Beowulf
A New World Translation by Seamus Heaney
©2011 Bob Farley
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Part 1: pg. 3-69
1.
Who is Shield Sheafson (Scyld Scefing)? (3)
2.
Describe Shield’s funeral. (5)
3.
Who is Hrothgar? (7)
4.
What is Heorot? Describe it in detail. (7)
5.
Why does the “powerful demon” resent Heorot? (9)
6.
How does Grendel’s ancestry explain why he is cursed? (9)
7.
What did Grendel do during his first attack on the hall? (11)
8.
How long did Grendel terrorize Hrothgar and his people? (11)
9.
Why was Grendel unable to touch the throne? (13)
10. The group of people that helps the Shieldings is known as the ______________. Their leader in the mission
is ________________________. His father is _____________________. The king of this group is
___________________.
11. This group journeys across the sea. What do they do when they land that tells the readers that they are
different from the Shieldings? (17)
12. How are the Geats dressed when they present themselves to Hrothgar? What epic characteristic can we
apply to this?
13. Around line 407, Beowulf starts to deliver his resume in a form called the boast. What has Beowulf done
that makes him qualified to fight Grendel? (29)
14. How does Beowulf plan to fight Grendel? What reason does he have for it? (31)
15. What does Hrothgar imply about the men who tried to defend Heorot before? (33)
16. What is the quality, which the author subtly points out, that made Unferth challenge Beowulf’s
credibility? (35)
17. What incident does Unferth bring up to embarrass Beowulf? (35)
18. What actually happened, according to Beowulf’s account? How does Beowulf defend himself against
Unferth’s taunts? (39)
19. How is the role of Wealhtheow, Hrothgar’s wife, described? (41)
20. How is Beowulf given Christ-like attributes on pages 45 and 47?
21. As Grendel eyes up Heorot, how is he described in a way that assures us he’s a complete villain? (51)
22. Describe the fight between Beowulf and Grendel. (51-55)
23. How did Grendel finally die?
Part 2: pg. 89-129
24. Who does Grendel’s mother first kill? What makes this attack especially terrible? (91)
25. What is Beowulf’s attitude towards the death (especially murder)? (97)
26. What sight do Hrothgar’s men witness at the swamp? (99)
27. How does Unferth help? (101)
28. Where does Beowulf travel for his battle? (103)
29. Why is Beowulf in jeopardy? (105)
30. How does Beowulf succeed? (109)
31. Describe the two miracle-like events that occur after the battle.
a. Miracle #1 (page 109):
b. Miracle #2 (page 111):
32. What does Beowulf do to Grendel’s corpse? (109)
33. How do the men prove/celebrate the death of Grendel’s mother? (113-117)
34. For what purpose does Hrothgar discuss Heremod? (117)
35. At Line 1726, Hrothgar transitions into a sermon-like speech. Summarize the points he makes for
Beowulf.
36. What event does Hrothgar use as an example of fallibility/fragility? (123)
37. What symbolizes happiness in the land? (123)
38. Despite Beowulf’s history with Unferth, how does he show (again) that he’s a good guy? (125)
39. What does Hrothgar say in his final praise of Beowulf? (127)
40. What do Beowulf and Hrothgar reveal about their personalities when they part?
Part 3: pg. 149-213
41. Suddenly, we jump ahead in time. How long has Beowulf been ruling?
42. What is the latest disturbance in Beowulf’s kingdom, and how was it provoked?
43. How did the treasure get to this location?
44. What trouble is the dragon causing specifically? (157)
45. Why does Beowulf believe this destruction happened? (159)
46. Summarize the flashback to how Beowulf became king. (159, 161)
47. Describe Beowulf’s state of mind as he prepares to fight the dragon. (165)
48. On the way to finding the dragon, what episode does Beowulf recall from his childhood? (165)
49. Describe the conflict between Beowulf and the dragon.
50. How does Wiglaf reason with the other soldiers? (177-178)
51. How does the battle end?
52. Why is Beowulf satisfied with his life? (185)
53. How will Beowulf be memorialized? (189)
54. What have Beowulf’s people seemingly gotten in exchange for his death? (191)
55. Why does Wiglaf speak “disdainfully and in disappointment”? (193)
56. What does the messenger predict? (197)
57. What happens to the treasure?
58. Describe the funeral ceremony.
The Big Picture-- List examples in the story of:

Characteristics of/advice for a good king

Qualities of a hero

Qualities of a villain
o Christian elements
o Pagan elements
Beowulf Vocabulary List 1
alacrity
amass
antithesis
arbitrate
ardent
aural
baleful
balk
bereft
bier
blather
bolster
buffet
bulwark
cache
cogency
contrived
crag
damascened
deluge
depredations
dirges
disconsolate
effulgence
ensconce
Beowulf Vocabulary List 2
ethos
extol
exultant
felicity
filigree
fissure
gloaming
glutton
gumption
harrow
hone
ignominious
incise
inexorable
infallible
interlude
keel
keen
lambency
litany
mere
moor
paltry
pariah
phantasmagoria
Beowulf Vocabulary List 3
pinion
plait
proffer
prow
quell
requite
respite
reticence
revenant
scion
severance
solace
stalwart
stead
throng
torque
transmute
tumulus
unavailing
unscathed
vernacular
virulent
wax
wean
whet