Beowulf Notes Part 1 - Preread (copy all for your notes)
1. Who are Adam and Eve’s first two sons? Cain and Abel
2. What happens to the two sons? Both Cain and Abel make an offering to God. God praises Abel’s
but not Cain’s, which makes Cain jealous. He then kills his brother. God “marks”/burns Cain
and banishes him to never know God’s love again.
3. What happens to Cain’s descendents? They are cursed and become part human/part demon.
Know the following characters, places and things:
-
Land of the Danes – Denmark
Land of the Geats – Sweden
Hrothgar – King of the Danes, builds Herot, kingdom afflicted
Edgetho – Beowulf’s father, great warrior
Beowulf – hero of the Epic, strong, brave, great warrior
Wiglaf – follower of Beowulf
Herot – battle hall/mead hall, place where people eat and sleep
Beowulf Notes Part 1 – Grendel - COPY
Grendel’s attack
- hates men singing about God creating world; Grendel is born of Cain (see above)
- 1st attack snatches and kills 30 men
- continues to attack every night – lasts 12 years
- king Hrothgar cannot be touched – protected by God
Beowulf arrives to take on challenge
- sleeps in Herot as bait, when Grendel attacks he eats one man then is caught by Beowulf
- Grendel tries to escape and rips off his arm – later dies
- Kingdom freed of terror, Grendel’s arm on wall serves as trophy
Beowulf – Part I – Battle with Grendel #1-6 - Answer in complete sentences - (rephrase the
question as part of your answer)
1. Why does Beowulf journey across the sea to help a tribe other than his own, in spite of the danger?
2. What drives Grendel to attack so many men at Herot, the mead hall?
3. How does Beowulf trap and kill Grendel?
4. Why does Beowulf hang Grendel’s arm from the rafters at Herot?
5. What characteristics does Grendel have that make him particularly terrifying to the Danes?
6. What impressions of Beowulf do you have after reading this part of the poem/story?
When done with the questions, write a 3-4 sentence summary on the front of your study guide
(Main points of what happened in this part of the story).
_______________________________________
Beowulf Notes Part 2 – Grendel’s Mother - COPY
Grendel’s mother attacks
- get son’s arm back, kills Hrothgar’s best friend
- shown as weaker – female – not as violent an attack, but has precision
Lake’s characteristics
- Groves of trees growing out over the lake
- Trees wind down (or grow) snakelike roots
- Mist streams like black clouds
- Murky water, cannot see bottom
- Deer that is hunted would rather be eaten by dogs on shore than enter water.
Grendel Mother’s lair
- Bright light
- High arching roof
- Water is hot
- Fiery lake
- All above make her home seem like “hell”
Beowulf apparent weakness
- Gets pinned in battle
- Helmet is bit and breaks
- Sword won’t work (she has same spell as Grendel against weapons)
Fate intervenes and helps Beowulf
- Chainmail armor holds up to her attack with dagger
- Finds giant sword on wall, also has spell, used to cut her head off
- Beowulf finds Grendel’s body and returns with his head. Lake is now clear.
Beowulf – Part II – Battle with Grendel’s Mother #1-3 - Answer in complete sentences (rephrase the question as part of your answer)
1. What are two examples of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength in this part of the story?
2. Does the behavior of Grendel’s mother (i.e. attacking Herot) seem justified? Why or why
not?
3. Compare Grendel and his Mother’s attacks. Which seems stronger? Which seems smarter?
Which is more “evil”?
When done with the questions, write a 3-4 sentence summary on the front of your study guide
(Main points of what happened in this part of the story).
________________________________________________
Beowulf Notes Part 3 – Dragon - COPY
What part of Feudalism is important for this part? Feudalism is a form of government in which a
leader (like the king) grants land, gold, treasure, rings, etc. in trade for protection and military service.
King (Beowulf)
Gives protection and
military service to the
king.
Gives vassals land,
gold, ring and treasure.
Gives ring as symbol
of deal
Vassal
Vassal
Vassal
Wears ring as symbol
of deal
(also includes “Knights/warriors)
Battle with Dragon
- 50 years later than battle with Grendel/G. Mother
- Beowulf older and king
- will fight with armor, sword, shield (not just bare hands) as enemy is more dangerous
Fate against Beowulf
- Breaks sword when attacking dragon
- Shield melts from dragons fire breath
- Even though he knows he’ll lose, Beowulf continues to fight (warrior culture, dying in battle
preferred, shows honor and courage)
Wiglaf
- reminds men of promise they made.
- All fighters, except Wiglaf, abandon Beowulf (King) in time of need
- in dying breath, B asks W to build a memorial tower and tells W he’s next king
- as king, W takes gold/treasure/lands from cowards, banishes men
Beowulf – Part III – Battle with Dragon #1-6 - Answer in complete sentences - (rephrase the
question as part of your answer)
In what way does Beowulf’s sword fail him?
Why does Wiglaf denounce the other warriors?
How do the Geats honor Beowulf after he dies?
Beowulf is able to defeat evil in the form of Grendel and Grendel’s mother, yet he loses his life
fighting the dragon. What theme does this suggest about the struggle between good and evil.
5. Based on your reading of Beowulf, name at least 4 traits that you think the Anglo-Saxons
admired. For each trait, give a brief example of it in the story (not a quote, but just describe the
scene)
6. In today’s society we have our own kinds of “monsters” that threaten our safety or our way of
life. Who or what are today’s monsters, and what threats do they pose?
1.
2.
3.
4.
When done with the questions, write a 3-4 sentence summary on the front of your study guide
(Main points of what happened in this part of the story).