan of Sweden, stays loyal when no one else does and does not abandon Beowulf when he fights the dragon, Heir of Beowulf

Question 4

Unferth

Answer 4

Beowulf takes his sword, Hrunting, to use against Grendel mom.

Question 5

Brecca

Answer 5

Beat Beowulf in a swimming race.

Question 6

Grendel

Answer 6

Attacks the Danes, loses to Beowulf, decedent of Cain, mad from banishment. Loses to Beowulf, and gets his arm ripped off. Normal swords have no effect. Wouldn’t touch H-gars throne because it is protected by god.

Question 7

Grendel’s Mother

Answer 7

She lives in the lake that burns like a torch. A normal sword could not hurt her. She gets killed by magical sword forged by giants.

Question 8

wyrd

Answer 8

A belief system - dark view of fate.

Question 9

Danish sentry

Answer 9

First one to meet Beowulf when he arrives. He was patrolling along the shore cliffs. He wants to know why they came so openly and who they are and who their dads are. He takes them to H-gar.

Question 10

Higlac

Answer 10

Beowulf’s cousin and his king. King of the Geats.

Question 11

Edgetho

Answer 11

Beowulf’s dad; leader of men.

Question 12

Denmark

Answer 12

Home to the Danes. H-gar rules all of Denmark.

Question 13

Geatland

Answer 13

Where Beowulf is from. Higlac is the ruler, and then Beowulf succeeds him and rules for 50 years.

Question 14

Monster’s Lair

Answer 14

The lake that burns like a torch. Grendel & his mom’s home.

Question 15

Herot

Answer 15

A famous mead hall. Home to H-gars throne. The place Grendel attacks. Sits abandoned for 12 years.

Question 16

Comitatus

Answer 16

Loyalty agreement

Question 17

Naegling

Answer 17

Beowulfs sword

Question 18

Hrunting

Answer 18

Unferth’s sword

Question 19

Wergild

Answer 19

man price

Question 20

Witan

Answer 20

council of elders; chooses the next king

Question 21

Christian

Answer 21

They believe in God. Words to describe God are He, Him, any and all references to bible, Hell.

Question 22

Pagan

Answer 22

They believe in multiple gods. They also believe in things like fate. Magic, monsters, fantasy Literature, worshiped nature.

Question 23

Caesura

Answer 23

A break in the lines of poetry.

Question 24

Kenning

Answer 24

a compound word that represents a one word noun.

ex. battle-sweat = Blood

Question 25

Mead Hall

Answer 25

Social political center of an Anglo-Saxon village.

Question 26

Epic

Answer 26

long narrative poem that exstoles the virtues of a hero.

Question 27

Hero

Answer 27

One who represents the best qualities and characteristics of the time from which they come.

Question 28

Epic convention qualities.

Answer 28

Gore, vast setting, in media res, invocation & music, digression

Question 29

When does the poem come to be?

Answer 29

5th or 6th century

Question 30

When was the poem first written?

Answer 30

11th century

Question 31

how long is the poem?

Answer 31

about 3000 lines

Question 32

what is an Anglo-Saxon poet called.

Answer 32

Scop

Question 33

how did the poem survive for hundreds of years before being written down?

Answer 33

Oral tradition