Brit Lit, Unit 1

British Isles

Who invaded and settled Great Britain?

Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans.

What did the Romans leave behind in Britain?

A system of roads and architecture.

What is an effect of Christianity's spread throughout Britain?

Britain became culturally linked to Europe.

Elements of Celtic Religion

-Priests called Druids
-Ritual dances
-Human sacrifice
-Belief in spirits who controlled all aspects of existence

What was Anglo-Saxon life dominated by?

Close allegiances between leaders and their followers.

What are the four Anglo-Saxon virtues?

Loyalty, generosity, prudence, and fortitude.

Why were Anglo-Saxon bards important?

They preserved heroic deeds in the collective memory.

How did Christian monasteries serve Anglo-Saxon society?

Fostered learning and preserved literary works.

What did King Alfred promote through The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle?

Old English

What caused the years of war between the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings to end?

The invasion of the Normans under William of Normandy.

What is an epic?

A long narrative poem that recounts, in formal language, the
exploits of a larger-than-life hero.

How were ancient epics passed down prior to being written down?

Orally

What did their public performance provide for audience?

Entertainment and education.

Who established the standard features of the epic form in Western literature with the Iliad and the Odyssey?

Homer

How long is Beowulf king?

50 years

What is the origin of the dragon's treasure?

It was the treasure of a no longer existing kingdom.

Why does the dragon attack mankind?

The slave stole a jeweled cup.

What happens to Beowulf's iron shield?

It melted.

How does Beowulf's sword fail him in his battle with the dragon?

It shatters because his arms are too strong.

What do Beowulf's warriors do during the battle with the dragon?

Run away

Who helps Beowulf fight the dragon?

Wiglaf

How does Beowulf die?

He is stabbed in the neck by the dragon's tusks.

What does Beowulf wish to gaze upon as he is dying?

The dragon's treasure.

Who does Beowulf give the kingdom to?

Wiglaf

What does Wiglaf say to the warriors when they return?

That they are cowards and shall not be honored and their stories will not be told.

How is Beowulf put to his final rest?

His funeral pyre is burned and no one plays games or laughs.

What does the woman sing about during Beowulf's funeral?

Sorrow, loss, captivity, etc.
She foreshadows the end of the Geats.

In what way was Beowulf's death noble?

He died protecting his people.

What does "in medias res" mean?

In the middle of things.

What are the standard features of the traditional epic form?

-Poetic lines that have a regular meter and formal, elevated, or even lofty language.
-Main characters who have heroic or superhuman qualities.
-Gods or godlike beings who intervene in the events.
-Action on a huge scale, often involving the fates of entire peoples.
-Stories that begin in medias res (Latin for “in the middle of things”) or at a critical point
in the action.

What two elements are mixed in Beowulf?

Germanic/Pagan and Christian.

What is the name of Hrothgar's mead hall?

Herot

Who does the poem name as Grendel's ancestor?

Cain

How many thanes does Grendel kill on the first night of the attacks on the mead hall?

30 thanes

How long does Grendel terrorize Hrothgar's kingdom?

12 years

What is the one thing that Grendel will not approach in the mead hall?

Hrothgar's throne.

What is Beowulf's relation to King Higlac?

He is his nephew.

Who stops Beowulf when he first arrives?

A Danish watchman.

Why does Beowulf come to see Hrothgar?

He wants to help Hrothgar by killing Grendel.

How do you know that Beowulf is an honorable man?

He refuses to use a sword to fight Grendel since Grendel has none.

Where do Grendel and his mom live?

The bottom of a lake.

To avenge her son's death, Grendel's mother appears in the mead hall and does what?

Kills on of Hrothgar's closest friends.

What does Grendel's mother take from Heorot?

Grendel's arm

What does Grendel's mother do as soon as she sees Beowulf in the water?

She snatches him and drags him down to the depths.

What is Hrunting?

A sword given to Beowulf that fails to work against Grendel's mother.

To what does the poet give credit for Beowulf's victory over Grendel's mother?

God's will and intervention.

What does Beowulf defeat Grendel's mother with?

A sword made by giants.

What phrase does the poet use to describe the Geats after Beowulf emerges from the lake?

"His glorious band of Geats."

When Beowuld returns from the battle with Grendel's mother, he brings with him Grendel's, what?

Head

How many men does it take to carry Grendel's head back to the mead-hall?

4 men