English 4 Lesson2

Lesson2- Beowulf

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1.Beowulf- Main character of the story and lengendary Geatish hero; strong, brave, wise, bold. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect hero. The poem explores his heroism in two separate phases—youth and age—and through three separate and increasingly difficult conflicts—with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Although we can view these three encounters as expressions of the heroic code, there is perhaps a clearer division between Beowulf’s youthful heroism as an unfettered warrior and his mature heroism as a reliable king. These two phases of his life, separated by fifty years, correspond to two different models of virtue, and much of the moral reflection in the story centers on differentiating these two models and on showing how Beowulf makes the transition from one to the other



2.Brecca- a Bronding who, according to the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, was Beowulf's childhood friend. Breca defeated him in a swimming match.
While dining, Unferth alludes to the story of their contest, and Beowulf then relates it in detail, explaining how he needed to stop and defeat multiple sea monsters during the match.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_was_brecca_in_Beowulf



3.Grendel- Likely the poem’s most memorable creation, Grendel is one of the three monsters that Beowulf battles. His nature is ambiguous. Though he has many animal attributes and a grotesque, monstrous appearance, he seems to be guided by vaguely human emotions and impulses, and he shows more of an interior life than one might expect. Exiled to the swamplands outside the boundaries of human society, Grendel is an outcast who seems to long to be reinstated. The poet hints that behind Grendel’s aggression against the Danes lies loneliness and jealousy. By lineage, Grendel is a member of “Cain’s clan, whom the creator had outlawed / and condemned as outcasts.” (106–107). He is thus descended from a figure who epitomizes resentment and malice. While the poet somewhat sympathetically suggests that Grendel’s deep bitterness about being excluded from the revelry in the mead-hall owes, in part, to his accursed status, he also points out that Grendel is “[m]alignant by nature” and that he has “never show[n] remorse” (137).http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/canalysis.html




4.Herot



5.Hrothgar- Hroðgar is mentioned as the builder of the great hall Heorot, and ruler of Denmark when the Geatish hero Beowulf arrives to defeat the monster Grendel. Hroðgar is plunged into gloom after Grendel's mother kills Hroðgar's best friend, but when Beowulf advises him not to despair, Hroðgar leads the Danes and Geats out to attack the small lake where Grendel's mother lives. Beowulf takes his leave of Hroðgar to return home, and Hroðgar embraces him and weeps that they will not meet again (because Hroðgar is a very old man). This is Hroðgar's last appearance in the poem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hro%C3%B0gar


6.Unferth- Unferth’s challenge to Beowulf’s honor differentiates him from Beowulf and helps to reveal some of the subtleties of the heroic code that the warriors must follow. Unferth is presented as a lesser man, a foil for the near-perfect Beowulf. (A foil is a character whose traits contrast with and thereby accentuate those of another character.) The bitterness of Unferth’s chiding of Beowulf about his swimming match with Breca clearly reflects his jealousy of the attention that Beowulf receives. It probably also stems from his shame at being unable to protect Heorot himself—he is clearly not the sort of great warrior whom legend will remember. While boasting is a proper and acceptable form of self-assertion, Unferth’s harsh words show that it ought not to be bitter or disparaging of others. Rather than heroism, Unferth’s blustering reveals pride and resentment. Later, Unferth’s gift of his sword for Beowulf’s fight against Grendel’s mother heals Unferth’s breach of hospitality, but it does little to improve his heroic status. Unlike Beowulf, Unferth is clearly afraid to fight the monster himself.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/canalysis.html



7.Welthow- The Danish Queen, married to Hroðgar, the Danish king, and is the mother of sons Hreðric and Hroðmund. She fulfills the important role of hostess in the poem. The importance of this cup carrying practice is emphasized in lines 1161-1231. Here Wealhþeow, anxious that Hroðgar secures the succession for her own offspring, gives a speech and recompenses Beowulf for slaying Grendel with three horses and a necklace.The role of queens in the early Germania was to foster “social harmony through active diplomacy and conciliation". Wealhþeow inhabits this role by constantly speaking to each of the men in her hall and reminding them of their obligations – obligations to their country, their family, or their king.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wealh%C3%BEeow


8.Wiglaf- Wiglaf first appears in Beowulf at line 2295, as a member of the band of thanes who go with Beowulf to seek out the dragon that has attacked Geat-Land. He is the son of Weohstan, a Swede of the Wægmunding clan who had entered the service of Beowulf, king of the Geats. Wiglaf is called Scylfing as a metonymy for Swede, as the Scylfings were the ruling Swedish clan. While in the service of the Scylfing Onela, king of the Swedes, Weohstan killed the rebel prince Eanmund and took his sword as a trophy; Wiglaf later inherited it, Weohstan belonged to the clan of the Wægmundings, the same clan that Beowulf's father Ecgþeow belonged to; so Wiglaf is Beowulf's son, and at the time of Beowulf's death he was Beowulf's only living relative. He essentially helped Beowulf kill the dragon before Beowulf died.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiglaf

















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1.How do the watchman’s words help characterize Beowulf. The watchman's words help characterize Beowuld, because it shows how influential Beowulf can be.



