BEOWULF COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A collaboration of knowledge between Sophia Gomez, Anaya Navarro, and I, Edgar Rodriguez

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] 

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?

[Herot is Attacked]

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?

[The Hero Comes to Herot] 

1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel?

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

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?

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

[Feast at Herot] 

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?

2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting?

[The Fight with Grendel]

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?

- Beowulf is different from other heroes because he chooses to take off his armor instead of packing it on.

2. What happens when Grendel enters Herot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind?

- When Grendel enters the hall, he sees that they are all asleep and starts to attack. He eats one guy, then goes to grab Beowulf. Grendel realizes that he is out-matched and tries to flee, but is stopped by Higlac’s men. Beowulf fought Grendel by binding his claws. Grendel’s arm is torn off, so he is able to flee.

[Celebration at Herot] 

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.)

- Beowulf is like Sigmund in the way that he is a great hero, known throughout the land. He is unlike Heremond, because Heremond did not protect his people, and turned against them.

2. How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf’s deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now?

- Hrothgar, like a proper king, praises Beowulfs actions and gives a speech to God about how great he is. He also honors and rewards Beowulf, for his bravery, with many things such as: gold, weapons, armor, treasure, horses, and more. 

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?

- The Dane gave Hildeburh to Finn, their enemy. She returns to the Dane when Finn dies. They use women as brides to fix tribal problems because once a baby is born, both tribes have merged to make something positive.  

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

- Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to make a fool of himself and to reward Beowulf richly.

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

- Later, Beowulf gives the necklace to his uncle Hygelac, who wore it when he died in battle. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to be good to her sons and friendly/respectful to their king.

 6. Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake?

- They fall asleep in the hall because they feel safe now that Grendel has been mortally wounded, but the hall is not safe, for Grendel’s mother is going to attack.

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL’S MOTHER

[Another Attack] 

1. Why has Grendel’s mother come to Herot? Is it the same reason Grendel had?

- Grendel’s mother comes to Herot, not to finish her sons work, but to take revenge for his life.

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

- Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill Grendel’s mother, for she has killed his trusted advisor, Aeschere.

3. What sort of place is the mere?

- The mere is a bog like lake, where Grendel’s mother lives, among many other monsters.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother] 

1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?

- Beowulf tells Hrothgar to rise into action.

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

- At the mere, a bunch of monsters show themselves. The soldiers sound a horn and the monsters run away.

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

- Beowulf prepares for battle by putting on his chain mail, golden helmet, and takes his sword called Hrunting given to him by Unferth.

4. What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere?

- Beowulf dives down beneath to the lair. There are other monsters but Grendel’s mom protects him because she wants him all to herself. This underwater place is also like a hall.

5. What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth?

- Unferth’s sword is useless against Grendel’s mother. 

6. At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel’s mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape?

- Beowulf escapes when he wiggles free from the rubble.

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?

- In battle, Beowulf sees Eoten’s sword and uses it to slay Grendel’s mother. He then proceeds to cut off her head and a bring it back with him. The sword is melted because of the monster’s blood.

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

- The men had been mourning before Beowulf returned because they thought he had failed below. The men rejoiced at the sight of their hero.

[Further Celebration at Herot] 

1. What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

- Beowulf gives Hrothgar the sword of the giants, the one he used to defeat the beasts.

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?

- Hrothgar tells Beowulf to seek virtue since Heremod was opposite in personality and became too proud. He died because he didn’t see the signs the Gods were giving him. Hrothgar’s lesson teaches to keep your pride in check or else things will fail and the person will fall as a result of it.

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

- Beowulf returns Unferth’s sword, Hrunting.

[Beowulf Returns Home] 

1. What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?

- Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will be a great ruler over his people.

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

- Hygd is Hygelac’s wife, she isn’t like Modthryth mainly because Modthyrth would have any man killed for looking at her in the face and that’s not how the queen now acts.

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 expects for the wedding to go bad since there’s a possibility that someone might remember about the old feud and revive the violence. I would expect something like this coming from Beowulf since he has seen and been through a lot. The fact that he’s gained knowledge about others and their ways doesn’t surprise this comment coming from him.

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

- Beowulf exaggerates points of his adventure but in general does tell it accurately.  

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

-Beowulf offers his treasures to his Lord as a form of respect, but also gives other treasures away to people. Hygelac gives the most glorious sword of the Geats to Beowulf, some land and a huge house.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON

[The Dragon Wakes] 

1. How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists?

- It was fifty years later and sadly King Hygelac and King Heardred have died. A dragon now causes danger among Beowulf’s land.

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.)

- The dragon is angry because someone stole its treasure though the man only took the cup because he was startled by the dragon and ran. The treasure was left there by an ancient Lord who had lost everything  but the treasure itself.

3. What did the dragon destroy that evening?

- The dragon is angry because a slave forced by his master has stolen a cup from the dragons treasure. 

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?

- Beowulf thinks that the Gods were punishing the treasure,  for something he had done. He orders a new shield because he has decided to go up against the dragon, but fight with only a few men by his side.

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?

- Hygelac was murdered in battle. Beowulf escaped by swimming away with his treasures. Hygd offered Beowulf the throne, and Beowulf became king of the Geats.

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 was killed by the Swededs and Beowulf avenged his death by destroying them. 

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

- Eleven warriors accompanied Beowulf.

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?

- Herebeald was killed in a hunting accident by his own brother, Haethcyn. King Hrethel couldn’t punish him because it was his own son. King Hrethel left with his grief. The Swedes and the Geats continued their feuding. Haethcyn was also killed in battle against the Swedes. Beowulf avenged Hygelac’s death by killing a great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] 

1. What does Beowulf tell his companions to do?

- Beowulf tells his men to kill the dragon if he fails to. 

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?

-  Beowulf’s sword is inadequate against the dragon so he retreats. The dragon continues to hit Beowulf with fire! His soldiers run away but Wiglaf stays. Wiglaf tries to convince the soldiers to fight. The men still run away so Wiglaf and Beowulf both fight the dragon.

3. What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon?

- Beowulf is bitten by the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon by stabbing it in the side with his knife.

4. What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried?

- The dying hero asks Wiglaf to show him the gold and treasure he has won for his people. He then asks him to take his place as king, giving him the armor breastplate. He wants to be buried in Beowulf’s Barrow once he passes.

[Beowulf’s Funeral]

1. What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future?

- The warriors come back to watch Wiglaf attempt to revive Beowulf. Wiglaf scorns them for leaving Beowulf when he needed them most. In the future Wiglaf sees that the Geats will be attacked by their neighbors and that their nation will be destroyed.

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 announces to the people that Beowulf has died. Ongentheow taunts the Gaets all night. Hygelac came to the Gaets rescue with reinforcements. Ongentheow could not handle the reinforcements and retreated. He was corned by Hygelac but still retaliated and in the process, Ongentheow was killed. The messenger warns that the treasure is cursed and those that try to steal it will be cursed. Beowulf won’t be cursed because he never “looked at it with greedy eyes”. The messengers final image is that of the dragon.

3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf?

-Wiglaf tells the crowd about Beowolf’s incredible fighting skills.

4. What happens to the dragon?

- The dragon was dragged to the precipice, and when it fell into the sea far below, a loud shout went up from a hundred throats as it slipped into the lonely waves.

5. What happens during and after the funeral celebration?

- During the funeral, everyone grieves over the lose of Beowulf and after the funeral his men circle his tomb while saying only good things of his character. 

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?

- In the elegy, Beowulf was described as “kind and beloved”, ironic, because he was ferocious in killing Grendel, the mother, and the dragon.