Beowulf - Study Guide and Notes

Beowulf

Terms to Define :
Thanes –retinue of fighting men gathered by the king to protect him, warriors

Mead –fermented drink made from water, honey, malt and yeast

Scop -singing poet who entertained the king and his court during feasts, meals (ministered; he preserved record of
achievement for later generations)

Epic –long verse narrative describing adventures and achievements of a hero from

the distant past

Epic hero –larger than life warrior hero

Kennings -two or more words that name something by a metaphor (ex. Candle of heaven= sum; whale –road =
ocean; peace weaver = woman; light of battle = sword

Comitatus –concept of social unit bound together by ties of honor and interdependence –band of devoted
comrades in arms

Lay–short lyric or narrative poem to be sung; song, tune

Litotes -understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary (He’s not a bad ball
player) –opposite of hyperbole

Allegory -narrative (verse or prose) where characters, action and setting represent abstract concepts apart from
the literal meaning of the story

Caesura –break in the middle of each line of verse

Alliteration –repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words or within word,

particularly in accented syllables (it helped people memorize spoke or sung poems / it was

crucial to the survival of oral literature)

Wergild –remuneration / “man payment”/ compensation to family of murdered warrior / victim to avoid blood
feuds

Wyrd –Anglo Saxon concept of fall that manifests itself chiefly in a hero’s

willingness to test fate by matching his courage against heavy odds

Beowulf Introductory Notes

 Beowulf is the first Masterpiece in English literature.
 Its author is unknown .
 The original audience and purpose of the work is also unknown.
 It was written in Old English .
 Beowulf (the hero and main character of
the poem) came from what is now the southern part of Sweden. He came to aid people who lived in what is now
Denmark .

 The Beowulf stories were probably part of the cultural history of some Germanic tribe who invaded and
then settled in England (ex. The Angles, the Saxons or the Jutes).
 The fact that there are no references to pagan gods in the Beowulf poem, indicates that the poet came from
a Christianized culture.
 Lines 1827 –1828 contain a possible reference to the Christian Lord.
 “Seed of Cain ” is a biblical reference found in
 The poetry of Beowulf is densely packed and full of sounds .
 The subject matter deals with heroic adventures and some fairy –talethemes (i.e. fire breathing dragons
and big scary monsters).
 It also deals with the nature of success and friendship in Anglo Saxon times, as well as the final value to be
found in life and death.

Part I -Study Guide

1. Was Scyld a hero? What happened to him after his death?
 Yes, The Danes set his body amid his heap of treasure, adrift at sea
2. The poet goes on to describe Hrothgar and the evil spirt “who dwelt in the darkness” of Hrothgar’s great
hall. What was the demon’s name?
 Grendel
3. What causes Grendel to attack the mead -hall?
 He can hear the revelry in the mead hall and it arouses him to attack
4. How long does the feud between Greandel and Hrothgar last?
 12 years
5. describe Beowulf’s journey to rescue the Danes and the welcome given him by King Hrothgar.
 Beowulf then gives a speech (lines
6. With what weapon does Beowulf plan to fight Grendel? Why?
 Beowulf plans to use his bare hands because Grendel doesn’t use a weapon; also, he wants his omen to
admire him
7. What does Beowulf’s speech to King Hrothgar reveal about his personality?
 The speech reveals his pride, courage, and determination.
8. What does Beowulf tell the story of his battle with Breca (lines 406 -451)?
 To reveal the heroic nature of his accomplishments
9. To what are Grendel’s eyes compared? Quote the entire line from the poem.
 (a flame); “a baleful glare from his eyes was gleaming, most like to a flame” (line 547)
10. During the account of the battle between Beowulf and Grendel, the narrative point of view keeps shifting.
From whose viewpoint is the battle described in the following lines:
 Line 556 –Beowulf
 Line 602 –the Danes
 Line 624 –Grendel
11. Why would the poet use different points of view to describe the battle?
 More dramatic and vivid
12. What injury does Beowulf inflict upon Grendel?
 Tears off shoulder and arm / or claw

Part I -Study Guide

In lines 649 –786, the Danes celebrate
Beowulf’s victory over Grendel. How do

King Hrothgar and the Danes show their

gratitude to Beowulf?

Hrothgar and Danes shower him with gifts and

words of honor

Describe the condition of Heorot after

Beowulf’s battle with Grendel.

Heorot is “wholly shattered” (line 734) Hinges were

riven (line 736)

Part I -Study Guide

 Indicate the correct sequence of the following events in the

poem by listing the letters in their proper order:

 B. Beowulf hears of Grendel’s ravages in Hrothgar’s mead -hall.

 G. Beowulf arrives at Hrothgar’s mead -hall.

 D. Beowulf tells the story of his race with Breca.

 E. Grendel attacks the mead -hall while Beowulf’s men sleep.

 C. Beowulf tears Grendel’s arm and shoulder from his body.

 A. Grendel slinks off, back to his sea -cave lair.

 F. A feast of celebration is held in Heorot.

 B, g, d, e, c, a, f

Part I -Study Guide

What element of the poem makes it

similar to a fairy tale?

