Beowulf Questions

I worked online and mainly by myself with a little bit of help from others for the answers of the questions I did not understand. It took me about 2 and a half hours within a two day period. I used sparknotes and I read the text from http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~beowulf/main.html.

 

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?
Shield was an abandoned orphan and became the founder of the line. When he dies he was put in a boat with treasures and sent off to sea. Shield was Hrothgar grandfather.

[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?

Under Hrothgar’s rule the kingdom proposed and their military was great. Grendal attacked his kingdom and killed thirty men; they were not able to fight back. The attacks lasted twelve years.  The Danes did nothing but suffer.

[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?

He decides to go and help.

2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do?

They meet the watchman who wants to know what they are doing and they let him in and watch the boat for him.

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?

He is known for his wisdom. He is impressied with his appearance and tells Hrothgar that he is here; he remember him as a boy and being friends with his father. I am not sure that he knows him so well as a person and knows about him from the stories he has heard.

4.What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf's father?

He tells him about his past wars stories and offers his help. Hrothgar sent treasure to help end a feud.

[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 accuses him of losing a swimming match and he tells his side of that story.  This episode is relevant because it shows that he thinks of  himself in high regards. He accuses Unfreth of drunkness.

2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting?

She is offering everyone in the room her ceremonial goblet.

[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?

He decides to sleep and not arm himself for the fight.

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?
Grendal takes down the door and and eat a warriors. Beowulf wrestles him. When Grendal tries to leave Beowulf holds him down. Yes he does escape but he leaves his arm to die.

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel's tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf's presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.)

He is similar to Sigemund because he slew a dragon and he has yet to turn on his people.

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 gives him rewards and adopts him as a son.

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?

4.When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do?

She asks for him not to be king over them.

5.Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do?

Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to guide and protect her children

6.Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake?
They all decide to sleep their and they are unaware of the new danger; Grendal’s mother.

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?

She comes for vengeance of her son. It is not the same reason Grendal had.

2.What is Hrothgar's response? Whom has Grendel's mother killed?

He asks for Beowulf’s help and she has killed Hrothgar’s advisor.

3.What sort of place is the mere?

Is it a swampy, horrible place.

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

1.How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?

He tells him to revenge them one more time.

2.What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it?

3.How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him?

He puts his amore on and he takes Hrunting.

4.What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere? Grendal’s mother snatches him and takes him to her lair.

5.What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth? The sword was not able to cut through her.

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 swims away and takes a big sword that is hanging on the wall.

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?

Beosulf cuts her head off when he uses a huge sword form off  the wall. She is decapitated and he takes Grendal’s head along with him. The sword starts to melt from Grendal’s blood.

8.What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return?

The water is no longer in bad condition. The men did expect him to come back.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1.What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

Beowulf give him the head of Grendal and the sword.

2.What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf? What and why does he tell us about Heremod? Why and how did Heremod die? What lesson does Hrothgar teach with the Heremod example?

He contrasts hime with the king Heremond. He tells the story to show that wealth and greed can overcome a person and make them forget the things and people that matter and he teaches this as a lesson.

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

He returns the sword Hrunting.

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

1.What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?

He predicts that he will never see him again.

2.Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth?

She is the wife of King Hygelac; who is young and beautiful. She is different from Modthryth because she would torture and kill innocent people who she thought where offending 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? He wants to bring both tribes together and begin an alliance. Beowulf thinks that is will begin years of war. I do not think that it was a report expected from Beowulf because I would not expect him to be scared of what war happening if it were to happen.

4.How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately?

He reports the monsters to be bigger and meaner and the treasures to be greater.

5.What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him?

He gives part of it to Hygelac including a necklace, suit of armor and horses.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[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? King Hygelac is killed and his son dies and there is a great dragon that is guarding its treasure.

2.Why is the dragon angry? Why did the man take a cup? How did the treasure come to be there in the first place? (The speech of the lone survivor, the one who put the gold in the barrow, is in a typically Old English elegiac tone.  He is angry because someone stole a gem-covered goblet.  The man intended no harm from stealing it. The last survivor of an ancient race buried all the treasure because he knew he would not be able to use it.

3.What did the dragon destroy that evening?  He destroys villages and house and then turns to torment the countryside.

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 thinks it is a punishment from God. He wants to fight this battle himself.

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?

Hygelic died in battle while Beowulf survived. He declined the throne. He became a protector of him instead.

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)? Heardred dies against the Swedes. Beowulf beat the Swedes to avenge his death.

7.How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon? Eleven men.

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?  He is accidentally killed.  A war is started and Beowulf avenges him when he beats the Swedes.

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

1.What does Beowulf tell his companions to do?  He boasts about his youth and how he is going to kill the dragon.
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? He is unable to penetrate through the dragon’s scales. All of his companions rune expect for one. Wiglaf feels loyalty to the king. He tells the others that they have loyalty to thin king and this is a test of loyalty and he runs to aid Beowulf.

3.What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon? Beowuld is bitten by the dragon on the neck. He begins to die while Wiglaf stabs the dragon in the belly and Beowuld stabs him in flank; killing him.

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 tells him to bring some of the dragon’s treasure. Beowulf thanks God for the treasure and tell him to take care of the people and burry the treasure in a barrow and name it 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? They are ashamed of leaving. Wiglaf is upset and says that know the warlords will sure to come and try to overtake them know that Beowulf cannot protect him.

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? The messenger tells them that Beowulf is dead and that they will be attacked. They also risk being attacked by the Swedes. 

3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf?  That there will be a lot of weeping.

4.What happens to the dragon?  They burn the dragon.

5.What happens during and after the funeral celebration? The women laments his body and place his remain on the top of the barrow for all the ships to see.

 

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?  Beowulf was mildest and most beloved.  His people he was the kindest. Yes, because as a war military hero he did not care about being king but to be a protector.