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
Q

How many men does Grendel kill on the first night?

A

30

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26
Q

How long does Grendel haunt Heorot until Beowulf comes?

A

12 years

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27
Q

Scyldings

A

Another word for Danes

28
Q

How many people are in Beowulfs crew?

A

14

29
Q

What can Grendel not touch?

A

Hrothgars throne

30
Q

What king does Beowulf serve?

A

Hygelac

31
Q

What did Beowulf and his men have to do before seeing Hrothgar?

A

Dispose of their weapons

32
Q

Why did Beowulf want to help Hrothgar besides for reputation?

A

Hrothgar had helped Beowulf’s father at one point and he was returning the favor

33
Q

How is Grendel a blend of Christian and pagan elements?

A

He is an evil demon/devil

34
Q

How did Unferth react to Beowulf’s appearance at the hall?

A

Unferth was angry and was like how could Beowulf come to my hall to defeat a monster I tried and failed to beat.

35
Q

What does Unferth mention to try and challenge Beowulf?

A

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
Q

What does Beowulf do to Grendel that eventually kills him?

A

He rips Grendel’s arm off with only his hands

37
Q

What does Beowulf stick over the entry to Heorot after defeating Grendel?

A

Grendel’s arm

38
Q

Who does Grendel’s mother kill?

A

She kills Hrothgars thane, Ashers

39
Q

What does Grendel’s mother take back with her from the hall?

A

Aescheres head which she displays on a cliff above the lake she lives in.
Grendel’s arm.

40
Q

What unusual supernatural features does the lake have?

A

It has flames coming out of it

41
Q

What do the deer represent? How do the deer react to getting near the edge of the lake?

A

They represent Hrothgars people and they were afraid.

42
Q

Who loans Beowulf a sword initially to fight Grendel’s mom?

A

Unferth and he named the sword Hrunting

43
Q

Why wouldn’t Beowulf use weapons while fighting Grendel?

A

He says since Grendel doesn’t use weapons than he won’t either so it’ll be a fair fight.

44
Q

Beowulf has the arm strength of ___ men.

A

30

45
Q

How does Beowulf convince Hrothgar to let him fight Grendel?

A
  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
Q

What happens when Beowulf tries to use Unferths sword?

A

It fails, but he takes a sword made from giants off of her wall to kill her.

47
Q

How long is Beowulf under water for?

A

3 days

48
Q

What happened after Beowulf penetrated Grendel’s mom with the sword he found?

A

It dissolved/disintegrated

49
Q

What does Beowulf bring back up from the lake with him?

A
  1. Grendel’s head
  2. The sword hilt
50
Q

What does Hrothgar find on the damaged blade?

A

Noah’s flood (in which he killed giants)

51
Q

What are essential themes in Hrothgars speech to Beowulf?

A

Good be evil
God/fate
Pride (foreshadowing)

52
Q

Benefits of Beowulfs victory

A

A lasting peace between the Danes and Geats

53
Q

How long was Beowulf ruling his kingdom for?

A

50 years

54
Q

What occurs to disturb the peace of the kingdom?

A

A runaway slave steals from a dragon who then decides to set the town on fire cuz of it.

55
Q

What was the issue with heroic mortality when Beowulf went to fight the dragon?

A

Most of Beowulfs army ran away from him when they saw the dragon

56
Q

Who stayed with Beowulf when he fought the dragon?

A

Wiglaf and when Beowulf dies he gives him his shield

57
Q

What led to Beowulfs downfall?

A

Greed, pride, and over confidence

58
Q

Who did Beowulf derive from?

A

Anglo-Saxons

59
Q

What does Beowulfs name mean?

A

“War wolf”

60
Q

Where does Beowulf take place?

A

Scandinavia

61
Q

Does Beowulf defeat the dragon?

A

Yes but not before he was poisoned

62
Q

What does Grendel symbol?

A

Evil and jealousy

63
Q

What does the dragon symbolize?

A

Greed

64
Q

What does Heorots hall symbolize?

A

Happiness, pride, and distress

65
Q

Why is Beowulf characterized as an epic?

A
  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
Q

What does Beowulf hope his burial tower will do?

A

Serve as a warning beacon to seafarers