Beowulf Parts 8-9: The Battle with Grendel
Alliteration: the repetition of sounds in words close to one another,
such as “Hail, Hrothgar!” Anglo-Saxon poetry is often called alliterative
poetry.
Kennings: a specialized metaphor made of compound words, such as
“battle-dew” for blood and “sky-candle”, for sun, and “Shelter of
Warriors” for Herot.
Part 8, pp. 32-33:
1. Lines 421-429: Why do you think Beowulf allows Grendel to
slaughter one of the Geats before taking action himself?
2. Lines 430-434: What kennings associate Grendel with evil?
3. Lines 440-444: List examples of alliteration in these lines.
Part 9, pp. 34-35
4. Lines 475-478: How do the actions of Beowulf’s men uphold the
Anglo-Saxon code of honor?
5. Lines 479-491: In this passage, what additional evidence do you
find of the Christian and pagan tension in this epic?
6. Line 494: Other than “quick,” list other meanings of the word
“fast.”
7. Lines 499-504: Summarize what happens to Grendel in this
passage.
Part 10, p. 35
1. Lines 514-517: Why does Beowulf hang Grendel’s arm from the
rafters of Herot, and what effect do you think seeing the arm
would have on viewers?
2. Lines 528-534: Reread the description of the lake in which
Grendel lies. How is it suggestive of Hell?
3. Lines 539-544: What examples of alliteration emphasize the
important words in this hymn of praise for the conquering
hero?
4. Lines 543-541: What does “belittle” mean? What context clues
can you use to figure this out?
Part 11, pp. 36-37
5. Lines 545-554: What imagery in the description of Grendel’s lair
(his home) associates Grendel with death and darkness?