Beowulf Questions!

I completed these questions by getting a big group message together on Facebook with Jackie, Jenna and Beka. We all decided to split up the questions but then Beka completed all of them so we just kinda went our own directions. haha. So now we are just keeping the message open in case we need to ask each other questions. Update: Elizabeth and I were both having trouble with the questions so we are splitting them up half and half. This first half is hers and the second is mine.

Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation

1. The reason it was unusual that Shield became the ruler was that he started out an orphan but then rose to power. Like Egyptian rulers and other such royalty, His funeral consisted of his personal treasures being put into a boat; including his son, and was sent out to the sea. After shield's death he was succeeded by Hrothgar.


Heorot is Attacked

1. Hrothgar built the hall of Heorot. Grendal attacked it every night for twelve years killing many people. In response the Danes do not dare go to the hall due to fear.


The Hero Comes to Heorit

1. when Beowulf hears about Hrothgar's problems he creates an army to stop Grendel.

2. When the Geats first arrive in Denmark they come across a nameless watcher whom guarded the shore and Question Beowulf whom explained he was there to cast out Grendel and meet king Hrothgar.

3. This nameless watcher is actually Hrothgar's Herald. he goes to his master and tells him about the Geats insisting that his master invite them. Hrothgar agrees to this, at which time he remembers Beowulf because he knew Ecgtheow, Beowulf's father.

4. Beowulf tells Hrothgar he plans to fight Grendel. Hrothgar paid the family of a man whom Beowulf's father killed.


Feast at Heorot

1. Unferth accuses Beowulf of having lost a swimming contest, but Beowulf denies this saying he came across many sea monsters and killed 9 by the time he made it ashore. This is important because Beowulf shows no fear when telling his story. At the end Beowulf accuses Unferth of weakness because he has not fought Grendel.

2. Queen Wealhtheow during the feast is taking care of Beowulf's men and thanks him for coming.


The fight with Grendel

1. Beowulf's preparations for battle with Grendel is different from heroic poetry because instead of putting on armor, he takes it off because he ants a fair fight.

2. When Grendel enters Heorot he tares the door off, and drinks the blood of a great warrior. With no weapons Beowulf fights Grendel whom tries to escape but loses am arm which is left behind.


Celebration at Heorot

1. Beowulf and Sigemund are alike because the have both slayed creatures. Beowulf slayed Grendel a monster, and Sigemund slayed a dragon. They are different because Beowulf is not afraid.

2. When Beowulf returns Hrothgar adopts him as his own leaving Unfirth silent.

3. The song is about how the Finns defeated the Danes, but their king made a truce to live separate but under one rule. It also suggested it wise to use marriages to unite tribes on common grounds.

4. Weatheow asks Hrothgar not to make Beowulf heir to the thorn, because they have two sons.

5. The necklace Wealtheow gave Beowulf is later in the hands of Hygelac. the queen asks Beowulf to watch over her sons.

6. many men end up sleeping in the beer hall because grendel has died and it they think it is safe. this is a mistake because Grendels mother goes after them for revenge.


Another Attack

1. Grendel's mother comes to Heorot no to finish her sons work but to take revenge for his life.

2. Hrothgar is devistated by the death of his retainer and sends Beowulf and Beowulf's men with his own.

3. The mere is a bog like lake where Grendel's mother lives among many other monsters.


Beowulf Fights Gerndel's Mother

1. Beowulf tell Hrothgar to revenge the death of a loved one, not morn them.

2. Before Beowulf enters the mere they find Aeschere's head. Beowulf kills a monster.

3. Beowulf prepares for battle by putting on his chain mail, golden helmet, and takes his sword called Hrunting given to him by Unferth.

4. When Beowulf enters the mere he is attacked my monsters. Grendel's mother takes him to her hall where the water could not hurt him.

5. The sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth melts.

6. Beowulf escapes when he wiggles free from the rubble.

7. Beowulf uses the sward to decapitate her. He also findes Grendel's body, decapitates it and takes the head home. The sword he used melts.

8. When Beowulf leaves he finds everyone left (except the great warriors), him because they expected him to die. The warriors are ecstatic at his return.

1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar the head and the sword hilt

2. Hrothgar tells Beowulf that he united the Danes and Geats and he tells the story of Heremod, who died when he was banished by his subjects.

3. He returns Hrunting to Unfterth

1. Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf be a king in the future

2. She is Hygelac's wife. She is unlike Modthryth because she is young and beautiful.

3. Beowulf does not see this marriage working out and sees it causing problems.

4. Beowulf just exaggerates his battles to make him sound greater

5. He gives his treasures to Hygelac and Hygd. Hygelac gives Beowulf a prized sword.

1. Part two takes place fifty years later. Hygelac and Heardred have died and a dragon has awoken.

2. The dragon is angry because a man stole a cup. He took the cup because he got scared when the dragon woke up. The lone survivor of an ancient race buried the treasure there.

3. The dragon destroyed Beowulf's throne hall and homes and villages.

4. Beowulf thinks that he has angered god and that's why his throne hall was destroyed. He decides to fight the dragon without an army.

5. Hygelac died in battle. Beowulf returns home to Hygd offering him the throne. He declines.

6. Heardred died in a fight with the Swedes. Beowulf was going to befriend an exiled man and create an army to kill Heardred's killer.

7. Beowulf takes eleven men with him

8. Herebeald was accidentally killed by his brother. Hrethel was very sad and decided to send his other son to the gallows. But he could not. He did not experience happiness and eventually died. After his death, the Swedes and Geats went to war. Haethcyn died.

1. He tells them that the battle is his and not to interfere.

2. Beowulf's sword fails and is set on fire. All of his men flee except for one. Wiglaf. He rushes in to help Beowulf.

3. Wiglaf stabs the dragon in the stomach but it burns him. The dragon bites Beowulf's neck. The men kill the dragon.

4. Beowulf asks to see the treasure. He wants the barrow to be named "Beowulf's Barrow" and he wants to be buried with the treasure.

1. When the companions return, Wiglaf tells them they are weak and are better off dead.

2. The Frisians, Franks and Swedish will definitely attack the Geats. Ongentheow takes the queen after Hygelac's army was after him. Nobody can touch the treasure without the will of god.

3. The cost of the treasure was their king.

4. The body was tossed into the sea.

5. They built a massive monument and fire for their king. Treasures were buried.

6. Beowulf is described as kind and gentle. You would not expect this in a scary military leader