2.What are Beowulf’s credentials as a warrior?



3.According to Beowulf, what are Hrothgar’s options?



4.What happens before Beowulf and his followers leave their ship. Grendel attacks the mead hall again.



5.How does Beowulf differ from other warriors whom Grendel has attacked? The difference between Beowulf and other warriors was that Beowulf decided he would not use weapons, but his bare hands. He is also much stronger and wiser than the other warriors who tried to defeat Grendel.



6.What motivates Beowulf in his time of need? The glory of getting the job done is what motivates Beowulf.

7.Summarize what happens the morning after Beowulf’s triumph over Grendel. Beowulf and the people are in high spirits because they thought the enemy was dead. However, Grendel's mother comes and kills King Hrothgar's best friend as revenge for what Beowulf did. Hrothgar tells Beowulf about the monster's attack and Beowulf goes to her lair to kill her.

8. How does Beowulf kill Grendel’s mother? Beowulf finds a magical sword and slashes her head off with it.

9. Why does Beowulf hand Grendel’s arm in the rafters? It symbolizes his victory over Grendel. He hangs it up so everyone can see that he killed the monster.

10. What is ironic about the way Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother?
It is ironic that Beowulf kills Grendel's mother with a magical sword, because it's the same sword that protected Grendel from being slain by weapons.

11. What details describe the dragon?Explain what the dragon might symbolize as Beowulf’s final Foe. The poet describes the dragon as vengeful and selfish, burning homes, crops, and even Beowulf's hall just because it's treasure was stolen. The dragon symbolizes the antithesis of Beowulf. Where Beowulf would share his treasures with his people, the dragon hoard them and spites people if his reasures are token.

12.What events precede the dragon’s attack on the Geats? A slave stole the dragon's golden cup.

13. How do the dragon’s motives differ from those of Grendel?
The dragon attacked the Geats out of revenge, because a slave stolen a treasure of his. Grendel attacked the Geats out of envy because while he was alone and sad, the Geats were happy and celebrated often. The dragon acted because he felt something insulted by something physical while Grendel attacked because he felt he was insulted by something emotional.

14. Is Beowulf being foolhardy or noble in deciding to fight alone?Explain.
Beowulf was being arrogant when he decided to fight alone

15. Who comes to Beowulf’s aid in his final battle with the dragon?Why? Wiglaf comes because he felt in dept to Beowulf after Beowulf saved his life before he drowned during their swimming race.

16. What happens to the dragon’s hoard? The Geats burnt all of the dragon's hoard in Beowulf's pyre.

17. How does this passage show the bond of kinship in Anglo-Saxon culture?Beowulf went to save the Geats mainly because his father was in dept to Hrothgar. Because his father is dead, Beowulf decides to take on what his father could not do. This shows the strength between father and son in the Anglo-Saxon culture. Grendel's mother sought to avenge her son after Beowulf attacked him even though her son was at fault for attacking the Geats. This shows the protectiveness the Anglo-Saxons culture was derived of when it came to parents and their children.

18. Why does Beowulf believe that he has been a good king? Beowulf believes he was a good king because he protected his people, gave to the needy, and gave his all to better his land.

19.What sad scene concludes the epic?
It ends with his companions mourning their kinga and to do so they chant a dirge.

20. Why did the Anglo-Saxons regard cowardice as particularly shameful?
The Anglo-Saxons regarded cowardice as particularly shameful because not only did they lose their leader, but now they will be less safe from getting attacked due to the fact that no one wanted to go up against Beowulf. Now that he is dead, the Anglo-Saxons believe that foreign warlords will feel more confident and invade.

21. What does the hero’s death mean to his people?
Beowulf's death means that foreigners will feel more confident and attack more often due to the fact that Beowulf was like the guardian for the Geats. Now they are alot more vulnerable and must prepare themselves for future battles.

22. What do you think of the way women are portrayed in Beowulf? Mostly women are absent in this tale, because during those times women did not get involved in combat and Beowulf was mainly about combat and the preparation of it.




The story of Beowulf is set in the sixth century A.D., but it is not set in England.The story takes place in Scandinavia, and involves the Geats, a tribe in southern Sweden, and the Dances, a tribe in Denmark.