Beowulf: A New Telling
Study Guide
Chapters 4 – 5
Chapter 4: Beowulf
1. What happened to Beowulf’s eyes when he was a boy?
Why is this important detail about Beowulf? What does it show about
him?
2. Why would Hygelac, the king of Geats, allow his nephew, Beowulf, a
skilled warrior, travel to the Land of the Danes to help Hrothgar and
possibly risk his life?
3. What does Hrothgar’s coastguard believe about Beowulf’s chances for
success and what does he try to tell Beowulf and his men?
Chapter 5: Nine Sea-Monsters
4. Why does Hrothgar think Grendel is attacking his men?
5. Describe Beowulf’s behavior when he first meets Hrothgar.
What does Hrothgar think will happen to Beowulf when he meets
Grendel?
Why?
6. In this chapter, Unferth is up to his old tricks again. How does Beowulf
respond when Unferth insists that apples are bad and only bad people can
eat them without being harmed? See page 28.
7. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of doing to Breca?
According to Beowulf, what is the correct version of the story?
8. Why does Beowulf decide to fight Grendel without his sword? What does
this show us about Beowulf?