Beowulf Test Study Guide

What is Almighty making Earth an allusion to?

The creation stories

"Of Cain, murdered creatures banished By God, punished forever for the crime Of Abel's death" is an allusion to what?

The Cain and Able story

"Hrothgar, their lord, sat joyless In Herot, a mighty prince mourning The fate of his lost friends and companions, Knowing by its tracks that some demon had torn His followers apart. He wept, fearing The beginning might not be the end." is an example of what?

Foreshadowing

Why is Hrothgar actually crying? in this excerpt:

"Hrothgar, their lord, sat joyless In Herot, a mighty prince mourning The fate of his lost friends and companions, Knowing by its tracks that some demon had torn His followers apart. He wept, fearing The beginning might not be the end."

He is scared that he will also eventually be killed, not actually crying for the dead

What were the 12 soldiers symbolic to?

The 12 Apostles

Who said the following quote and what did they mean by it?:

"Whose soldiers are you, You who've been carried in your deep-keeled ship Across the sea-road to this country of mine? Listen! I've stood on these cliffs longer Than you know, keeping our coast free Of pirates, raiders sneaking ashore From their ships, seeking our lives and our gold. None have ever come more openly- And yet you've offered no password, no sign From my prince, no password, no sign From my prince, no permission from my people for your landing Here. Nor have i ever seen, Out of all the men on earth, one greater Than has come with you; no commoner carries Such weapons, unless his appearance, and his beauty, Are both lies. You! Tell me your name, And your father's; no spies go further onto Danish Soil than you've come already. Strangers, From wherever it was you sailed, tell it, And tell it quickly, the quicker the better, I say, for us all. Speak say Exactly who you are, and from where, and why"

Hrothgar's lieutenant.

Who said the following quote and what did they mean by it?:

"I drove Five great giants into chains, chased All of that race from the earth. I swam In the blackness of night, hunting monsters Out of the ocean, and killing them one By one; death was my errand and the fate They had earned"

Beowulf. He is boasting about himself

What does the quote "A single request I have come so far, O shelterer of warriors and your people's loved friend, That this one favor you should not refuse me- That I, alone and with the help of my men, May purge all evil from this hall. I have heard, Too, that the monster's scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I" show?

Overconfidence

Explain the following excerpt: "Then he stepped to another Still body, clutched at Beowulf with his claws, Grasped at a strong-hearted wakeful sleeper- And was instantly seized himself, claws Bent back as Beowulf leaned up on one arm"

Grendel meets his match, Beowulf

Explain: "He twisted in pain, And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder Snapped, muscle and bone split And broke."

Beowulf savagely ripped off Grendel's arm

Explain: "The victory, for the proof, hanging high from the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster's Arm, claw and shoulder and all."

Beowulf wants the glory

Who says the following quote and what do they mean by it?:

"Remember Hrothgar, O knowing king, now When my danger is near, the warm words we uttered And if your enemy should end my life Then be, O generous prince, forever The father and protector of all whom I leave Behind me, here in your hands, my beloved Comrades left with no leader, their leader Dead. And the precious gifts you gave me, My friend, send them to Higlac. May he see In their golden brightness, the Geats' great lord Gazing at your treasure, that here in Denmark I found a noble protector, a giver Of rings whose rewards I won and briefly Relished. And you, Unferth, let My famous old sword stay in your hands: I shall shape glory with Hrunting, or death Will hurry me from this earth!"

Beowulf. He is saying if he dies, to take care of his people and return all of his things

What does "On her back, and her stabbing blade was blunted By the woven mail shirt he wore on his chest." mean?

Grendel's mother couldn't hurt Beowulf because of the armor he was wearing

What does "And desperate, lifted it high over his head And struck with all the strength he had left, Caught her in the neck and cut it through." mean?

Beowulf uses his sword to decapitate Grendel's mother

What does "But Beowulf repaid him for those visits, Found him lying dead in his corner, Armless, exactly as that fierce fighter Had sent him out from Herot, then struck off His head with a single swift blow. The body jerked for the last time, then lay still." mean?

