Beowulf Comprehension Questions

[Prologue]

1.       Shield became ruler of the Danes which was unusual because he grew up as an abandoned orphan. Over the years he gained respect and power which made him king. His funeral was very elaborate and he was shipped off a boat with different treasures. Hrothgar is Shield’s great grandson.

[Heorot is Attacked]

1.       The magnificent work that Hrothgar undertook was Heorot which is a mead hall and was dedicated to Hrothgar and his men. Grendel, the monster, attacked the hall resulting in the death of Hrothgar’s men in a twelve-year battle. The response of the Danes was to turn to prayer and hope for Grendel’s death and defeat.

[The Hero Comes to Heorot]

1.       Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel and believes he can kill Grendel in return for the good deeds Hrothgar did for his father. He sets sail for Denmark with his army.

2.       The Geats first meet a Danish watchman in Denmark and he asks them lots of questions in suspicion. Beowulf clarifies that he is on his way to defeat Grendel with his men.

3.       Hrothgar’s herald is Wulfgar of the Wendla tribe and asks the Geats why they are carrying so much armor, but then infers they are going to help the Danish and aren’t just on vacation. Wulfgar tells Hrothgar that he should let them help because Beowulf is their leader of which Hrothgar mentions he knows Beowulf’s father and sends Wulfgar to get the Geats. I’m not surprised of Hrothgar and Beowulf knowing each other because they both have reputations of being great warriors and Beowulf wouldn’t put his life at risk or on hold if it wasn’t to repay a favor for a family friend.

4.       When Beowulf enters, he tells Hrothgar that he is very skilled and experienced, that he will battle Grendel without armor, and not to refuse his wishes. Hrothgar financially helped Beowulf’s father by paying off some debts.

[Feast at Heorot]

1.       Unferth accuses Beowulf of not being able to beat Grendel. Beowulf says that Unferth is drunk and retells the true story of his separation from Breca and the vicious sea monster that he later killed. This episode is relevant to the poem as a whole because it reveals Beowulf’s confident, courageous, and warrior-like character. Beowulf accuses Unferth of not being as brave as he claimed himself to be.

2.       Queen Wealhtheow is helping serve mead Goblets to all the men during the feast and prays to God, thanking him for Beowulf while sitting next to Hrothgar.

[The Fight with Grendel]

1.        The difference with Beowulf is that he is getting rid of his armor. He plans to take care of Grendel with his bare hands

2.       When Grendel enters Herot he immediately goes to his business of eating sleeping soldiers. When he gets to Beowulf, he isn't asleep and Beowulf immediately latches onto him. Grendel tries to flee but Beowulf's grip is too strong. Grendel barely escapes and leaves behind his arm.

[Celebration of Heorot]

1.       Sigemund was an incredible hero who slayed a terrible dragon that was hording a treasure chest that he won from his victory. Sigemund’s treasure symbolizes the gold rewards that Beowulf earned from the ring-giver, King Hrothgar. Sigemund’s story is told to celebrate Beowulf and compare both of their heroic victories. Heremod is known as an evil Danish king who turns against his own people which resembles the reverse of Beowulf’s characteristics and by comparing and contrasting Beowulf to two different kings, the narrator indicates that Beowulf will be king later in the story.

2.       Hrothgar responds to Beowulf’s deed by celebrating him. He announces Beowulf as his son and says that he will never be forgotten. He gives Beowulf numerous gifts including a sword. Unferth doesn’t have much to say to Beowulf unlike the first time they spoke. He is more humbled now that Beowulf has saved the Danes.

3.       The singer of Finn during the feasting in lines 1070-1158. The details of the Finn story aren’t really clear, but basically, the Lord of the Frisians, marries Hildeburg, a Dane, to end a feud between the two tribes. The bride was being used to ensure that families wouldn’t feud anymore, except this proved unsuccessful since the Frisians ended up killing Hildeburgh’s brother when he came to visit her. Finn ended up dying out of revenge, as well.

