British Literature: Independent Lap Test

Beowulf: Hrothgar

King of Danes 

Hrothgar: Physical strength beyond the norm

NO - old and no longer fights; relies on others

Hrothgar: courageous

NO - avoids fighting with Grendel; seeks help

Hrothgar: has followers

YES - rules many warriors; loyalty of his people

Hrothgar: self-confidence

YES - wisdom; generous king who gives advice to Beowulf

Beowulf: Wiglaf

young warrior from Beowulf’s Kingsman 

Wiglaf: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - helps Beowulf fight the dragon when all others flee

Wiglaf: courageous

YES - only warrior brave enough to stand by Beowulf against the dragon

Wiglaf: has followers

NO - young; supports Beowulf rather than leading

Wiglaf: self-confidence

YES - boldly rebukes the cowardly warriors and proves worth in battle

Beowulf: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - rips off Grendel’s arm with bare hands

Beowulf: courage

YES - chooses to fight Grendel without weapons, risking his life for glory and honor; later as an old man he faces the dragon knowing it could kill him 

Beowulf: has followers

YES - geatish warriors sail with him to Denmark to help Hrothgar; Wiglaf stays by Beowulf’s side to fight the dragon showing loyalty

Beowulf: self-confidence

YES - boasts about his victories like defeating sea monsters; believes in his ability to win battles 

Seafarer Narrator: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - endures hardships of the sea, but struggles with human weaknesses against nature; not superhuman strength 

Seafarer Narrator: courage

YES - continues to return to the dangerous sea despite the risks

Seafarer Narrator: has followers

NO - isolated and alone at sea, cut off from community

Seafarer Narrator: self-confidence

YES - embraces the sea despite its dangers, showing determination and inner strength; relies on God for true guidance

Wanderer Narrator: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - survives exile and harsh conditions, but his strength is endurance and wisdom rather than physical 

Wanderer Narrator: courage

YES - faces emotion and social isolation, remembering past joys and losses without giving up; accepts the hardships of fate and continuous wandering in search of meaning 

Wanderer Narrator: has followers

NO - mourns lost companions; wanders alone

Wanderer Narrator: self-confidence

NO - learns to accept life how it is and human suffering; finds strength in reflection and spiritual hope, showing inner self-assurance

The Wife’s Lament Narrator: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - she endures exile and harsh conditions, but her strength is emotional endurance, not physical prowess

The Wife’s Lament Narrator: courage

YES - faces betrayal, isolation, and grief alone, living in exile imposed by her husband’s kin; continues to survive despite sorrow and separation

The Wife’s Lament Narrator: has followers

NO - completely alone; cut off from her husband and her community 

The Wife’s Lament Narrator: self-confidence

NO - she expresses deep sorrow, longing, and vulnerability; her hatred and self-doubt and mourning show emotional dependence rather than inner self-assurance

Barbara Allen: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - strength is emotional and social, choosing pride over love

Barbara Allen: courage

MAYBE - initially lacks courage to show affection or forgiveness, letting pride guilt her; shows courage at the end when grief overwhelms her 

Barbara Allen: has followers

NO - acts alone; her decisions affect only herself and the young man

Barbara Allen: self-confidence

YES - proud and assertive, standing by her choices until she realizes the consequences; confidence leads to tragedy, showing the power (and danger) of pride

Sir John Graeme: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - strength is emotional vulnerability and passion

Sir John Graeme: courage

YES - openly declares his love and suffers emotional pain for it; faces rejection without retaliation 

Sir John Graeme: has followers

NO - acts alone; his fate depends on Barbara Allen’s choices

Sir John Graeme: self-confidence

YES - expresses his feelings honestly and loves sincerely; his confidence is emotional honesty rather than pride

Sir Patrick Spens: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - described as a “noble sailor” and is chosen for his skill and bravery at sea implying exceptional ability 

Sir Patrick Spens: courage

YES - obeys the kings dangerous command to sail in winter storms, despite knowing it could be fatal 

Sir Patrick Spens: has followers

YES - commands a crew of sailors who accompany him in the voyage

Sir Patrick Spens: self-confidence

YES - confident enough to accept the royal order, even though he knows the voyage is dangerous; trusts in his skills and loyalty to the king, demonstrating steadfastness

Get Up and Bar the Door Husband: physical strength beyond the norm

NO - domestic role 

Get Up and Bar the Door Husband: courage

MAYBE - stubborn and refuses to bar the door, but shows no bravery in a life-threatening sense 

Get Up and Bar the Door Husband: has followers

NO - acts alone, negotiating only with his wife

Get Up and Bar the Door Husband: self-confidence

YES - confident in his pride and stubbornness, he refuses to speak first and “lose” the challenge

