BEOWULF COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation]1. When you think of rulers coming into power its usually through bloodline and because their fathers were rulers before them but this wasn't the case for Shield. He was an orphan and he basically worked his way up until he was established as ruler. When he died, he was put on a shield and his body drifted out into sea. Hrothgar was the son of Shield's son, who was Beow, so he was his grandfather.
[Heorot is Attacked]
1. Hrothgar put together a mead hall and the monstrous Grendal attacked it and stayed there to agonize the people for 12 years. During these years, the Danes sent out their best fighters but they were no match for Grendal.
[The Hero Comes to Heorot]
1. Once Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's problem he goes out with 14 men to help Hrothgar get rid of Grendal.
2. They meet the watchmen that protect Hrothgar's land. Beowulf explains to them what his business is in that land and they let him and his men pass.
3. Hrothgar's herald is Hrothgar's messenger. Beowulf asks to speak with Hrothgar and have a meeting. The herald tells Hrothgar and Hrothgar knows who Beowulf is and has done which is not surprising because of Beowulf's reputation
4. Beowul informs Hrothgar that he will fight Grendal unarmed. Hrothgar sent information to Beowulf's father when his clan was at war. Ecgtheow owed Hrothgar for that and Beowulf is essentially repaying the favor for his father.
[Feast at Heorot]
1. Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing in a swimming match and then challenges him. Beowulf accepts. This is relevant to the poem because it shows that Beowulf does not back down in any challenge and will not face his problems any way possible.
2. Queen Wealhtheow offers a toast to the gods for sending Beowulf.
[The Fight with Grendel]
1. You would expect Beowulf to get pumped up or give his men a pep talk but instead of all this he just silently mediated while awaiting the battle.
2. Once Grendel enters Heorot, he eats one of Beowulf's men. Beowulf fights without armor and with his bear hands. Beowulf rips Grendel's arm off and Grendel cowardly runs away.
[Celebration at Heorot]
1. Beowulf is like Sigemund in the sense that he has defeated monsters too. Heremod is not like Beowulf because Heremod was a burden to his people.
2. Hrothgar is very greatful for Beowulf's deed and considers him a son, he also gives him gifts. Unferth apologizes for what he had said before.
3. The Dane gave Hildeburh to Finn, their enemy. She returns to the Dane when Finn dies. They use women as brides to fix tribal problems because once a baby is born, both tribes have merged to make something positive.
4. Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar to be generous to the Greats.
5. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to watch over her sons once they become rulers after their father.
6. They remain in the hall to sleep because they are drunk. This is a mistake because Grendel's mother is outside the hall very angry that her son was hurt.
BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER
[Another Attack]
1. Grendel's mother comes for revenge and not to just eat people like Grendel.
2. Grendel's mother kills Hrothgar's favorite adviser and Hrothgar offers Beowulf more gifts if he could get rid of her too.
3. The mere is swampland that seems dark and dangerous.
[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother]
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to rise into action.
2. Beowulf slays a monster and also finds the dead advisers head.
3. Unferth gives Beowulf his sword and prepares the same way he prepared to battle Grendel.
4. Beowulf says goodbye to Hrothgar and swims down for a day before reaching the bottom of the sea.
5. Unferth's sword is useless against Grendel's mother.
6. Beowulf's armor, Wealhtheow gift, saves his life.
7. He finds a sword and uses it to slay the female monster. He finds Grendel's body and takes his head as evidence and as a sign of his triumph. The sword melts some how.
8. Everyone has taken Beowulf as dead and never expected him to come back.
[Further Celebration at Heorot]
1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar Grendel's head as evidence of his two deeds to get rid of the monsters in the kings land.
2. Hrothgar contrasts Beowulf's actions with Heremod's. He tells Beowulf to put his people's needs in front of his own unlike Heremod did.
3. Beowulf returns Unferth's useless sword.
[Beowulf Returns Home]
1. Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will be a great ruler over his people.
2. Both being Queens, Hygd differed form Modthryth in that she was a kind and loving ruler over her people where as Queen Modthryth was cruel and malicious.
4. Beowulf exaggerates points of his adventure but in general does tell it accurately.
5. Beowulf accepts the treasures he is offered.
BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON
[The Dragon Wakes]
1. Fifty years pass and Beowulf is entrusted with Greatland once King Hygelac dies. A dragon much greater a monster than Grendel, has created turmoil for Beowulf's people.
2. The dragon is angry because a slave forced by his master has stolen a cup from the dragons treasure.
3. The dragon spits fire on the Geat land and Beowulf's throne is burned in the process.
4. Beowulf prepares to battle the dragon with a shield made of iron. He will fight alone as he did when facing Grendel and his mother. This may be the end of our hero.
5. Hygelac died in battle and although Beowolf was offered the throne he refused it as to not disrupt the bloodline and to respect the tradition of a son inheriting a throne.
6. Heardred was killed by the Swededs and Beowulf avenged his death by destroying them.
7. Beowulf brought 12 men with him to meet the dragon.
8. Herebeald was killed by his brother and Kind Hrethel could only grieve and remorse at both his son's deaths.
[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon]
1.Beowulf tells his men to kill the dragon if he fails to.
2. Beowulf, weakened by age, begins the battle already losing. Wiglaf tells the men to help but they are too frightened for their lives to stick to their oath.
3. Beowulf is bitten by the venomous dragon and before Beowulf goes down, he stabs the dragon with a fatal blow to his belly.
4. The dying hero asks Wiglaf to show him the gold and treasure he has won for his people. He then asks him to take his place as king, giving him the armor breastplate. He wants to be buried in Beowulf's Barrow once he passes.
[Beowulf's Funeral]
1. Wiglaf predicts that without Beowulf to protect it, the kingdom will be invaded upon and the cowardly companions will not help to defend it.
2. The message was of warning because of a group of invaders. Ongentheow was killed killed and his armor was given to King Hygelac.The messenger says it would be dishonorable to keep that gold and it would be better to honor Beowulf's memory with it.
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd of spectators to view the gold that Beowulf had won for them.
4. The people do away with the dragon they were once so much afraid of by pushing him over into the ocean.
5. During the funeral, everyone grieves over the lose of Beowulf and after the funeral his men circle his tomb while saying only good things of his character.
6. They said he was gentle, friendly and kind, all very ironic descriptions of a man that was described before as manly, strong and heroic.
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