Grendel and Obj
MultipleChoice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selections “from Beowulf, Part One,” “from Grendel,” “Life in
999:
A
Grim
Struggle,”
and
“from
Beowulf,
Part
Two.”
____1.Beowulf
slays
Grendel
in
order
to —
|a. |save Hrothgar and the Danes from the monster | |b. |prevent Grendel from invading the
land of the Geats | |c. |keep Herot from being destroyed | |d. |carry off the treasure in
Grendel’s
lair
|
____2.Beowulf must battle Grendel with his bare hands because — |a. |the Geats traditionally
did battle with their bare hands | |b. |Grendel had magically made all weapons useless against
him | |c. |Beowulf wishes to prove the superiority of the Geats over the Danes | |d. |Beowulf
wishes
to
prove
his
bravery
|
____3.Which of the following statements about Wiglaf is true? |a. |He believes in and speaks
about the inner goodness of all people. | |b. |His inexperience makes him unworthy to succeed
to the throne. | |c. |He makes an eloquent speech about the virtues of loyalty and bravery. |
|d. |He tells Beowulf that the other warriors will desert Beowulf when he needs them most. |
____4.How
does
Beowulf
die?
|a. |The dragon kills him as Beowulf goes out unarmed to fight the monster. | |b. |Surrounded
by a crowd of helpful warriors, Beowulf is the last to fall. | |c. |Unaided by most of the
warriors, Beowulf is killed as he and Wiglaf fight the dragon. | |d. |After killing the dragon,
Beowulf and his followers fight over the treasure, and Beowulf is killed. |
____5.What last thoughts does Beowulf express as he is dying? |a. |A desire for respect and
pride in his ability to protect his people | |b. |Bitterness because his soldiers did not help him
fight the dragon | |c. |Fear that the kingdom of the Geats will fall apart after he dies | |d.
|Affection
and
longing
for
his
family
|
____6.The most important event in Beowulf’s career as leader of the Geats is the — |a. |attack
on the dragon | |b. |speech for the prince | |c. |celebration that involved both Danes and
Geats
|
|d.
|tracing
of
the
bloody
footprints
|
____7.In Beowulf’s fight to the death with Grendel’s mother, the piece of his own equipment
that saves his life is his — |a. |woven mail shirt |c. |sword, Hrunting | |b. |helmet |d. |shield |
____8.Beowulf tells Wiglaf that he wants his burned-out funeral pyre to be a — |a. |reminder
to his people of his greatness |c. |reminder to Wiglaf of his duties | |b. |monument to King
Hrothgar
|d.
|sign
of
the
new
Christian
faith
|
____9.How is the raid on Hrothgar’s hall shown differently in John Gardner’s Grendel than in
Beowulf? |a. |In Grendel the monster is not a man-eater. | |b. |The novel Grendel shows the
action from the monster’s point of view. | |c. |In Beowulf each victim is individually described.
| |d. |Beowulf shows the action from Beowulf’s point of view. |
____10.What aspect of Anglo-Saxon life discussed in “Life in 999: A Grim Struggle” is also in full
view in Beowulf? |a. |There was no sugar and few spices. | |b. |Vitamin deficiencies and
diseases were rampant. | |c. |The population was growing, but farm labor was scarce. | |d.
|The
lord’s
castle
was
viewed
as
a
refuge
from
dangers.
|
Literary
Focus:
Epic
Hero,
Alliteration,
and
Kennings
The questions below refer to the selections “from Beowulf, Part One,” “from Grendel,” “Life in
999:
A
Grim
Struggle,”
and
“from
Beowulf,
Part
Two.”
____11.Which of the following quotations from Beowulf does not contain alliteration? |a.
|“The hoard-guard recognized / a human voice . . .” | |b. |“It was no easy thing / to have to
give ground like that and go. . . .” | |c. |“Then he addressed each dear companion. . . .” | |d.
|“‘I
remember
that
time
when
mead
was
flowing
.
.
