Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________ Baker Eng IV
_____1. In lines 606-612, which lines foreshadow Beowulf’s death as the outcome
of his last battle?
a. “If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.”
b. “final boast” and “for the last time.”
c. “I’ve never known fear”
d. “I will fight again, seek fame still”
_____2. Why might the poet want to foreshadow the battle’s outcome?
a. Foreshadowing builds suspense while preparing the reader for what is to come.
b. The poet wants to warn the reader that Beowulf will suffer a heart attack.
c. The poet wants to warn the reader of Wiglaf’s treachery leading to Beowulf’s demise.
d. None of the above.
_____3. Notice the repeated use of the letter f in lines 606-611. What tone does
the alliteration help convey?
a. Frustrated
c. Defeated
b. Defiant
d. Indifferent
_____4. Reread lines 616-644. Which of the following is an untrue statement about
the imagery the poet uses to set the stage for Beowulf’s climactic battle with the
dragon?
a. The poet uses strong imagery to establish the dragon as a deadly creature: “his
breath will be burning/Hot, poison will pour from his tongue” (lines 616-617);
b. The poet uses strong imagery to establish the dragon as a fearsome creature: “a
streaming current of fire/And smoke that blocked all passage” (lines 643 – 644).
c. The poet establishes Beowulf’s fearless readiness for battle: “when he comes to me/I
mean to stand, not run from his shooting/Flames” (lines 619-621); “my heart is
firm/My hands calm” (lines 622-623).
d. The poet establishes Beowulf’s utter hopelessness: “We shall see, soon, who will
survive/This bloody battle…No one/Could try” (lines 625-630).
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Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________ Baker Eng IV
_____5. Reread lines 668-671. What do these lines reveal about the qualities of an
epic hero?
a. The lines suggest that an epic hero never gives up.
b. The lines suggest an epic hero fights on, even when he knows that fate has turned
against him. he faces death courageously, just as he has always faced danger.
c. Both A & B.
d. None of the above.
_____6. What values are implied in lines 691-696?
a. Loyalty, courage, and kinship
c. Strength, agility, and courage
b. Patience, destiny, and fate
d. Fearlessness, hope, kinship
_____7. What message about these values in lines 691-696 is conveyed?
a. The preservation of one’s own life makes it okay to flee in the face of danger.
b. The primal instinct of flight or fight is stronger than the virtue of loyalty.
c. The value of life is precious, and it doesn’t take much to end one’s mortal existence.
d. These lines suggest that too many people have forgotten what these values mean and
why they must be preserved.
_____8. Based on Wiglaf’s speech in lines 708-735, which of the following is a true
statement that shows he is different from his comrades?
a. Unlike his comrades, who have abandoned Beowulf and fled for their lives, Wiglaf
places high value on honor and loyalty.
b. He makes the point that this is the time for them to prove that their earlier
promises of bravery were more than just idle boasts.
c. Wiglaf recognizes their debt to Beowulf and intends to repay it by coming to his aid,
even at his own peril.
d. All of the above.
_____9. Does Wiglaf qualify as an epic hero?
a. Wiglaf does not qualify as an epic hero because there are no epic poems written about
him.
b. Wiglaf displays courage and loyalty, two admirable traits associated with epic heroes.
However, readers cannot yet judge whether he qualifies as an epic hero, because they
have not seen him in action.
c. Wiglaf does qualify for an epic hero because he is Beowulf’s equal in bravery,
strength, loyalty, and good deeds.
d. None of the above.
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