It portrays an elevated hero who must fight

an exaggerated monster like a fire breathing

dragon

Beowulf Part I –Notes

Part I –(Lines 1 –789) Portrays the

struggle between Beowulf and the

Monster Grendel .
For 12 years Grendel has slaughtered and

carried away warriors of the Danish King

Hrothgar .

Beowulf Part I –Notes

Beowulf is a Geat of great strength and

bravery who hears of Hrothgar’s plight and

comes to his aid.

Beowulf set sail to vanquish Grendel and is

warmly welcomed by the Danes .

Beowulf Part I –Notes

 On the night of his arrival, Beowulf confronts Grendel

without a shield or sword and twists off the monster’s

arm.

 Grendel slinks off into the night; at a feast, the jubilant

Danes honor Beowulf for ridding them of the fiend.

 Beowulf’s motives are a combination of honor, fame

and courage ; he wants to help others, but he also

wants fame, financial rewards, and a solid reputation

as a great warrior.

Beowulf Part II –Study Guide

(lines 790 –831) The men guarding the

mead -hall go to sleep thinking they are

safe from the mortally wounded Grendel.

But “an avenger survived / Prolonging

the feud.” Who is this avenger?

Grendel’s mother

One of Hrothgar’s warriors is killed.

What is his name?

AEschere
Part II -Study Guide
Define alliteration, and find an

example of alliteration in Hrothgar’s

lament for his dead friend (lines 847 –

855). Write it down.

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant

sounds at the beginnings of words or

within words, particularly in accented

syllables. Ex. “He is my comrade, closest

of counselors” (line 849)

Part II -Study Guide

 In lines 868 –887, the poet describe the lair of

Grendel’s mother. List three words or phrases the

poet uses to create a sense of dread in the reader.

 “Dread tracts of fen” (marshyland) –line 870

 “Gloom and shadow” (871)

 “Darkening cliff” (872)

 Lonely mire” (lake / pond) (873

 “shadowing gloom” (875)

 “haunted pool” (883)

 “eerie” (884)

 “bottomless depth” (878)

Part II -Study Guide

 Why does the poet devote so much time to

describing the monster’s sea -cave?

 To emphasize the dire situation into which Beowulf

enters

 In lines 896 –900, Beowulf suggests that

there is a better reward for him than the

“ancient treasure and twisted gold” (line

892) that Hrothgar promises him. What

reward does he seek?

 Beowulf seeks fame and glory so that his name will

survive him

Part II -Study Guide

 In lines 953 -989, Beowulf prepares to battle

Grendel’s mother. He carries a borrowed

sword. Who does this sword belong to?

 Unferth (given to him by Hrothgar?)

 How is Beowulf’s underwater battle with

Grendel’s mother similar to an earlier tale in

the poem (lines 990 –1055)?

 This tale is similar to Beowulf’s swimming race

with Breca in length of time in the water in the

struggles with which he must cope.

Part II -Study Guide

 What two objects does Beowulf take with

him from the cave (lines 1065 –1098)?

 Grendel’s head and the sword hilt

 In lines 1095 –1150, Beowulf returns to

Heorot and tells of his battle with Grendel’s

mother. To what source does Beowulf

attribute his escape from death at the

clutches of the monster?

 Beowulf attributed his escape to God’s divine

intervention

Part II -Study Guide

Hrothgar responds to Beowulf’s

account of the battle with a speech

(lines 1160 -1227). Describe two main

ideas that Hrothgar addresses.

Hrothgar formally praises Beowulf

accomplishments; he also issues a

warning of the dangers of pride and

arrogance (possible reference to Christian

ideals –departure from chest beating of

pagan Germanic tribes)

Part II -Study Guide

 Hrothgar refers to a “Fiend” in line 1194, a

fiend that threatens to be more powerful

even than Grendel. Who or what is the

fiend?

 The fiend is “pride.”

 What does Hrothgar imply about the

accumulation of material riches?

 Hrothgar implies that the accumulation of riches is

acceptable only when those riches are liberally

shared

Beowulf Hrothgar

Youthful , prime Old age

Proud, arrogant Humble

Courageous Unable to take

action

Beowulf Part II –Notes

Part II ( Lines790 –1303) Portrays the

struggle between Beowulf and

Grendel’s Mother .

The night after Beowulf’s attack on Grendel,

Grendel’s mother takes revenge. She seizes

Aeschere , Hrothgar’s chief counselor, and

flees into the night.

Beowulf Part II –Notes

Beowulf, armed with a sword given to him by

Hrothgar, descends into the lair where he

defeats Grendel’s mother after a long, fierce

battle with another sword belonging to the

“Old Giants .”

While in the watery lair , Beowulf also

decapitates the wounded Grendel.

A great celebration ensues upon Beowulf’s

return to the hall of Hrothgar.

Beowulf Part II –Notes

Literary Term : Metaphor –a figure of speech

that makes a comparison between two

otherwise unlike things.