4.       Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to give the throne to Beowulf, but to trust in his biological son’s abilities to rule as king. She believes that the throne should stay in the bloodline.

5.       Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. Later, the necklace is given to his uncle, Hygelac, who wears it until he dies in battle. She asks Beowulf to guide and protect her children, but not to take the throne from them when Hrothgar dies.

6.       So many men remain in the beer hall to sleep because they believe it is as safe as it once was now that Grendel is dead which was a mistake because Grendel’s mother comes to the hall for revenge for her son. Grendel’s grandmother then takes one of Hrothgar’s esteemed men and the arm of Grendel back to her cave.

[Another Attack]

1.       Grendel’s mother came to Heorot to take her son’s claw. She was really mad, angry, and came out of vengeance, but not exactly similar to Grendel’s reason.

2.       Hrothgar’s response is asking Beowulf to go to her lair and kill her after she killed Hrothgar’s best friend.

3.       The mere is the sort of place I would describe to be kind of like an underwater lair under a lake that was very mysterious, dank, and eerie.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother]

1.       Beowulf tells Hrothgar to respond in a compassionate way and for his army of men to leave him behind.

2.       Before Beowulf enters the mere, Beowulf sinks into the water for hours.

3.       Beowulf prepares for the battle by telling Hrothgar that the things he wants as if he is speaking his last works. He takes his rink-marked blade sword with him and then goes into battle.

4.       When Beowulf enters the mere, Grendel’s mother grabs him, but his armor saved him. It is surprising that Grendel and his mother live in the mere because it takes about 12 hours to get down to the mere.

5.       The sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth breaks as he strikes Grendel’s mother.

6.       Beowulf’s armor saves him from the knife wound Grendel’s mother was trying to inflict on him; he then was able to use his strength to throw Grendel’s mother off of himself.

7.       Beowulf uses the sword of Eotens (forged by giants long ago) and cuts the mother’s throat. Seeking vengeance for those killed by Grendel, Beowulf brings his decapitated head home. But, his sword melts from the mother’s acidic blood; only the hilt is left.

8.       Beowulf safely swims back to the surface and none of his men are there because they doubted his ability to beat Grendel’s mother.

[Further Celebration]

1.       Beowulf gives Hrothgar Grendel’s head and sword hilt.

2.       The message Hrothgar gives to Beowulf is a story about how someone with good deeds and intentions doesn’t always mean they are/will be good people. Sometimes evil and greed can tempt them and take over to lead them to ultimate demise. Hrothgar wants Beowulf to know not to become big-headed/conceited.

3.       Beowulf gives Unferth the sword before he leaves.

[Beowulf Returns Home]

1.       Hrothgar predicts a future in which Beowulf will come back to protect the Danes once again.

2.       Hyd is the Queen of the Geatlands (young and wise), however, unlike Modthryth, she won’t kill and torture her people for simply looking at her.

3.       Hrothgar is hoping that by having his daughter, Freawaru, marry Ingeld, he can thus create peace between the Danes and Heathobards. However, Beowulf assumes that Hrothgar is only bringing back the feud and it’s inevitable that more conflict will arise because it’s difficult to simply to forget history. This is a different side to Beowulf because he previously wouldn’t put much thought theoretically and would result to acting on impulse rather than reason.

4.       Beowulf reports that he earned glory. He doesn’t add any false details to his stories but he does report them in a way that makes him sound very brave and glorified.

5.       Beowulf reports about his own adventures as “slightly exaggerated,” but pretty accurate.

[The Dragon Wakes]

1.       It takes fifty years later for Part 2 to begin. The kings that have died in the meantime include King Hygelac and King Heardred. The danger now exists due to the dragon.

2.       A man stole a golden goblet from the dragon guarding the treasure, which made the dragon very angry. The dragon was to guard the treasure for an ancient civilization since they all died out. The man took the cup because he wanted to take the cup to his master in return for his freedom.

