Beowulf Comprehension Questions

I did these comprehension questions in a group with Haley Zahn and Micaela Hellman. We divided the questions over text message and sent them to each other. I think the collaborative work was a really good way to do the assignment. It let us focus on our portion of the assignment and let each of us go into detail more than if we would have done all the questions on our own.

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (lines 1-85, pp. 33-34) (Haley Zahn)

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? 

- It was an unusual way that Shield became a king because he grew up as an orphan. At Shield's funeral the people that he once ruled put his body with his treasure out into the sea. The relation between Hrothgar and Shield is that Shield is Hrothgar's father.

Heorot is Attacked: (Micaela Hellman)

-The magnificent work Hrothgar undertook was Heorot. Heorot is a hall where men gather to drink and listen to music. 

-The demon Grendel, descendent of Cain, attacked Heorot and killed thirty men. 

-These attacks continued for 12 years. ---Unsuccessfully, the Danes tried to leave Grendel offerings at pagan shrines.

The hero comes to Heorot (Me)

1. What does Beowulf do when he hears about Hrothgar's problem with Grendel?

- Beowulf gathers his best soldiers and sets off to defeat the demon. 

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

- When the Geats arrive they first meet a Danish watchman who was patrolling the cliffs. He asks what they are doing on the shores of Denmark dressed in armor carrying weapons and Beowulf replies they are there to defeat Grendel. 

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?

- Hrothgars' herald is Wulfgar, a messenger. He asks them of their name and kin and that he will tell Hrothgar of their request. He told Hrothgar that the Geats have traveled from across the ocean to "have speech at will". Hrothgar responds by saying he knew Ecgtheow and Beowulf as a boy. I am not surprised that he knows Beowulf so well, no one could really forget someone who has the strength of thirty men in each hand. 

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

- When Beowulf enters, he told Hrothgar that he heard about Grendel's attacks and Heorot is empty because of the demon that comes in the night. Hrothgar said he helped Beowulf's father and paid off all things that he owned. 

Feast at Heorot: (Micaela Hellman) 

-Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match against Breca and, therefore, will lose against Grendel.

-Beowulf says he was pulled under the water by a sea monster and so he killed that one along with eight others. If he didn't kill them, neither him or Breca would have made it to shore.

- This episode shows Beowulf bragging about himself and his abilities 

-Beowulf accuses Unferth of being drunk

-During the feast Queen Wealhtheow offers a ceremonial goblet to everyone in the room and thanks god for sending Beowulf.

The Fight With Grendel: (Micaela Hellman)

1) Beowulf's preparation with Grendel is different because he does not fight with any weapons or armor. 

2) When Grendel enters he devours a warrior as Beowulf watches. Beowulf grabs onto his arm and attacks him. When Grendel tries to leave Beowulf tackles him and rips off his arm. Grendel does leave to go to the water to die but he leaves behind his arm.

Celebration at Heorot: (Micaela Hellman)

1) Beowulf is like Sigemund because they are both heroes for killing monsters: Grendel and a dragon. They also both receive gold treasures. Beowulf is not like  Heremod because   is an evil king while Beowulf is a kind hero.

2) Hrothgar gives Beowulf weapons, armor, and eight horses. He also says that he has adopted him as a son. Unferth doesn't have anything to say to Beowulf.

3) The story of Finn is about Finn and the Danez who are neighbor tribes. They both made a truce and Ginn married a Danish princess named Hildeburh. The Danes rise against the Fustains and Finn is soon killed.

4) Wealhtheow asks Heothgar not to have Beowulf be the next king but instead one of their children. 

5) The necklace is later given to Beowulf's uncle Hygelac who dies in a battle. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to be kind to her sons and guide them. 

6) So many men remain in the bar hall to sleep because Grendel is dead and so they think it is safe to do so. This is a mistake because Grendel's mother comes in hope to seek remember for Grendel. 

Beowulf and Grendel's Mother: (Micaela Hellman)

1) Unlike Grendel who just wanted to kill men, Grendel's mother comes to Heorot for revenge.

2) Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill Grendel's mother in return for a chest full of gold. Grendel's mother has killed Aeschere, Hrothgars trusted advisor.

3) The mere is a horrible swamp with magical quality. Animals are even scared to go there because the water burns.

Beowulf fights Grendel's mother: (Me)

1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?

- He tells Hrothgar to respond as if a horrible battle had started and to not feel sorrow but revenge. 

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

- Beowulf and his men kill a sea monster in the water and Hrothgar and his men find Aeschere's severed head on the shore. 