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

Upon his departure, what gift does Beowulf give

to the coast warden of the Danes?

A battle sword with a gold hilt

Identify the two things being compared in the

metaphor in line 1325.

Beowulf’s ship is compared to a plow horse

What treasures does Beowulf bring to King

Hygelac from King Hrothgar (lines 1350 –

1354)?

Headpiece, helmet, sark, war -sword

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

What gifts does King Hygelac bestow

upon Beowulf in honor of his

accomplishments in battle (lines 1359 –

1368)?

Battlesword of Hrethel, a hall, a stately seat,

land

How long does Beowulf govern his

kingdom?

50 years (fifty winters)

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

 How is Beowulf’s old age characterized in lines 1372 –

1373?

This is essentially a positive view: “Aged and wise with

the wisdom of years.”

 Lines 1374 –1429 describe the events that lead to

Beowulf’s battle with the dragon. How long has the

dragon been guarding the treasure?

300 years (300 winters)

 Why is the dragon “aroused. . . to anger and rage”?

A thief breaks in and steals a golden goblet

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

How does the reason for this monster’s

attack differ from that of Grendel’s attack?

Grendel had no grievance. He was envious of the

happiness and revelry he observed in the mead hall.

The dragon, however, is provoked by an intruding

thief.

Beowulf makes a final speech (lines 1488 –

1507) to his men before the battle. How does

his preparation for this battle differ from his

preparation for his fight with Grendel?

He arms himself heavily (shield and byrny) (shirt of

armor)

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

In lines 1550 –1565, the poet describes what

happens when Beowulf is “enveloped in

flame.” What do all but one of his fellow

warriors do when they see Beowulf in

trouble?

His fellow warriors flee to save themselves

What causes Wiglaf to come to the aid of

Beowulf (lines 1566 –1584)?

Wiglaf remembers Beowulf’s generosity, admires his

past courage and chooses to risk dying in battle

rather than living with the cowardice of flight.

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

As he lay dying, Beowulf says “. . . And now

for all this, Though my heart is grievous, my

heart is glad.” (lines 1656 –1657) What

makes his heart glad?

His heart is glad because he courted no quarrels,

made no false oaths, fought no neighboring rulers

What are Beowulf’s dying wishes?

To see the treasure for which he has given his life

and to have a barrow (grave / burial mound of

stones or earth over a grave) built in his

remembrance

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

What last gift does Beowulf give to

Wiglaf?

A collar of gold helmet ring and byrny (shirt

of armor)
What happens to the treasure for

which Beowulf fought?

The treasure is burned with him in a funeral

pyre

Beowulf, Part III -Study Guide

What do you think will happen to

Beowulf’s kingdom after his death?

Support your answer with evidence

from the poem.

There are signs at the end of the poem that

Beowulf’s kingdom will come to an end.

(Thanes who didn’t fight exiled for not doing

their duty / Wiglaf forsees breaking up of

two kingdoms wandering aliens fighting for

their lives and being killed)

Beowulf, Part III -Notes

Part III –(Lines 1304 –1896) Tells of

Beowulf’s return to Geatland and his

subsequent battle with a dragon over

stolen treasure.

Beowulf returns to his homeland and is

rewarded with riches and position.

Beowulf, Part III -Notes

Many years later, one of the Geats

discovers a great treasure and angers the

dragon guarding it by taking away a golden

goblet .

Beowulf, now king of the Geats, fights the

furious dragon with the help of only one of

his warriors, Wiglaf , while all the others

flee.

Beowulf, Part III -Notes

Though the dragon is dispatched ( beaten ),

Beowulf is mortally wounded.

The Geats, in accord that their leader

possessed unsurpassed heroism and

courage, gave Beowulf a royal funeral

befitting such a hero.

Beowulf, Part III -Notes

 Literary Term

 Foreshadowing –The technique of giving hints or

clues of what is to come. This device helps to

create suspense, as readers are eager to see if the

inferences they draw are correct. It also sets the

stage for future events to be told in the story. It

may be specific (ex. “Everyone knew some tragedy

would befall them. . . “); or may involve only vague

hints expressed through setting or other

description (ex. “Silent, lonely and sublime, the

castle seemed to stand sovereign over the scene

and to frown in defiance on all who dared to invade

its solitary reign…”)

Heroic Morality: (page 39)

In his work Germania, the Roman historian

Tacitus gave a detailed account of the customs

of Germanic tribes like those who populated

England during Anglo -Saxon times.

It was a disgrace to a chief for what to happen

on the field of battle?

To be surpassed in courage by his followers or for

his followers not to equal the courage of their chief

Heroic Morality: (page 39)

If a warrior left the field of battle alive

after his chief had fallen, what would

await him?

Lifelong shame / infamy

In Tacitus’ account, the Germanic

tribes had no taste for peace .

Heroic Morality: (page 39)

The warriors received meals in lieu of

pay.

The Germanic tribesman thought it

tame and spiritless to do what?

To accumulate slowly by hard work what

can be got quickly by loss of a little blood in

battle