K
About a hero
Grendel the monster
Beowulf kills Grendel
Grendel’s mother is mad.
Beowulf tries to kill mom
Mom seduces Beowulf
Make dragon baby
Dragon baby destroys city
Beowulf dies
Neck stab = dragon death
Angelina Jolie = mom
Mom becomes a dragon
Beowulf gets naked
Has to swim in the cave
W
What color is his hair?
What kind of
emotional changes
does he go through?
Childood?
How did the story
become so magical?
Origin of Beowulf?
Physical obstacles?
Does he have a guide?
 K

Beowulf is a hero

Beowulf saves the world
from some goblin.

He’s a mercenary.

He has special powers.

He has weaknesses.
W
Is he a wolf?
Does he have a tail?
Is he also a king?
What are his weaknesses?
Does he have family?
Does he believe in God?
Does he die?
What is his origin?
What is his race?
What happened to his
parents?
Does he fight?
Is he feminine?
 Written: exact date unknown (between 700-750)
 Language: Old English
 Author: Anonymous, but believed to be a monk because of
the Christian elements seen throughout
 Setting: Scandinavia
 Interesting Facts:
 Longest surviving epic poem in Old English
 In 1731, a fire destroyed the original manuscript
 To restore the manuscript, infrared and ultraviolet lighting
used to reveal hidden letters
 Epic: a long narrative poem that celebrates a hero’s deeds
that is usually told in oral tradition
 Stock Epithets: adjectives that point out of a particular
persons or things
 Kenning: an imaginative phrase that takes the place of a
single noun
 Caesura: an obvious pause in a line of poetry
 Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the
beginning of words
Hrothgar: King of the Danes (Denmark)
Grendel: A demon descended from Cain. Grendel preys
on Hrothgar’s warriors in the king’s mead-hall, Herot,
each night.
Herot: The Mead (banquet) hall that is haunted by
Grendel at night
 Lines1-3: Identify the figurative language used in these lines.
*Be sure to note the definition
Alliteration: repetition of the same sound at the beginning of a
word
Lines 2-14: What is being described?
Grendel (monster) is in pain , but quickly the scene changes to
sounds of rejoicing in the mead hall. The warriors are singing ,
praising, and acknowledging God’s power of creation.

 Lines 15-29: How do these lines remind us that Grendel is evil?
Fiend, demon, haunted, wild, home in hell, spawned, slime, BORN
OF CAIN, shut away from men, exile
 Beowulf shows the influence of both Paganism and
Christianity. What lines of poetry are examples of Christian
views?
 Lines 21-23
 Lines 41-49: What word(s) help us understand the tone of the
passage?
Mourning, Fate, Lost, tears, laments, joyless, torn, wept
GRENDEL
 Line 64: ‘Hell forged hands’ is our first example of a ___
being used to describe Grendel.
Kenning
 Line 70-79: Search for another example of a kenning.
Grendel being described as That Shadow of Death
 Lines 84-90: What words remind us/represent the
presence of Christianity? What phrase reminds us of the
observance of paganism?
84(C): King protected by God, 90 (P) sacrificing to stone gods
Healfdanes’ Son: Hrothgar
Higlac: King of the Geats,
Beowulf’s Uncle
Beowulf: Geat Warrior
 Lines 104-122: Of what
descendent is Beowulf?
What are our first
affirmations that Beowulf
is an Epic Hero?
 Lines 150-189: Beowulf seems to be bragging of his great
accomplishments; what is the purpose of his boasting?
The “scop” is giving us background information
 How will Beowulf fight Grendel?
Bare hands
 Do we see Paganism or Christianity represented in these
lines?
Paganism- “If death does take me … Fate will unwind as
it must!”
 Line 189: Why is this line significant for the poem as an
epic, and what does this remind us about Beowulf
himself as a warrior?
 Lines 250 – 272: What can you assume from
these lines is Beowulf’s plan of attack?
Beowulf and the men in the mead hall will
pretend to sleep in order to have a surprise
attack.
 Lines 273-289: Describe the change in
Grendel’s demeanor? What does this remind
us about our universal theme?
Grendel has a moment of weakness. The
universal theme of GOOD vs. EVIL is now seen.
Beowulf represents the good that can hopefully
defeat the evil Grendel.
Question: Lines 314-325: Refer back to you’re a Hero With A
Hundred Faces handout. Which characteristic do you see in
these lines?
Answer: The hero is often surrounded by people but is still
alone. Quest tales include the hero’s friends, disciples,
and/or servants, but they are of little help to him.
 Lines 331-358: Summarize the
events of Beowulf and Grendel’s
battle.
VOCABULARY TO NOTE
Symbolism: person, place, or
object that has a concrete
meaning in itself and also
stands for something beyond
itself, such as an idea or
feeling.
 Lines 399-404: Which words capture the strength and
fury of Grendel’s mother?
Fierce, man’s strength, and power
 Lines 405-424: Explain the significance of the “single
victim” that Grendel’s mother chooses?
Grendel’s mother has chosen to take Hrothgar’s closest
friend. She chose someone that the king loved, in order to
seek equal revenge.
 429-449: What details of the setting help to create the
mood?
Help keep [the lake] dark, burns like a torch, no one
knows the bottom, no wisdom reaches such death
 Predictions: What do you predict will happen if
Beowulf seeks out Grendel’s mother?
 450-453: What specific details in these
three lines suggest that the
underwater lair of Grendel’s mother is
an evil place?
Hint: Refer back to your Epic Hero
characteristics list.
 Lines 464-474: What details of the
battle and its setting are characteristic
of an epic?
 Lines 458-512: Which lines create
suspense for you as the reader.
 Lines 526-528: How is the light
symbolic at this point in the
story? Hint: Themes
 546-561: What do these lines
suggest about fame during the
Anglo-Saxon period?
 579-605: Symbolism- What does
Grendel’s skull represent for the
Danes and the Geats?
 Lines 613-632: Describe the change in Beowulf’s battle style
and demeanor now that he has aged.
Beowulf of the past
Beowulf during his last battle
Age
YOUNG
OLD
Weapons
Bare hands
Sword and shield
Attitude
Eager to fight
Resigned to fight
686-735 : Who is Wiglaf? How Is Wiglaf different from
the other soldiers?
Wiglaf is the only one of Beowulf’s men who did not
flee when Beowulf fought the dragon.
Wiglaf is outspoken, loyal, brave, and more of a
leader than the other soldiers.
Lines 745-764: By examining key words
in these lines, how can we describe
Beowulf as a leader?
He is a honorable king, and has
protected his people from enemies. He
has been loyal to his people and
strategic as well.
What is Beowulf’s request to Wiglaf
while he is dying?
Gather the dragon’s treasures
Lines 851-870: Describe Wiglaf’s
reaction and summarize his final
words to the disloyal men.
Wiglaf is shocked and
disappointed that the men would
not be as loyal to Beowulf, their
king, as he has been in return.
The men once promised to be
there to fight, but did not follow
through with their words.
What is Beowulf’s final request?
1. Have the Geats build a tower in his honor
2. He instructs Wiglaf to lead his people