beowulf canto Flashcards
1
Q
canto 1
A
- set in Denmark
- talks about how Hrothgar was a great king.
- He built Herot and shared his riches with his followers.
- Everything was going well until Grendel came out of his hell to terrorize Herot with his flames.
2
Q
canto 1: elements of christianity
A
- Cain and Abel
- Heaven (Herot)
- Hell (Grendel´s home)
- The poem compares Lucifer´s banishment with Grendel´s
- God is mentioned as “The Almighty”
3
Q
canto 1: kennings
(Hrothgar, Grendel, Herot)
A
Hrothgar: He whose word was obeyed all over the earth
Grendel: that monster, that demon, that fiend
Herot: that towering place, that hall, that most beautiful of dwellings
4
Q
canto 2
A
- Grendel went to Herot at night to kill some of Hrothgar´s men
- Grendel waited until Hrothgar´s warriors were asleep, slipped through the door and snatched 30 of them up and smashed them, he ran away with their blood-dripping bodies.
- Hrothgar was filled with grief when he saw the damage, he feared Grendel would strike again.
- Grendel attacked again; no attack could satisfy his thirst of evil.
- The only survivors were the men that fled Herot.
- There were 12 winters of grief for Hrothgar.
- Herot stayed empty for 12 years.
5
Q
canto 2: kennings
(Hrothgar, Grendel)
A
Hrothgar: a mighty prince
Grendel: hell-forged hands, some demon, the monster
6
Q
canto 3-5
A
- Beowulf hears of Grendel´s attacks and vows revenge.
- He has a ship built and sets sail to Denmark from Sweden.
- Beowulf asks to see Hrothgar who remembers knowing Beowulf as children.
- Wulfgar, Hrothgar´s servant, shows Beowulf in the great hall of Herot, the magnificent mead hall of King Hrothgar
7
Q
canto 6
A
- Wulfgar tells Beowulf to meet Hrothgar with his armor and helmet, but without his weapon and shield.
- Beowulf enters with his mail shirt and helmet. He finally meets Hrothgar.
- Beowulf is noble of birth, he is Higlac’s cousin, Higlac was the King of the Geats.
- Beowulf has heard of Grendel’s actions and decided to help Herot.
- Herot is most useless at night, according to Beowulf.
- Beowulf is qualified to fight Grendel and save Herot.
- After presenting his qualifications, Beowulf requested to Hrothgar that he alone, with his
bare hands and help of men, kill Grendel. - Beowulf fights with no weapons or fears, he thinks Higlac will think less of him if he uses any
weapons. - If he dies in battle, Beowulf wants Hrothgar to return his weapons to Higlac.
8
Q
canto 6: kennings
(Hrothgar, Herot, Grendel)
A
Hrothgar: my lord, the great King of the Danes, the Dane’s great lord, shelterer of warriors, lord and protector of this noble place, your people’s loved friend
Herot: this noble place, that prince’s own heart
Grendel: the monster
9
Q
canto 6. beowulf is qualified to fight Grendel and save Herot because:
A
- He has risen from the darkness of war
- He drove off 5 giants into chain and chased them off earth
- He swam in the darkness of night, hunting monsters our of the ocean, killing them one by one
10
Q
canto 7-10
A
- As a baby, in a swimming match against Brecca, Beowulf encountered sea monsters and was dragged to the sea floor but managed to escape killing nine of the sea monsters.
- Hrothgar was pleased with Beowulf´s accomplishments and leaves him to the hall to fight Grendel
11
Q
canto 11
A
- Grendel came back to Herot from his marsh, his swampland, hoping to kill any man he found in the hall.
- this was a different Herot from the one he had visited before. It was heavily protected.
- Grendel moved fast, he tore the iron fasteners from the door and rushed angrily. He saw the hall filled with men sleeping. He intended to kill the warriors.
- The men watched Grendel´s evil steps
(1st and 2nd attack)
12
Q
canto 11: 1st attack
A
- Grendel snatched a Geat, ripped him apart, and drank hhis blood from his veins and bit into his body.
13
Q
canto 11: 2nd attack
A
- Grendel clutched at Beowulf, but he instantly got away from his grasp.
- Grendel knew that he ha not met anyone with harder hands. He was struck with fear.
- Grendel thought of running to his marsh and hiding there.
- Beowulf stood and stopped Grendel´s escape.
- Beowulf held Grendel´s claws in his fists and cracked them. Grendel was trapped. He wanted to flee.