.’”
|
____12.The archetypal epic hero stands in relation to his or her community as the hero — |a.
|who, as a supreme individual, is indifferent to the fate of others | |b. |who saves his or her
people from possible disaster | |c. |who gives his or her own life to protect those less worthy |
|d. |whose individual quest has nothing to do with the community |
____13.If you wanted to support the idea that Beowulf is an epic hero, you might best note
that he — |a. |displays intense pride in his country | |b. |becomes more humble over time |
|c. |loves nature and abhors civilization | |d. |embodies the ideal of Anglo-Saxon society |
____14.Which of the following quotations from Beowulf contains a kenning? |a. |“And all at
once the greedy she-wolf . . .” | |b. |“At last he saw the mud of the bottom.” | |c. |“He was
hunting another / Dead monster . . .” | |d. |“Grendel’s mother / Is hidden in her terrible home .
.
.”
|
Completion
Complete
each
Vocabulary
Choose
the
|resolute
Vocabulary
|vehemently
sentence
word
|infallible
that
|furled
or
best
completes
|lavish
|assail
statement.
Development
the
sentence.
|extolled
|
15.The hero was strong in body and _______________________ in his determination to win.
16.“Someone stole my treasure, and someone is going to pay!” shouted the
monster _______________________.
17.The fact that Beowulf is killed shows that he is an imperfect hero, not an
_______________________
one.
18.The warriors lift their goblets and _______________________ the hero with praise when he
enters
the
hall.
19.Although the hero was confident, doubts would sometimes _______________________ him
in
the
middle
of
the
night.
Short
Answer
Constructed
Response
The question below refers to the selections “from Beowulf, Part One,” “from Grendel,” “Life in
999:
A
Grim
Struggle,”
and
“from
Beowulf,
Part
Two.”
20.All epic heroes overcome powerful forces that arise from their particular ways of life.
Modern heroes may conquer the unknowns of outer space or bring food or medicine to hungry
people. The Anglo-Saxon hero slew monsters. Of course, monsters exist only in fantasy. But a
monster may be an archetypal symbol for some broader problem or challenge a society faces.
What challenges of Anglo-Saxon life are represented by the monsters Beowulf faces? Use your
knowledge of Anglo-Saxon society and of Beowulf. On a separate sheet of paper, write a
paragraph explaining your answer. To support your point, use specific references, including at
least
one
example
of
imagery,
from
the
poem.
Beowulf
Answer
Section
MULTIPLE
CHOICE
1.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
2.ANS:DOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
3.ANS:COBJ:12.1.3.1
(characterization)
4.ANS:COBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
5.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
6.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
7.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
8.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.1
(plot)
9.ANS:BOBJ:12.1.8
(Compare
10.ANS:DOBJ:12.2.1.2
11.ANS:COBJ:12.1.9.34
works
from
different
(comparing
cultures
and
(sound
and
literary
periods.)
contrasting)
devices)
12.ANS:BOBJ:12.1.11.6
13.ANS:DOBJ:12.1.11.6
(epic),
(epic),
12.1.9.5
12.2.2.10
(archetype)
(supporting
14.ANS:AOBJ:12.1.9.21
details)
(kenning)
COMPLETION
15.ANS:resolute
OBJ:12.3.3
(context
clues)
(context
clues)
(context
clues)
(context
clues)
(context
clues)
16.ANS:vehemently
OBJ:12.3.3
17.ANS:infallible
OBJ:12.3.3
18.ANS:lavish
OBJ:12.3.3
19.ANS:assail
OBJ:12.3.3
SHORT
20.ANS:
Students’
ANSWER
responses
will
vary.
A
sample
response
follows:
The Anglo-Saxon age was a time of frequent warfare, involving ruthless marauding and
ferocious attacks on peaceful settlements. The monsters’ attacks on human settlements may
symbolically represent attacks by enemy nations. No doubt each side viewed the other side’s
warfare as monstrously bloodthirsty—each side demonized the other. Grendel commits
wholesale slaughter at Herot, delighting in the blood he spills; Grendel’s mother takes savage
revenge; the dragon, furious because of the theft of his jewels, lays waste to all the land of the
Geats. Each monster is relentless, merciless, and vicious, like an invading warrior. The image of
a dragon jealously guarding his treasure makes this monster seems particularly like an
archetype of the human enemy. The image of Grendel invading the hall while his enemies are
asleep and blood spurting all around is also similar to something human warriors might have
been
seen
doing.
OBJ:12.1.11.6 (epic), 12.1.9.37 (symbolism), 12.1.10.1 (Evaluate the philosophical¸ political¸
religious¸ ethical¸ and social influences of a historical period.)