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

- He prepares by putting on the armor from Hrothgar and uses the sword, Hrunting,  Unferth had given him to fight with. 

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

- When he enters, Grendel's mother grabs him and pulls him down as the monsters try and attack him. He is unharmed because of his armor. It's surprising where they live because it takes half a day to get there. 

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

- The sword Unferth lent him breaks. 

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

- The armor saves him from the knife wound Grendel's mother was trying to give him and then uses his strength to push her off him. 

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?

- Beowulf uses the sword of Eotens and cuts the mother's throat. Seeking revenge  for those killed by Grendel Beowulf brings the severed head back home. His sword melts from the mother's acidic blood. 

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

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

Further Celebration at Heorot: (Me)

1. What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

- Beowulf gives Hrothgar the hilt of his sword and Grendel's head. 

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?

- Beowulf is warned by Hrothgar about being a fair ruler. Heremod was a horrible king because of his betrayals and murders was banished and exiled. Eventually he was betrayed and killed. 

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

- Beowulf gives Unferth his sword, Hrunting, back. 

Beowulf Returns Home: (Me)

1. What does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?

- Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will come back to protect the Danes again. 

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

- Hygd is the Queen of the Geatlands. Unlike Modthryth she won't kill and torture her people for looking at her. 

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?

- Hrothgar is hoping if his daughter Freawaru marry Ingeld he can create peace between the Danes and Heathobards. Beowulf assumes that Hrothgar is only bringing back the fued and certain that more conflict will arise because its not easy to forget history. There is a different side to Beowulf because he normally acts on impulse instead of  reason. 

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

- Beowulf reports he earned glory. He does report accurately but in a way that makes him seem brave. 

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

- Beowulf gives most of his gifts to Hygelac and Hygd. He gives the kings weapons, armor, four horses and most of the treasures he was given. Beowulf gave Hygd the necklace Wealtheow gave him. Hygelac gives Beowulf land, a sword, and a house. 

Beowulf and the Dragon: (Haley Zahn)

1) Heardred and Hygelac both fell in the 50 years after the conference Beowulf had with Hrothgar. 

2) he was angry because his pillaged treasure got repillaged by a tribe. And the man was trying to make amends with lord. 

3) He burnt down the countryside of Geats. 

4) Beowulf orders a new shield that will be able to withstand flames and thinks he will fight the dragon the same way he ought Grendel but he'll die because of how weak he is.

5) Beowulf was going to he revenge by killing the dragon. 

6) 13 men.

7) Heardred got killed by the Sweetish kings men. Beowulf decides to kill Onela to get revenge and he killed everyone that killed his kinsmen. This all caused a state of feud between the Swedes am stage Geats.

Beowulf Attacks the Dragon: (Haley Zahn)

1) He says that the dragon is his battle so he tells his companions to wait outside for his return and wants to do this alone.

2) He has a realization that his sword and shield are useless against the dragon's breath. His companions went to flee except Wiglaf stayed to fight with and help Beowulf because he felt like he owed it to him.

3) The second time Beowulf meets the Dragon the Dragon spits fire at Beowulf and Wiglaf. Beowulf's sword shatters and the dragon takes this opportunity to bite him and gives him a fatal wound on his neck. Wiglaf stabs the dragon in the stomach hurting him badly and then Beowulf manages to find some strength to take his smaller dagger and stabs the dragon on his side and kills him. 

4) He asks Wiglaf to go and bring him some of the treasure from the dragons lair because he wants to see it before he dies. Beowulf requests a mound  that is built and named after him so that people honor and remember him and he wants it to be called Beowulf's Barrow.

Beowulf's Funeral: (Haley Zahn)

1) when the companions return Wiglaf gets very upset. He says to the men that he predicts bad fortunes for them because Beowulf showed so much kindness towards them and they have acted cowardly. 

2) The messenger tells the city that Beowulf has died an did anyone tried to touch the gold will be cursed because there is already a curse on the gold.

3) Wiglaf warns the crowd that if you sacrifice yourself you will end up hurting many people.

4) The dragon gets left alone. 

5) A lady sings a song which is about the fall of the Geats while the burning of Beowulf and his treasure are boring on the pyre. And then after the funeral Geats builds a tower over Beowulf's pyre.

6) The last three lines are talking about how kind and gentle Beowulf was and these not necessarily because even though military men fight just like Beowulf did I don't often here them described as kind and gentle, they are more described as out to do whatever they have to do to protect our country and often show little emotion at all.