Beowulf Questions

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)

1.Realize that this prologue introduces the Danes, not Beowulf or his people the Geats. What was unusual about the way Shield came to be ruler of the Danes? What was his funeral like? What relation is Hrothgar to Shield?
It was unusual Shield was ruler of the Danes because of his past as an orphan. The day of his funeral he was carried onto a ship. He sailed off into the ocean with various amount of his treasures.

 [Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1.What magnificent work did Hrothgar undertake? Who attacked it, and with what result? How long did the attacks last? What was the response of the Danes?
Hrothgar created the grand hall which was soon attacked by Grendal. The Danes feared Grendal due to the vicious past.

 [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel?
When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's problem him and his mean set sail to put an end to the situation.

 2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do?
Upon arriving in Denmark the Geats run into Hrothgar's lieutenant. He begins questioning them about their arrival . After responding the truth the Lieutenant takes them to Herot.
 3. They next meet Hrothgar's herald. Who is he? What does he tell them? What does he tell Hrothgar? What does Hrothgar respond? Are you surprised that Hrothgar knows Beowulf so well?
Hrothgar's herald happens to ne Wulfgar . In the first glance he questions them on the amont of armor they wear.

 4.What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf's father?
Hrothgar paid his fathers feud in battle. Beowulf explains of his awareness in the situation, his experience, and how he plans to go through the plan.

 [Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of? How does Beowulf answer him? How is this episode relevant to the poem as a whole? What does Beowulf accuse Unferth of?
Unferth envy's Beowulf bringing up an old memory of one of Beowulf's not so good battles. Beowulf explains that he later killed that monster.

 2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting?
She is thankful for Beowulf, handing out mead goblets to him and his men.

 [The Fight with Grendel] (lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1.Heroic poetry normally has a scene in which the hero arms for battle. What is different about Beowulf's preparations for his fight with Grendel?
Beowulf makes it a point to fight him with out any advantages, he decide to fight him bare hands.

 2.What happens when Grendel enters Heorot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind?
Grendel continues on with his routine of eating the mean, as he approaches Beowulf he soon escapes leaving his arm behind.

 [Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)
 2.How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf's deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now?
He announces him as a son and never be forgotten.
he offers him a various amount of gift's including a sword
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 3.The singer sings of Finn during the feasting (lines 1070-1158). The exact details of the Finn story are not clear, but in general, what happens? What does it suggest about the wisdom of using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes?
Finn was later killed out of revenge. But the idea was so the families wouldn't feud again.

 4.When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do?
Wealhtheow comments to Hrothgar to rethink of it, desiring it to stay with in family.

 5.Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do?
Wealhtheow asks for the protection of her children and the reassurance of there throne.

 6.Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake?
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Men decide to remain in the beer hall because Grendel has been defeated. That turns into a huge mistake because his mother comes back and takes her sons arm with her.

 BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79)

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1.Why has Grendel's mother come to Heorot? Is it the same reason Grendel had?
Grendels mother returns for revenge just as Grendel had.

 2.What is Hrothgar's response? Whom has Grendel's mother killed?
Grendel's mother continued to kill the men in the hall when she went back for her sons arm. Grendel's mother ends up killing a close friend of his . Only causing him to send Beowulf to finish her off just as he had with Grendel.

 3.What sort of place is the mere?
The mere is where Grendel and his mother are reported to live; a lake near by a dark forest.

 [Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1.How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?
Beowulf gives Hrothgar to feel no sorrow

 2.What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it?
they kill a sea monster

 3.How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him?
 Unferith gives up his sword and Beowulf puts on his armor.
 4.What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere?
As he enters the mere he is attacked by numerous sea monsters, Due to his armor he is unharmed but is very surprised with the amount of time it took to get to the home.

5.What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth?
The sword breaks while in battle with the mother.

 6.At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel's mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape?
He used every ounce of strength to throw the mother off, the armor was also a key element.

 7.How does Beowulf kill Grendel's mother? What weapon does he use? What happens when she dies? What does Beowulf take with him from her home? What happens to the sword he used to kill her?
He cuts her throat,.

