Beowulf Questions

I was out of town this weekedns so I had to do it all by myself. It took me so long. I did little bit on friday, almost to half on Saturday and finish them on Sunday. I used internet to get help. Just plain book was too difficult to look for the answers. It would have been better if I got to work with other people.

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

1.It is unusual because Shield was abandoned as a baby and he became a successful, powerful leader. By his own request, his body was on a vessel and wafted seaward. Hrothgar is the son of shield’s son’s Halfdane..

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1. Hrothgar built a great mead hall Heorot to his success and symbol of his greatness. Grendel attacked the hall and killed 30 men. Danes’ are horrified.

 [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. When Beowulf hears about Hrothgar, he immediately created an army.

2. Geats meet the watchmen in Denmark. Beowulf explained why they were there. Finally they were permitted to enter.

3. The watchmen told Hrothgar’s Herald about Geat’s arrival. And he also told him that Hrothgar should let them come visit him. And Hrothgar lets them in but he gets surprised to see Beowulf because he knows him. 

[Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. Unfirth teased Beowulf for losing a past swimming contest against a man named Bruca. Beowulf answers him by saying that his story is wrong.  Beowulf accuses Unferth for being weak because he hasn’t fought Grendel.

2. Queen Wealhtheow offered drink to the warriors and thanks Beowulf for coming.

[The Fight with Grendel] (lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1. For a fair fight with Grendel, Beowulf takes off all of his armor.

2. When Grendel enters Heorot, he finds Grendel bursting through Heorot’s threshold. Grendel fight him with not weapons at all. Grendel tries to escape but Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm. Grendel has to leave behind his arms and blood.

 

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1. Like Beowulf, Sigmund was a Dragon slayer. However, Beowulf is not like Heremod because Heremod was a coward.

2. Hrothgar thanks Beowulf and offers him rewards. Unfirth couldn’t say anything because he had lack of confidence in Beowulf’s skill.

3. The story was about the battle between Danes and Finn and how Danes lost. Using a woman as bride showed wisdom because it combined the tribes and strike common ground.

4.Wealhthewo ask Hrothgar not to have Beowulf to be their throne and choose one of their two sons.

5. After giving necklace to Beowulf, Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to protect her sons.

6. Those men felt comfortable thinking they are safe from Grendel. However, it was a mistake because his mother came back for revenge.

 

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79)

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1.Grendel come to Heorot for revenge of her son’s death. 

2.Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill Grendel’s mother.  Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s advisor “Aeschere.”

3. The mere is a lake where Grendel’s mother and many other monsters live.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1.Beowulf tells Hrothgar not to be a coward and remain resilient and strong. 

2. Before entering the mere, they find Aeschere’s head and sea monsters. Beowulf slays a monster and other scurry away.

3.Beowulf is well equipped this time. He brought a sword called Hrunting and it was given by Unferth.

4. Beowulf had to swim down the mere to find Grendel’s mother. However, other monsters attacked Beowulf. Grendel’s mom drags him into a hall.

5. Beowulf’s sword melts away.

6. The armor that Whealhtheow gave to Beowulf protected him from Grendel’s mother. Then he grab a sword, slash her, the escape.

7. Beowulf uses a sword to kill Grendel’s mother. When she gets slashed, his sword gleamed. Beowulf takes demon son’s head with him.

8. When Beowulf returned, the Danes and Hrothgar already left. They thought he would be dead. But he finds Geat warriors who overjoyed to see him.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1. Beowulf gives the head of Grendel and the hilt of the sword.

2. Hrothgar tells Beowulf about Heremod who was blood-thirsty. He is telling us about Heremod to tell us the dangers of wealth and power.

3.Beowulf give Unferth back his Hrunting sword.

 

 

[Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)

1. Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will come back and become their ruler.

2. Hygd and Modthryth are different because Modthryth was cruel and evil when Hygd was kind and nice to the people.

3. Hrothgar hopes that this marriage will break the blood feud between the Danes and the Heathobards. However, Beowulf thinks it will not work. This is new side of Beowulf because he usually acts right away more than think.

4. Beowulf reports his adventure by telling a story. He focuses on his succeeds and exclude the times his failed.

5. Beowulf gives the treasure to Hygelac and reciprocally, Hygelac gives him jeweled sword, seven thousand hides, land, a hail, and throne of his own.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1. Part 2 take place after fifty years. King Hygelac has died in battle. Other horrifying dragon has waked up.

2. The  dragon is angry because someone stole a goblet from his board of treasures. The man took the cup because he was poor and he wanted to give it to his master. The treasures were owned by a wealthy man who did not have any relatives to give those treasures to. So the dragon decided to guard them.

3. The dragon destroyed the people of Geat and their land.

4. Beowulf thinks his home was burnt because he felt he offended God. He order a new shield that can block dragon’s fire. I am thinking that this battle will be Beowulf’s last battle.

5. Hygelac died during the battle.  Beowulf refused Hydg’s offer to become king but eventually become king of the Geats.

6. An exiled group of Swedes killed Heardred. Beowulf plan to revenge Hearded’s death by killing King Onela.

7. Eleven warriors and the person who stole the cup.

8. Herebeald was killed by his brother Haethkyn. King Hrethel could not punish him or forgive him. After Hrethel’s death, Geats and Swedes still feud. Haethcyn also gets killed in battle against the Swedes. Beowulf revenge Hygelac’s death by killing a great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1. Beowulf tells his companions to just wait and observe, rather than actually fight.

2. Beowulf struggle against the dragon’s flames. While other companions run away, Wiglaf stays and help Beowulf.

3. Beowulf gets bit by the dragon on his neck. Beowulf kills the dragon by stabbing it in the side with his knife.

4. Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring the treasure to him to see before he dies. Beowulf thank god for letting him die like this with god. He tells Wiglaf to build a barrow on the coast and for his body to be burned on a funeral pyre.

[Beowulf's Funeral] (lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1. When the companions return, Wiglaf scorns them for leaving Beowulf when he needed them. Wiglaf expects that Geats will be attacked by their neighbors and their nation will be destroyed.

3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that Beowulf was a great warrior.

4. The dragon was pushed off the cliff because he was an evil that does not deserve any burial.
5. The Geats were singing with sadness. The funeral took about 10 days and many people were sad.
6. The Geats say Beowulf was a gentlest of men, most winning of manner, friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor. And it was weird, because you don’t really use these saying to describe a military hero.