| Who is the Danish King? | Hrothgar |
| What is the name of the mead hall built by the Danish King? | Herot |
| Of what topic, clearly a Christian allusion, does the poet sing in the mead hall? | “The ancient beginnings of us all.” God making the earth. |
| From where does Grendel come? | the seed of Cain – Hell |
| Of which monsters is Grendel conceived? | Monsters born of Cain and banished by God |
| In his first attack upon the mead hall, how many men does Grendel kill? | 30 |
| What are laments? | expressions of sorrow; songs or literary composition that mourns a loss or death |
| For how many years has Grendel terrorized the mead hall? | 12 |
| What, “protected by God,” did Grendel never dare to touch? | Hrothgar’s Glorious Throne |
| Who is Healfdane? | Father of Hrothgar |
| What is the name of Beowulf’s tribe? | The Geats |
| Who is Higlac, and what is his relationship to Beowulf? | Higlac is the King of the Geats, and is Beowulf’s uncle. |
| How many warriors join Beowulf on his journey to Denmark? | 14 |
| Upon arriving in Denmark, whom do Beowulf and his men thank for a safe journey? | God |
| Who challenges Beowulf and his men upon their arrival in Denmark? | Hrothgar’s lieutenant |
| Who is Edgetho? | Beowulf’s father, a great soldier known as a leader of men |
| Who guides Beowulf and his men to the mead hall after they arrive? | Hrothgar’s Lieutenant |
| When Beowulf introduces himself as Higlac’s cousin, what does the word cousin mean? | a broad term referring to any relative |
| What does Beowulf claim he has drove . . . into chains? | Five great giants |
| What “favor” does Beowulf ask of the Danish king? | That he be allowed to fight alone, with only the men he brought with him. |
| What boast, concerning his upcoming battle with Grendel, does Beowulf make? | That he will fight without weapons, similarly to Grendel himself. |
| If he is defeated in battle with Grendel, what does Beowulf ask the king to send back to Higlac? | “Hammered mail of my armor” |
| Who is Hrethel? | Beowulf’s grandfather and former King of the Geats. |
| Who is Wayland? | Blacksmith of Germanic legend that forged armor for Hrethel. |
| Who does Grendel kill before he meets Beowulf? | The first Geat he comes across. |
| What does infamous mean? | having a bad reputation; notorious |
| What does writhing mean? | twisting, as in pain |
| What is the only force that can destroy the mead hall? | Fire |
| What had Grendel “bewitched” (put a spell upon)? | All weapons/blades of the men |
| How does Beowulf defeat and kill Grendel? | Rips his arm off, and Grendel later bleeds to death in his lair. |
| Where does Beowulf hang the “proof” of his victory over Grendel? | The rafters of the mead hall |
| What describes the water of the lake to which Grendel retreats? | Bloody, steaming, and boiling |
| Where does Grendel’s mother live? | The bottom of a cold, dark lake. |
| To avenge her son’s death, whom does Grendel’s mother kill? | Hrothgar’s closest friend. |
| What title (epithet) identifies Grendel’s mother? | Greedy she-wolf |
| What does Grendel’s mother retrieve from the mead hall? | Grendel’s arm |
| Where does Beowulf’s battle with Grendel’s mother take place? | The lake in which Grendel’s mother lives |
| Who or what is Hrunting? | sword that a Danish warrior had lent to Beowulf |
| Why does the mother’s dagger inflict no harm on Beowulf? | The woven mail shirt he was wearing blocks it |
| To whom does the speaker (the scop) also credit for Beowulf’s not being stabbed by the dagger? | God |
| What weapon does Beowulf find in the lair of the mother, with which he successfully kills her? | A heavy sword |
| Whose head does Beowulf cleave off? | Grendel’s mother |
| Which is the first group to leave the edge of the lake, fearing Beowulf has died in battle? | The Danes |
| Which group stays behind? | The Geats |
| From the lair of Grendel’s mother, what two trophies does Beowulf take back? | Grendel’s head and the hilt of the giants’ Jeweled sword |
| After the battle with Grendel’s mother, whom do Beowulf and his men thank? | God |
| How many men does it take to carry back the head of one of the monsters? | At least four |
| What does Beowulf present to the Danish king after the defeat of Grendel’s mother? | The jeweled hilt of the magic sword |
| What proclamation does the Danish king then make? | The Danes and Geats are allies. |
| Who is Herdred? | Son of Higlac and King of the Geats |
| For how many years did Beowulf rule Geatland? | 50 |
| Where had the dragon lay sleeping, undisturbed for hundreds of years? | A huge stone tower, with a hidden path beneath |
| What woke the dragon? | A man stumbled upon the entrance and stole a cup the dragon had been guarding. |
| With this stolen item, what was the man who took it able to buy? | His masters forgiveness |
| At what time of day did the dragon attack the villages and homes of the Geats? | Evening |
| Whom did Beowulf blame for “bringing The Almighty’s anger down on his people”? | Himself |
| What kind of battle-shield does Beowulf take along with him for his battle with the dragon? | Iron-shaped |
| What boast does Beowulf make about his upcoming battle with the dragon? | He knows no fear, and that he will use no weapons. |
| In line 806, why is Beowulf referred to as “the Geat’s ring-giver”? | He is the best of them |
| What did many of Beowulf’s soldiers do as their king fought with the dragon? | Fled for their lives |
| Who is Wiglaf? | Wextan’s son; while Swedish, consideres himself to be a Geat |
| Who is Wexstan? | Father of Wiglaf, who killed the nephew of Onela and was entitled to the throne of the Swedes. |
| What sort of gifts had Beowulf given to Wexstan’s family? | Armor, Gold, and estates |
| Where does the dragon drive its tusks, inflicting a mortal wound upon Beowulf? | Neck |
| How does Wiglaf show his courage and his loyalty to his king? | He strikes the dragon lower down, avoiding the head of the dragon and helping Beowulf kill it |
| Before he dies, what does Beowulf ask Wiglaf to bring to him? | The Dragon’s treasure, specifically ancient silver, precious Jewels, shining armor and gems |
| Before dying, whom does Beowulf thank for the treasure they have taken from the dragon? | God |
| Having no children, whom does Beowulf ask to be the Geat’s new leader? | Wiglaf |
| To what custom does the phrase “funeral flames” refer? | the custom to cremate the bodies of the dead on a pile of flammable materials known as a funeral pyre. |
| What kind of tomb does Beowulf ask to be made after his cremation? | A high tower on the land of which he died called Beowulf’s Tower |
| How does Wiglaf respond to those who deserted Beowulf during the battle with the dragon? | He calls them cowards for running from the dragon after all Beowulf did for him. |
| Aside the wood necessary for the pyre, with what else have Beowulf’s people decorated the pyre? | Helmets, battle shields, and shining mail shirts |
| How many days did it take Beowulf’s tribe to erect his monument? | 10 |
| Aside from Beowulf’s ashes, what else was left in the walls of Beowulf’s monument? | All the treasure he and Wiglaf took from the dragon. |
| In lines 1128 – 1132, what message does the scop leave with his audience? | Beowulf’s followers mourn his loss, recognizing the greatness of his character and remembering all that he has done. |
Beowulf Review Questions
February 25, 2020