- Herot trembled. Herot was built to withstand the blows of the battles. It is shaped as fastened with iron inside and out with gold covered boards. It is made of ivory, iron and wood. Only fire could destroy it.
- Grendel´s anger turned to fear, shrieking in pain an defeat as he was caught in Beowulf´s hands.
14
Q
canto 12
A
- Beowulf´s men tried to help him kill Grendel with their weapons, but it was pointless because their swords could not penetrate Grendel´s skin.
- Grendel had cast a spell which blunted all mortal meńs spades.
- Beowulf twisted Grendel´s arm and ripped it off.
- The battle was over, Beowulf was victorious.
- Grendel escaped wounded back to his den and died in a miserable hole at the bottom of the marsh because of the injury.
- Beowulf ended Herot´s suffering
- Beowulf hung in Herot´s rafters the battle trophies
15
Q
canto 12: battle trophies
A
- Grendel´s arm, claw and shoulder
16
Q
canto 13
A
- People came back to Herot, warriors, princes and leaders came to see the monster´s tracks.
- they saw his bloody footprints back to the marsh, in the marsh was the lake water in which he dies. it was boiling with pounding waves and sucked the magic from Grendel´s veins.
- The men talked about Beowulf and praised im as worthy of ruling men. they spread the word of his victory.
17
Q
canto 14-18
A
- Hrothgar promises to treat Beowulf as his own son
- Herot was cleaned and decorated in golden tapestries in preparation for a feast
- Beowulf was rewarded with: armor, horses and weapons
- Beowulf´s warriors also receive gifts from Hrothgar
- The Queen Welthow gives Beowulf gifts.
- After the feast, Hrothgar´s men could sleep in peace in Herot.
18
Q
canto 14-18: The Queen Welthow gives Beowulf the following gifts:
A
- coselet
- rings
- collar
19
Q
canto 19
A
- This is the only canto that is not part of the original poem.
- This canto works as a summary of past events and introduced Grendel’s mother and her
intentions of leaving her den to go to Herot to seek revenge for his son. - Seeking revenge, she kills Hrothgar’s closest friend and advisor, Aeschere
- She takes back Grendel’s severed arm
- Beowulf is called back to Herot to kill her
20
Q
canto 19: Gods will
A
God had intended for Beowulf to kill Grendel.
21
Q
canto 20-21
A
- The people of the land described Grendel and Grendel’s mother as devils. They said Grendel was like a man, but mightier than any man.
- No one has visited the bottom of the lake in Grendel’s mother’s cave
- The animals that fall into the waters of the lake die.
- Hrothgar asks Beowulf to dare to go to those waters to hunt Grendel’s mother.
- If he succeeds, he will be rewarded with gold and treasure.
- Beowulf agrees to fight her to avenge Aeschere
- Hrothgar and his men lead Beowulf to Grendel’s mother’s cave and it’s waters, filled with sea serpents and boiling blood
22
Q
canto 20-21: Sword Hrunting
A
- sword borrowed from one of Hrothgar’s men to fight Grendel’s mother.
- He also goes in with a helmet and mail shirt
23
Q
canto 22
A
- Grendel’s mother and Beowulf meet in her waters
- She grabbed him and tried to tear him with her claws, but it was useless
- She took him to her home and the monsters tried to grab and tear into Beowulf
- Grendel’s mother took Beowulf to someone else’s battle hall
- Beowulf tried to charge at Grendel’s mother with Hrunting, but the sword did not hurt her skin
- They wrestled and Beowulf dropped his sword. Grendel’s mother jumped on top of Beowulf and attacked with a brown dagger with dried blood at Beowulf.
- The blade was blunted by Beowulf’s mail shirt.
-Beowulf was back on his feet
24
Q
canto 23
A
- Beowulf found Grendel’s mother’s sword hanging from the wall, it was so big that no ordinary man could lift it, it was described as best of all weapons. Beowulf drew this sword and struck Grendel’s mother with all the strength he could
- He cut through her neck and broke her bones. She was dead on the floor, the sword covered with her blood.
- Beowulf looked for armless Grendel and to finally get revenge for him terrorizing Herot,
he found him dead in his corner and struck off his head with a single swift blow. - The men saw the water turn red and feared for Beowulf
- Beowulf’s sword melts, he returns with the jeweled hilt of the sword and Grendel’s head.
- Beowulf presents Grendel’s head to Hrothgar.
