Beowulf Part I (Prologue to 10)
1. Who is Shild? What kind of man was he?
2. Who is Beowulf? What is his relationship to Shild?
3. Describe Heorot. For what purpose was it built?
4. Who is Hrothgar?
5. Why did Grendel begin attacking the Danes?
6. Compare Grendel’s lair to Herot.
7. Who is Grendel’s ancestor? Why is this significant?
8. What had Herot symbolized before the coming of Grendel? After?
9. Why does the watchman question Beowulf and his men when they arrive?
10.
11.
What is Wulfgar’s opinion of Beowulf and his men? How does he
recognize Beowulf as a hero?
How do Hrothgar and Beowulf know about each other?
12.
What does Hrothgar mean when he tells Beowulf that “Fate ever goes as
it must”?
13.
Why does Unferth bring up Beowulf’s swimming match with Brecca?
How does Beowulf respond?
14.
How is the queen of the Danes, Wealtheow, described?
Beowulf Part II (11 to 18)
1. What thoughts does Beowulf have as he waits for Grendel to appear?
2. How does Grendel approach Heorot?
3. Why does Beowulf wait, allowing Grendel to kill one of the Geats, before he
attacks Grendel?
4. Describe the battle between Beowulf and Grendel.
5. Why can’t the other warriors come to Beowulf’s aid?
6. How does Beowulf manage to defeat Grendel?
7. What does Beowulf keep as a “trophy” of his battle with Grendel?
8. Why didn’t the thanes and the Danish people blame Hrothgar for their trouble
with Grendel?
9. Why are the deeds of Sigemund mentioned with Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel?
10. How does Hrothgar reward Beowulf?
11. Summarize the story of Finn.
12. Who was Hildeburh and why did she suffer?
13. How are Wealtheow’s circumstances in direct contrast with that of the story of
Hildeburh?
Beowulf Part III (19 to 25)
1. Why does the narrator say, “Those people were good”?
2. Who is Grendel’s mother? What does she want?
3. What does the narrator tell us about Grendel?
4. Who does Grendel’s mother murder, and what does she take?
5. What does Hrothgar ask of Beowulf?
6. What is Beowulf’s response and what does it mean? (Hint: 21)
7. What did the warriors find on the cliff by the mere?
8. Describe the mere (lake).
9. How is Beowulf’s preparation for battle different now than when he fought
Grendel?
10. Who, or what, is Hrunting, and what is special about it?
11. What does Beowulf have to battle against before he can fight Grendel’s mother?
12. How does Beowulf become victorious in the battle?
13. What does Beowulf discover he cannot use against Grendel’s mother?
14. What does Beowulf tell his men to do if he should die in battle?
15. What is fantastical about Beowulf’s journey to the lair?
16. What does he bring back with him to show he has defeated Grendel and his
mother?
17. In telling his story, whom does Beowulf give credit to in being victorious in
battle?
18. What does Unferth give Beowulf?
Beowulf Part IV (26 to 31)
1. What words of advice does King Hrothgar give Beowulf? Why do you think he does
this?
2. Why does King Hrothgar speak of a peace between the Geats and the SpearDanes?
3. What does King Hrothgar’s generosity say about his character?
4. How does the narrator describe Beowulf as he leaves for home?
5. What does he give to the guardian of the ship?
6. Describe the Queen of the Geats, Hygd.
7. What social roles do women apper to have in the world of Beowulf? What does
Beowulf think about this (lines 2028-2030)?
8. Why does Beowulf go to such length to describe how he was treated by the
Danes?
9. How did Beowulf bring honor to his own people?
10. What does Beowulf present to Hygelac from King Hrothgar? What does he give
Hygd?
11. How did Beowulf become king?
12. How long has Beowulf been king at the time that the dragon begins to terrorize
Geatland?
Beowulf Part V (32 to 43)
1. What was stolen from the dragon’s barrow and how long had the dragon hoarded
his treasure?
2. How did the dragon react when he found that his goblet had been stolen?
3. Why did Beowulf turn down the crown offered by Hygd after the death of her
husband, King Hygelac?
4. Summarize what happened between the Swedes and the Geats.
5. Why doesn’t Beowulf fear the dragon?
6. Why does he want to fight the dragon alone?
7. What sword does he use to fight the dragon?
8. How did King Beowulf’s comrades and thanes react to the heated battle with the
dragon?
9. What is Wiglaf’s lineage? Why do you think the narrator includes this information?
10. What happened to Beowulf’s sword?
11. In what ways does Wiglaf show similar traits with that of Beowulf?
12. What does Beowulf do in this battle that he has never done before?
13. How are both Beowulf and the dragon mortally wounded?
14. What does Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do for him before he dies? Why do you think
this is so important to Beowulf?
15. What does Beowulf give to Wiglaf of particular importance? What does this
action symbolize and perhaps foreshadow as well?
16. What does Wiglaf mean when he says, “Death is better for all earls than a
shameful life”?
17. Describe the custom for dealing with the body of a noble warrior and king by
summarizing the actions in Beowulf’s funeral at the end of the story.
18. How is Beowulf described in the last lines of the story? Do you agree?
19. What actions and attitudes led to Beowulf’s death?