Beowulf study guide
Starting with lines 526, identify the images of light and connect them with Beowulf's victory.
In lines 526 the light connected with Beowulf's victory is heaven. They are connected by the Gods saying its okay and everything's good again. It's basically telling them they won and they don't have to worry about anymore evil.
The elements of a narrative poem, such as details of setting as well as character and plot, are often used to communicate deeper meaning. Identify the descriptive images that link Grendel's mother's home to the concepts of death and darkness.
The lines that describes Grendel's mother's house as death and darkness are in lines '428-434'. In these lines it says "Steams like black clouds, and the groves of trees growing out over their lake are all covered with frozen spray, and wind down snakelike roots that reaches as far as the water and help keep it dark. At night that lake burns like a torch. No one knows its bottom, no wisdom reaches such depths."
What is the similarity between the two battles?
What is similar about the two battles is in both battles it was good vs. evil and both the battles was violent.
What do the hall and Grendel represent based on their descriptions in the first paragraph?
The hall represents heaven and all things fun and good. Grendel represents hell and miserable and boring. The hall is good, Grendel is bad.
What is the significance of her actions? What do they foreshadow about future events?
The significance of her actions is that she wants to avenge his death. They foreshadow that Grendel's mother and Beowulf will fight later in the story.
The epic hero undergoes several trials to show that he truly deserves to be called a hero. Re-read lines 400-424 to discover Beowulf's challenge and identify the details and techniques the poet uses to convey the brutality of Grendel's mother's attack.
The techniques the poet uses to convey the brutal attack of Grendel's mother are the in lines '416-417' In those sentences, it says"She'd killed a glorious soldier, cut a noble life short. No geat could have stopped her:". This shows how brutal the attack was and how the guy had no chance.
Universal themes are those that appear again and again in works of art throughout a civilization's history. What is the transformation of the lake? What has Beowulf metaphorically restored?
The transformation of the lake is from dead and diseased to calm and clean symbolizes Beowulf purging the kingdom of all demons who tormented it.
Why does Beowulf allow one of its followers to be taken by Grendel before he attacks him?
Beowulf allows one of his followers to be taken because he wants to give a sense of confidence to think that hes winning and that the people are scared. If they give him confidence he will kill people and not pay attention and they can kill him.
What happens to Hrothgar's hall? Why does the poet say "hate had triumphed"?
Grendel come to Hrothgar's hall when everyone's sleep from drinking and he snatched up 30 men and killed them and ran out with their bodies. The poet is basically saying his hate for Hrothgar's hall have won.
What conflict is foreshadowed through this contrast?
Grendel is being stirred and was punished forever for the crime of Abel's death. The almighty drove the demons out and his exile was bitter, shut away from men. He split into a thousand forms evil. A brood forever opposing the lord's will. With all this hate in him the foreshadowing will be him getting his revenge on everyone who done him wrong.
Explain the contrast that is developed between Herot, home of the Danes, and Grendel's home. How do the biblical allusions extend this contrast?
Herot's home was happy, fun, and bright with laughing. Grendel's home was haunted with moors and the wild marshes. He made his home in a hell not hell but earth covered with slime. The biblical allusions extended this contrast by Grendel being born of cain and banished by God. Herot being the ancient beginnings of us all and all things good.
Identify the details in the final lines of the poem that reinforce the idea that Beowulf is superior to all others.
It proves Beowulf is superior to all others in lines '590-592'. In the lines it says "Staggering under the weight of Grendel's skull, too heavy for fewer than four of them to handle-two on each side of the spear jammed through it." All of these men couldn't carry the skull but Beowulf could. This is prove that he is superior.
How does the symbolism of Beowulf's gesture in lines 356-359 reveal a theme resulting from this conflict? What is the theme?
The Beowulf's gesture symbolism reveals a theme by showing how he defeated Grendel and how strong and powerful he is. The theme is the bad guys never win.
Identify the evidence that supports the idea that the fight between Grendel and Beowulf is symbolic of the struggle between good and evil.
The evidence is in lines '273-276'. In these lines it states "The Shepard of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder; his mind was flooded with fear." It shows how evil he is.
Identify foreshadowing in this same passage and explain why the poet includes it.
The foreshadowing being used is in lines '244-259'. It is foreshadowing because Grendel was already mad and joyless which means he has to find a way to make people how he feels too. Since Grendel's always mad and depressed he kills and eats the men so they can feel the same. The poet includes this to show how horrible and mean he is. This is foreshadowing because we knew something bad was gonna happen.
