Who is Hrothgar? - ANSWER King of the Dans (people of Denmark)
What is Herot? - ANSWER A timber, big mead hall where men of the village go to
socialize, rejoice, eat, and sleep.
What words and phrases does the poet employ in the introduction sections to
establish Grendel as a terrifying creature? - ANSWER a) Strong monster.
b) Demon, fiend, haunts the moons.
C)spawned in slime.
d)Great claws
What angers Grendel and drives him to attack Herot? - ANSWER the guys are
happy, enjoy music, live in nature's beauty, enjoy each other's company in the mead
hall, and know God's love- all things he cannot do (he's jealous).
Grendel is a descendant of two beasts "born of Cain". In what manner does this
lineage imply that Grendel is evil? - ANSWER: In Genesis, Cain purposely kills
his brother Abel, becoming history's first killer. "The Beowulf Poet" portrays
Grendel as a descendent of Cain to highlight the monster's intrinsic depravity.
"A brood [of supernatural creatures is] forever opposing the Lord's will, and again
and again defeated." What universal theme do these verses imply? - Answer: Good
triumphing over evil or God triumphing over the Devil.
Describe Grendel's attack: ANSWER He sneaks up at night, grabs 30 men, crushes
them, runs out with their bodies, and takes them to his cave as food.
, Name a specific ancient ancestor of Grendel - answer Cain.
What happened to Herot? - ANSWER: The mead hall has been unoccupied for 12
years during the winter. It is regularly attacked by Grendel, who refuses to consent
to any truce or playoff. Grendel never reaches the king's throne, which is protected
by God.
Give an excellent example of alliteration from this section and explain the
atmosphere it generates - ANSWER "Dwelling down/in the darkness...." evokes a
threatening vibe of evil"
- ANSWER
Who is Beowulf? - ANSWER: A young warrior from Geatland (Sweden). He's
described as the "strongest of the Geats" or "greater and stronger than anyone
anywhere in the world"
Where is Beowulf from? - ANSWER Geatland (the southern tip of what is now
Sweden).
Who is Higlac, and how does Beowulf relate to him? - ANSWER: King of Geats
and Beowulf's uncle.
List the attributes of an epic hero and give one example of how Beowulf possesses
each trait. ANSWER a) of noble birth/high position: he is the king's nephew.
b)historical/legendary significance: he drove 5 giants off the land and hunted and
slew monsters from the sea to save the Danish people.
c) personal attributes match society's ideals: he is kind and valiant, willingly going
to Hrothgar's help with the support of the Geats.
d) Performs deeds with courage/strength: bravely kills giants and monsters with his
extraordinary strength.
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