Get Up and Bar the Door Wife: physical strength beyond the norm

NO

Get Up and Bar the Door Wife: courage

MAYBE - stands her ground in the argument and maintains her stubbornness, even when strangers enter the house 

Get Up and Bar the Door Wife: has followers

NO

Get Up and Bar the Door Wife: self-confidence

YES - confident in her wit and persistence, she challenges the husband and ultimately wins the “pact” when he speaks first 

Sir Gawain: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - skilled knight able to face the Green Knight in combat and survive the dangerous journey to the Green Chapel 

Sir Gawain: courage

YES - accepts the Green Knight’s challenge to protect King Arthur’s honor; journeys through harsh winter landscapes to fulfill his promise, despite the risk of death

Sir Gawain: has followers

NO - travels alone to Green Chapel; faces challenges individually despite being apart of King Arthur’s court

Sir Gawain: self-confidence

YES - confident in his knightly skills and honor, but also shows humility and self-doubt after failing to fully uphold his promise (hiding the sash) 

King Arthur: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - skilled in battle; pulls Excalibur from the stone and leads armies successfully; demonstrates courage and endurance in multiple wars to defend his kingdom

King Arthur: courage

YES - faces many battles and threats to Camelot without hesitation; stands firm in establishing justice and protecting his people

King Arthur: has followers

YES - commands the loyalty of the Knights of the Round Table and the people of Camelot 

King Arthur: self-confidence 

YES - confidence to his right to rule in his moral code; shows humility at times when realizing human failings (e.g., Lancelot and Guinevere’s affair, the fall of Camelot) 

Sir Lancelot: physical strength beyond the norm

YES - renowned as the greatest knight; defeats multiple enemies in tournaments and battles 

Sir Lancelot: courage 

YES - willing to face deadly challenges and defend Camelot’s honor 

Sir Lancelot: has followers

YES - gains loyalty from knights who admire his skill and virtue

Sir Lancelot: self-confidence

YES - highly confident in his abilities and reputation; shows inner conflict for his love of Guinevere, understanding its consequences for Camelot 

Sir Gawain (Le Morte d’Arthur): physical strength beyond the norm

YES - famed for exceptional combat skills; wins tournaments and battles multiple foes; known as one of the strongest knights of Camelot 

Sir Gawain (Le Morte d’Arthur): courage

YES - faces dangerous adventures and wars to defend Camelot; willing to risk his life for justice, honor, and loyalty to Arthur 

Sir Gawain (Le Morte d’Arthur): has followers

YES - represents and protects Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table, and the kingdom’s people; his actions inspire other knights and maintain the court’s honor

Sir Gawain (Le Morte d’Arthur): self-confidence

YES - proud of his abilities and noble lineage; occasionally shows utility, especially when recognizing human failings or when outshone by other knights (like Lancelot) 

Beowulf conflict

person vs person - battles grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon (external)

Hrothgar conflict

person vs person - grendel attacks herorot, threatening his kingdom (external) 

grendel conflict

person vs society - attacks heorot because he is isolated and resents human joy (external) 

grendals mother conflict

person vs person - seeks revenge against beowulf for her son’s death (external)

dragon conflict

person vs society - destroys the geat’s land after its treasure is stolen (extrenal) 

wiglaf conflict

person vs person - fights the dragon to defend beowulf when other warriors fled (external) 

sir Gawain conflict

person vs person - accepts the green knights challenge and faces him in combat (external) 

the Green Knight conflict

person vs person - tests gawain’s courage and honesty through the beheading game (external)

king arthur conflict

person vs person - hosts the Green knights challenge and represents Camelot’s honor (external)

king Arthur (le Morte) conflict

person vs person - battles enemies to defend Camelot and his kingdom (external)

sir Lancelot (le Morte) conflict

person vs self - struggles with love for Guinevere vs loyalty to camelot (internal) 

sir Gawain (le Morte) conflict

person vs person - fights enemies in defense of Camelot (external)

barbara allen conflict

person vs self - struggles with heartbreak and unrequited love (internal)

sir John Graeme conflict

person vs self - struggles with heartbreak and unrequited love (internal) 

sir Patrick spens conflict 

person vs nature - faces a deadly storm at sea (external) 

husband conflict

person vs self - argued with wife over pride and who will shut the door (internal) 

wife conflict

person vs self - argued with her husband over pride and who will shut the door (internal) 

seafarer conflict

person vs nature - endures storms, cold, and isolation at sea (external)

wanderer conflict 

person vs self - struggles with grief, loss, and exile (internal) 

the wife's lament conflict

person vs society - exiled by her husbands kin, isolated from her community (external)