25
canto 24-30
- Beowulf tells Hrothgar of his adventure and gives the king the hilt of Grendel's mother's
sword, which is decorated with ancient runic letters describing the war of the giants before Noah's flood.
- Beowulf returns the sword Hrunting to Hunferth.
- He says nothing about how the sword had failed him. Then Beowulf and his men set sail for
the land of the Geats, their home. Once home, Beowulf tells his adventures and the gifts that he received in the land of the Danes.
26
canto 31
- Higlac is dead. Beowulf refused the throne but eventually became king.
27
canto 31: Beowulf as king:
- Old and wise
- Refused the throne twice
- He held the throne for 50 years
28
canto 31: a dragon
- Brought terror to Geatland
- Slept in a stone tower with a hidden path beneath
- It guarded ancient treasure and jewels → pagan jewels and gold
29
canto 31: inciting incident
a man stole a gem-studded cup making the dragon arise from the darkness, come out of hiding, and show itself to Geatland.
30
canto 32-34
- The dragon attacks the countryside (Geatland), setting fire to buildings at night
- Beowulf decides to fight the dragon and goes to visit the dragon in his lair.
31
canto 35
- Beowulf boasts to his followers, says farewell
- Foreshadows that Beowulf is going to die in battle fighting the dragon.
- He enters the lair with his mail shirt, shield and sword. He decides to fight with his weapons
because the monster was stronger, his breath was way too hot, he had a poisonous tongue.
- He says that no man can go against the dragon. He was calm, confident and bold going up to the tower.
- At this battle, Beowulf fought with fate against him, with glory denied him
- Beowulf stood firm behind his shield as the dragon poured fire and smoke
- Beowulf’s shield melted
- Beowulf raised his sword and struck the dragon’s hide as his first attack.
- It made the dragon’s skin draw blood, the sword broke and cracked before it went deep enough.
- The dragon leaped and spit fire everywhere.
- Beowulf stares at death in the face but refuses to die. He was a king but is now a beaten warrior.
- Beowulf’s soldiers see the dragon attacking and they ran for their lives to the woods.
- Wiglaf was the only soldier who remained
32
canto 35: kenning for the dragon
Beast
33
canto 36: Wiglaf
- Wextan’s son and a good soldier.
- He stayed with Beowulf because as he saw his suffering, he remembered all the armor, gold, and estates that Beowulf has given his family.
- Wiglaf drew his sword to help his king. He reminded him of his boasts, how nothing could
destroy his fame and told him to be strong to protect his life and fame.
- Wiglaf would stay by Beowulf’s side fighting. Wiglaf jumped behind Beowulf’s shield as his
own had burned to ashes.
34
canto 36: nagling
- Beowulf’s sword
- Nagling broke into pieces when Beowulf lifted it and swung it into the dragon’s head with all
his strength. The hardest blade could not help Beowulf.
35
canto 36: the dragon
The dragon them vomited fire in pain, it drove it’s tusks into Beowulf’s neck. The blood fell
like rain.
36
canto 37
- Wiglaf then showed his courage by sinking his sword lower than his head. The sword sank in
and the dragon’s fames flickered and died away.
- After gathering strength, Beowulf drew his dagger from the dragon’s head and cut the beast
in half. It fell to his death
- Beowulf delivered the last blow to the dragon, but the beast was killed in teamwork with Wiglaf and their courage.
- Beowulf’s wound swelled and grew. He felt something stirring and burning in his veins, it was venom form the beast’s fangs. Beowulf was dying, he dropped down.
- Beowulf had no descendants, no one to leave his armor to, but he was satisfied with his reign, the way he ruled and his life.
- Beowulf, before he died, asked Wiglaf to find the gold, ancient silver, precious jewels, shining
armor and gems that the dragon was protecting, to make his death softer.
37
canto 38
- Wiglaf gets Beowulf the treasure and shows it to him while he takes his last breaths
- Beowulf asks Wiglaf to help and lead his people, to build him a tomb, have his funeral flames
burn him, and build the tomb in the form of a tower on water’s edge, high on land so the sailors can see the tower, remember Beowulf’s name and call it Beowulf’s tower.
- Beowulf gave Wiglaf his golden necklace, helmet, rings and mail shirt. He designated Wiglaf
as king.
38
canto 43
- The men build a pyre or fire to burn Beowulf’s body
- After it is burned to ashes, the men begin to build Beowulf’s tower as high as men hands could build.
- Within the walls they placed Beowulf’s ashes.
- They buried the treasure underground so no other men could touch it.
- The men mourned the loss of their lord.