3.       The dragon destroyed all the houses of the Geats to avenge his losing the treasure.

4.       Beowulf thinks that his house was burned down because the dragon burned all of his kingdom. He calls for an iron shield to be made for the battle against the dragon because he knows that a wooden shield would do nothing against a fire breathing dragon. He planned on fighting the dragon with a sword, too, due to its poisonous breath. He doesn't plan on being a hero but rather accepting his death and not calling for any assistance.

5.       Hygelec died in battle! Beowulf escapes and is offered to run the kingdom but he turns it down because he thinks that Headred should run the kingdom.

6.       Headred lets exiled Swedes into his kingdom. These Swedes are Orneala's brothers, which Orneala wants to kill... And he does! He kills Headred and Eanmund in battle and Beowulf vows to avenge their deaths by killing Orneala.

7.       Beowulf brings eleven men and the man who stole the goblet to confront the dragon, even though he vows to fight the dragon alone.

8.       Hygelac’s oldest brother, Herebeald, was accidentally killed with an arrow by Haethcyn while they were hunting. His father, King Hrethel, knew this was was an accident but died of grief (Herebeald was his eldest son). After Hrethel’s death, the Swedes and the Geats continued fighting which led to deaths of Haethcyn and Hygelac. Beowful avenged the death of Hygelac by killing the great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon

1.       Beowulf tells his companions to stick together and that he will provide armor and remain loyal to all of them. He tells this to Wiglaf who tells the others.

2.       The first time Beowulf and the Dragon fight, Beowulf enters the fight with confidence as he had defeated all of the major giants with just a sword and armor. When he throws his first blow with the sword, he is scared because the sword breaks. Beowulf’s companions all leave except Wiglaf who remains loyal. Beowulf gives him gifts for his loyalty and so Wiglaf couldn’t imagine going against someone who had remained so loyal to him and his family.Wiglaf talks highly of Beowulf and explains how kind Beowulf is for supplying armor and weapons. Wiflaf then goes to help Beowulf and the dragon blows fire, which makes his shield useless.

3.       Wiglaf and Beowulf work together as a team to defeat the dragon. Wiglaf fights bravely and is able to stab the dragon. Beowulf is bitten in the neck by the dragon but is able to deliver one last vital wound to the dragon. The killed the dragon together but Beowulf will die from his wound.

4.       Beowulf asks Wiglaf to find the gold they claimed from the dragon. He wants Wiglaf to bring the gold to him before he dies and when Beowulf sees the gols then he thanks God for allowing him to defeat the dragon and provide treasure for the people. Beowulf wants his body to be cremated at the coastal headland and to be renamed Beowulf’s Barrow.

[Beowulf’s Funeral]

1.       When the companions return, Wiglaf says Beowulf provided them with good armor and weapons and that if one man falls they all fall together. He explains how supportive Beowulf is and then Wiglaf calls out to Beowulf telling him that he has come to help him with the dragon who blows fire, making his shield useless.

2.       The messenger tells the city that Beowulf has died. At the Ravenswood, the Gaets were threatened by Ongetheow and his men, but Hygelac saved the Geats from Ongentheow the next morning. Although, Ongentheow and his men retreated, Hygelac still killed Ongentheow. The messenger says the gold is cursed and those who tried to steal it will also be cursed. The final image of the messenger’s speech was the dragon.

3.       Beowulf asks Wiglaf to find the gold they claimed from the dragon. He wants Wiglaf to bring the gold to him before he dies and when Beowulf sees the gols then he thanks God for allowing him to defeat the dragon and provide treasure for the people. Beowulf wants his body to be cremated at the coastal headland and to be renamed Beowulf’s Barrow.

4.       Wiglaf’s men pushed the dragon off the cliff and fell in to the ocean. Everyone was rejoiced after the death of the dragon.

5.       During the ten days of the funeral celebration, everyone mourns for Beowulf and place rings and jewelries around this grave. They talk about his war achievements and praised him.

6.       The Geats said that Beowulf was the “kindest of kings”, the friendliest, and most honorable man. The words kindest and friendliest would not be used to describe a military hero because Beowulf killed his enemies with no regrets. Although, he was honorable which is a characteristic used for a military hero.