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Beowolf Flashcards

1
Q

Beowulf

A

Epic Geat hero

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2
Q

Broth had

A

Danish king

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3
Q

Ecgtheow

A

Beowulfs father

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4
Q

Hygelac

A

Beowulfs king

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5
Q

Breca

A

Friend and rival of Beowulfs

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6
Q

Unferth

A

Member of Hrothgars court who challenges/taunts Beowulf

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7
Q

Wealhtheow

A

Queen of Danes

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8
Q

Grendel

A

Monster who terrorizes Hrothgars kingdom

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9
Q

Grendel’s Mother

A

Monster who seeks revenge for Grendel’s death

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10
Q

Aeschere

A

Loyal companion of Hrothgar

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11
Q

Wiglaf

A

Loyal warrior who helps Beowulf

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12
Q

Themes of Beowulf

A
  • reputation
  • good vs evil
  • fate
  • pagan vs monotheistic religion
  • vengeance
  • death
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13
Q

Scop

A

Anglo Saxon minstrel (entertainer. Ex sings, plays music, etc)

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14
Q

Alliteration

A

Repitition of initial sound (Ex. Grim and greedy the gruesome monster)

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15
Q

Caesura

A

The break in line of verse

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16
Q

Meter

A

The beat/rhythm of a poem

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17
Q

Kenning

A

A metaphor compound word (Ex. Gold-digger)

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18
Q

Epithet

A

Descriptive title (Ex. The Grey Eyed Goddess)

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19
Q

Formulas

A

Regularly used expressions

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20
Q

Versification

A

Form or composition of a poem

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21
Q

What’s the name of Hrothgar’s great mead-hall?

A

Heorot (Hall of the Hart)

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22
Q

How did the book both start and end?

A

With a ship burial. They send the dead out on a small both with its prize possessions. At the beginning it is Scyld’s funeral (the leader of the Danes before Hrothgar) then at the end it’s Beowulfs

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23
Q

What causes Grendel to harm the palace?

A

He hated each day how he heard songs from the Old Testament being sung in the mead hall

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24
Q

Who does Grendel trace his monstrous lineage back to?

A

Cain: in the Bible Cain killed his brother Abel and God banned and cursed him and his children (Grendel)

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25
How many men does Grendel kill on the first night?
30
26
How long does Grendel haunt Heorot until Beowulf comes?
12 years
27
Scyldings
Another word for Danes
28
How many people are in Beowulfs crew?
14
29
What can Grendel not touch?
Hrothgars throne
30
What king does Beowulf serve?
Hygelac
31
What did Beowulf and his men have to do before seeing Hrothgar?
Dispose of their weapons
32
Why did Beowulf want to help Hrothgar besides for reputation?
Hrothgar had helped Beowulf’s father at one point and he was returning the favor
33
How is Grendel a blend of Christian and pagan elements?
He is an evil demon/devil
34
How did Unferth react to Beowulf’s appearance at the hall?
Unferth was angry and was like how could Beowulf come to my hall to defeat a monster I tried and failed to beat.
35
What does Unferth mention to try and challenge Beowulf?
Beowulf’s swimming match which he lost to his rival Breca, but according to Beowulf it was because he had to fight a sea monster.
36
What does Beowulf do to Grendel that eventually kills him?
He rips Grendel’s arm off with only his hands
37
What does Beowulf stick over the entry to Heorot after defeating Grendel?
Grendel’s arm
38
Who does Grendel’s mother kill?
She kills Hrothgars thane, Ashers
39
What does Grendel’s mother take back with her from the hall?
Aescheres head which she displays on a cliff above the lake she lives in. Grendel’s arm.
40
What unusual supernatural features does the lake have?
It has flames coming out of it
41
What do the deer represent? How do the deer react to getting near the edge of the lake?
They represent Hrothgars people and they were afraid.
42
Who loans Beowulf a sword initially to fight Grendel’s mom?
Unferth and he named the sword Hrunting
43
Why wouldn’t Beowulf use weapons while fighting Grendel?
He says since Grendel doesn’t use weapons than he won’t either so it’ll be a fair fight.
44
Beowulf has the arm strength of ___ men.
30
45
How does Beowulf convince Hrothgar to let him fight Grendel?
1. Submits his resume 2. Is humble and acknowledges the fact he could die 3. He reminds Hrothgar that if he dies then Hrothgar isn’t even affected
46
What happens when Beowulf tries to use Unferths sword?
It fails, but he takes a sword made from giants off of her wall to kill her.
47
How long is Beowulf under water for?
3 days
48
What happened after Beowulf penetrated Grendel’s mom with the sword he found?
It dissolved/disintegrated
49
What does Beowulf bring back up from the lake with him?
1. Grendel’s head 2. The sword hilt
50
What does Hrothgar find on the damaged blade?
Noah’s flood (in which he killed giants)
51
What are essential themes in Hrothgars speech to Beowulf?
Good be evil God/fate Pride (foreshadowing)
52
Benefits of Beowulfs victory
A lasting peace between the Danes and Geats
53
How long was Beowulf ruling his kingdom for?
50 years
54
What occurs to disturb the peace of the kingdom?
A runaway slave steals from a dragon who then decides to set the town on fire cuz of it.
55
What was the issue with heroic mortality when Beowulf went to fight the dragon?
Most of Beowulfs army ran away from him when they saw the dragon
56
Who stayed with Beowulf when he fought the dragon?
Wiglaf and when Beowulf dies he gives him his shield
57
What led to Beowulfs downfall?
Greed, pride, and over confidence
58
Who did Beowulf derive from?
Anglo-Saxons
59
What does Beowulfs name mean?
“War wolf”
60
Where does Beowulf take place?
Scandinavia
61
Does Beowulf defeat the dragon?
Yes but not before he was poisoned
62
What does Grendel symbol?
Evil and jealousy
63
What does the dragon symbolize?
Greed
64
What does Heorots hall symbolize?
Happiness, pride, and distress
65
Why is Beowulf characterized as an epic?
1. It depicts a hero battling forces that threaten the world 2. It is a story told in a serious manner 3. It uses elevated language
66
What does Beowulf hope his burial tower will do?
Serve as a warning beacon to seafarers

AP Lang (18 decks)

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