 8.What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return?
His mean were no where to be seen when arriving to the surface due to the simple fact that they thought it would be impossible to defeat her.
[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1.What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?
Gentle's head and sword.

 2.What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf?
To be a fair ruler.

 3.What does Beowulf give to Unferth as he leaves?
His sword.

 [Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)

1.What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?
He predicts him as a protector of the Danes.

 2.Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth?
Hyd- Queen of the Geatlands, she does not kill people who look at her.

 3.Beowulf reports to Hygelac that Hrothgar may marry his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. Why does he plan to do that? What does Beowulf expect the result will be? (Remember the Finn story, lines 1070-1158.) How does Beowulf think the peace will be broken? Is this the type of report we expected from the hero Beowulf, or are we seeing a new side of him?
Having his daughter marry will cause peace. But is viewed as only causing another feud.

 4.How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately?
He doesn't not say what is not true, he repots as accurately as possible.

 5.What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him?
Beowulf gives the gifts to Hygd and Hygelac. Hygelac gives land, and home while king gets weapons, armor, and horses.
[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1.How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists? 50 years later, Beowulf becomes king

 3.What did the dragon destroy that evening?
Because losing the treasure he burned down the housing.

 4.Why does Beowulf think his home was burnt? Why does he order a new shield? How will he fight this battle? What will happen to him? He orders a new shield because he believes his house was targeted by the dragon. He planned to fight the dragon.

 5.How did Hygelac die? (The description in lines 2354-2379 begins one of several versions of Geatish history and Hygelac's death we will get.) What did Beowulf do after Hygelac's death? What happened when he returned home? Did he accept Hygd's offer to become king?
Beowulf turns down the offer of running the kingdom, Hygelec is killed.

 6. What happened to Hygelac's son Heardred? (That's the story in lines 2380-2390.) How did Beowulf plan to revenge Heardred's death (lines 2391-2396)?
Swedes are allowed into the kingdom Orneala kills his brothers (Swedes) Beowulf than sets off to kill Orneala.

 7.How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon?
11 men come along with Beowulf.

 8.What happened to Hygelac's oldest brother Herebeald? Who killed him? What did this do to his father King Hrethel? (This passage, lines 2425-2509, is the second account of Geatish history and of the death of Hygelac.) What happened between the Swedes and Geats after Hrethel's death? What happened to Haethcyn? How die Beowulf revenge Hygelac's death?
Haethcyn accidently killed Herebeald. King Hrethel soon died of grief.


 [Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1.What does Beowulf tell his companions to do?
Beowulf plans to fightthe dragon on his own but tells his men to wait and observe.

 2.What happens the first time Beowulf and the dragon fight? What do his companions do? How is Wiglaf different? What does he tell the others? What does he then do?
Beowulf confidence all goes down the drain once his shield begins to melt. Allhis men begin to leave except for one.

 3.What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon? Bewoulf and Wiglaf team together.

 4.What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried? He asks to see the gold once glancing at it he thanks god for allowing him to defeat the dragon. He wished for his body be burned , and named Beowulf's Barrow.


 [Beowulf's Funeral] (lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1.What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future?
Wiglaf is angered with the men who left as he tries to bring Beowulf back to life.

 2.What does the messenger tell the city? (This passage, lines 2900-3027, is the third account of the history of the Geats and the death of Hygelac. These are the enemies that will attack the Geats when they learn of Beowulf's death.) What happened overnight in Ravenswood after Ongentheow killed Haethcyn? What happened the next morning? What happened to Ongentheow? What does the messenger say to do with the gold? What is the final image (animal) of the messenger's speech?
Messenger spread the tragic news of Beowulf's death. They believe the gold is cursed.

 3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf?
He mentions Beowulf in great respect.

 4.What happens to the dragon?
The dragon was pushed of a cliff and dunked into the ocean.

 5.What happens during and after the funeral celebration?
Beowulf's funeral lasted ten days, as everyone mourned him

 6.What did the Geats say about Beowulf in the last three lines of the poem? Are these the terms one would expect to be used to describe a military hero?
The mentioned him as a lovely and caring hero.