On page 411, identify the tone of lines 44-49. What details and words help to convey the attitude of the poet?
The tone in lines 44-49 is sadness. I know this because in the lines it says Hrothgar sat joyless and was mourning. It also says how he wept and was fearing for what's coming or what's gonna happen.
How does this battle differ from Beowulf's encounter with Grendel?
This battle differ from Beowulf's encounter with Grendel's by the sword not slicing her evil skin. That the hrunting could not hurt her and it was useless when he need it the most. They start to wrestled and he saw a heavy sword strong and blessed with the giants magic. He then struck Grendel's mother over the head killing her.
What does Grendel's unwillingness to accept gold or land to settle the feud means for the Danes?
This means for the Danes means that nothing will please him or stop him. Basically they are screwed and Grendel's not gonna stop till their all dead.
In lines 546-568, what is revealed about the Anglo-Saxon values?
What revealed about the Anglo-Saxon's values is that the Anglo-Saxon's remain true to what they believe in.
What does Beowulf cutting off Grendel's head symbolize?
Beowulf cutting off Grendel's head symbolizes that he actually did it. It shows proof. It shows that he's really dead and not a lie and that he's a hero. It's basically a trophy.
Why is Grendel such a formidable opponent?
Grendel's a formidable opponent because in lines '262-268' it says "Grendel snatched at the first geat he came to, ripped him apart, cut his body to bits with powerful jaws, drank the blood from his veins and bolted him down, hands and feet; death and Grendel's great teeth came together, snapping life shut. Then he stepped to another." This shows how violent and scary he is. It also shows how big he is.
Epics include detailed descriptions of the hero's battles.Nothing where the battle takes place, how does Grendel's mother inadvertently give Beowulf an advantage?
Grendel's mother inadvertently gives Beowulf an advantage by him realizing that she'd brought him into someone's battle-hall, and there the water's heat could not hurt him, nor anything in the lake attack him through the building's high-arching roof. A brilliant light burned all around him, the lake itself like a fiery flame."
How do lines 376-380 relate to the Anglo-Saxon view of immortality?
Lines '376-380' relate to Anglo-Saxon's view of immortality by it showing great strength and showing how Beowulf concurred the 2 horrible monsters.
Identify the alliteration, a device used in oral tradition, in lines 33-37. What might be the purpose for this device?
The alliteration in lines 33-37 is "He found them sprawled in sleep, suspecting nothing, their dreams undisturbed. The monsters thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws: he slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them." The purpose of this was to show how peaceful everybody was and how he disturbed the peace.
In lines 241-259, what details reinforce the idea of Grendel as a force of evil?
The details reinforced to make Grendel as a force of evil is in the line '254' where it says "Intended to tear the life from those bodies by morning; the monsters mind was hot with the thought of food and the feasting his belly would soon know. But fate, that night, intended Grendel to graw the broken bones of his last human supper." This proves he is evil cause he killed those men in their sleep and he ate them.
Kenning's are compound words or phases used to both name and describe an object, person, or place. Find the kenning in lines 74-78 and explain how it contributes to the characterization of Grendel.
The kenning's in lines 74-78 are "That shadow of death hunted in the darkness, stalked Hrothgar's warriors, old and young, lying in waiting, hidden in mist, invisibly following then from the edge of the march, always there, unseen. It contributes to the characterization of Grendel by he sneeky and eerie which is the setting they are describing now.
What is the significance of Beowulf's ability to wield the sword?
The significance of Beowulf's ability to wield the sword is to show how strong he is and how the God's wanted him to win and how they were on his side.
What is the significance of the inability of Beowulf's men to help him?
The significance of Beowulf's men unable to help him is the fight lasted longer and the fight made the building shake and rattle and fall. It shows this in lines '294-299'. It states "Built to withstand the blows, the struggling great bodies beating at its beautiful walls ; shaped and fastened with iron, inside and out, artfully worked, the building stood firm. Its benches rattled, fell to the floor, gold-covered boards grating."
Identify the details that show the threat Grendel poses.
The threat Grendel poses is Grendel ruled and fought with the righteous. Hrothgar stood empty and stayed deserted for years because of this. Hrothgar suffered twelve winters of grief.
