Beowulf Test

Beowulf

Main guy, eventually becomes King of the Geats at the end, kills the 3 monsters

Hrothgar

King of the Danes. Builds Heorot (mead hall) but is unable to protect it from Grendel

Grendel

Big scary monster, kills a bunch of people because he hates parties

Grendel's Mother

Female big scary monster looking to get revenge for the killing of her son. Kills Aeschere who was an advisor and friend of Hrothgar

Wiglaf

Only soldier in Beowulf’s army that doesn’t run away during the dragon fight.

Unferth

Danish warrior who challenges Beowulf by bring up the swimming match with Breca

Hildeburh

SHE looses her son and brother in a battle against Finn and the Frisians. Failure of peace-weaving

Wealhtheow

Hrothgar’s queen who passes out mead to the warriors. Establishes social order and asks Beowulf to protect her sons

Hygelac

King of the Geats before Beowulf, welcomes Beowulf back after his fight with the Grendels and is killed in a raid against the franks

Sigemund

A dragon-slayer from Norse myth told by a scop (oral poet) to forshadow Beowulf’s glory and fate

Modthryth

An ancient evil queen that killed a bunch of men before she was tamed by a husband. She was a foil to queen Hygd

Geats

Beowulf’s tribe

Shieldings

Another name for Danes, people under King Hrothgar

Swedes

Rival tribe to the Geats. Might invade after Beowulfs death

Wulfings

Tribe of King Heatholaf (who was the man Beowulf’s father (Ecgtheow) killed).

Heorot

Name of glittering mead hall

Hygd

Queen of the Geats (King Hygelac’s wife), very generous

Abel/Cain

Bible story used to describe Grendel and his mother

Onela

King of the Swedes and involed in many tribal feuds between the Swedes and Geats

Aeschere

King Hrothgar’s dear friend and most trusted advisor, killed by Grendel’s mother

Heremond

Ancient Danish king who is a foil to Beowulf. He was strong and bloodthristy, leading to him being overthrown

Finn

King of the Frisians, husband of Hildeburg, in a story about bloody feud that leads to his death in his own hall

Freawaru

The daughter of Hrothgar and Wealhtheow (Geats). In a peace-weaving marragie between the Geas and Ingeld of the Heathobards. Beowulf expects this to fail.

Breca

Childhood friend of Beowulf who beat him in a 7-night swimming competition.

Anglo Saxon

Germanic tribes that settled in Britain. Beowulf is a famous work

Jutes

One of the Germanic tribes mentioned in the poem, involved in the conflicts surrounding the Frisians and Danes

Kenning

Compound name for a thing - “Whale-Road”

Litotes

Ironic understatements - A gruesome death was "not a pleasant sight"

Wergild

Blood price, killer pays family of the person they killed to avoid a feud.

Scop

An Anglo-Saxon poet or storyteller who sang epics in the mead-hall.

Naegling

One of Beowulf’s swords, used against the dragon

Hrunting

One of Beowulf’s swords, lent by Unferth

Dragon

Final monster that gets mad after someone steals his gold

Shield Sheafson

Founder of the Danish royal line, orphan warrior king, making feared kingdom