Beowulf got revenge for the people Grendel killed, for the glory

What does "The Danes gave up, left The lake and went home, Hrothgar with them. The Geats stayed, sat sadly, watching, Imagining they saw their lord but not believing They would ever see him again." mean?

The Danes were realistic, while the Geats were hopeful.

What does "To salute him and show Grendel's head. He carried that terrible trophy by the hair, Brought it straight to where the Danes sat" show about Beowulf?

By coming back, he shows qualities of an epic hero

What does "Beowulf and his fellow Geats return home, where he eventually becomes King." mean?

The story has to show that Beowulf is the man

What does the quote "I've never known fear, as a youth I fought In endless battles. I am old, now, But I will fight again, seek fame still" show?

It shows Beowulf's human side

What is the significance of the following excerpt?:

"Flames beat at the iron Shield, and for a time, it geld, protected Beowulf as he'd planned; then it began to melt, And for the first time in his life that famous prince Fought with fate against him, with glory Denied him. He knew it, but he raised his sword And struck at the dragon's scaly hide. the ancient blade broke, bit into The monster's skin, drew blood, but cracked And failed him before it went deep enough, helped him less than he needed."

Beowulf's weapons gave out on him. Fate was against him

What does the excerpt "Watching Beowulf, he could see How his king was suffering, burning. Remembering Everything his lord and cousin had given him. Armor and gold and the great estates Wexstan's family enjoyed, Wiglaf's Mind was made up" show us?

That Wiglaf is the loyal servant

"Who said the following quote:

"I remember how we sat in the mead-hall, drinking And boasting of how brave we'd be when Beowulf Needed us, he who gave us these swords And armor: all of us swore to repay him, When the time came, kindness for kindness"

Wiglaf

"Wiglaf and Beowulf kill the dragon, but the old king is mortally wounded. As he dies, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring him the treasure that the dragon was guarding"

Beowulf's final request

What is fatalism?

The belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable

What is "But Wiglaf sprinkled water Over his lord" an allusion of?

Can be associated with Anointing of the Sick

" 'Take What I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, help them: my time is gone. Have The brave Geats build me a tomb, When the funeral flames have burned me, and build it Here, at the water's edge, high Not his spit of land, so sailor can see This tower, and remember my name, and call it Beowulf's tower, and boats in the darkness And mist, crossing the sea, will know it,' Then that brave king gave the golden Necklace from around his throat to Wiglaf, Gave him his gold-covered helmet, and his rings, And his mail shirt, and ordered him to use them well"

Beowulf gave Wiglar his power (the necklace)

Beowulf wanted to be remembered

Why is this excerpt:

"And then twelve of the bravest Geats Rode their horses around the tower, Telling their sorrow, telling stories Of their dead king and his greatness, his glory, Praising him for heroic deeds, for a life As noble as his name" ironic?

The 12 Geats left Beowulf and now they are praising him and built the tower

What is "With love, when their shield and protector leaves His body behind, send his soul" a reference to?

Heaven

What is Night synonymous with?

Evil

Why does Grendel kill?

For the sake of killing (may be jealous)

What are the themes of this story?

Good vs Evil

(Grendel vs Beowulf

God vs Devil)

What does the excerpt "So mankind's enemy continued his crimes, Killing as often as he could, coming Alone, bloodthirsty and horrible. Though he lived In Herot, when the night hid him, he never Dared to touch King Hrothgar's glorious Throne, protected by God-God, Whose love Grendel could not know" mean?

Grendel was so ugly, not even God could love him

What is "Support, the Devil's guidance in driving Their affliction off. That was their way, And the heathen's only hope, Hell Always in their hearts, knowing neither God Nor His passing as He walks through our world, the Lord" and allusion of?

Exodus/Moses

What does "Then they sailed, set their ship Out on the waves, under the cliffs, Ready for what came they wound through the currents, The seas beating at the sand, and were borne In the lap of their shining ship, lined With gleaming armor, going sad felt In that oak=hard boat to where their hearts took them" show us?

That their hearts were in it