Beowulf
Name ___________________________________
English 12 – Mr. Brown
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Part 1 – Grendel Attacks the Danes
(Lines 1-84, pages 24-26)
1. Describe where Grendel lives and the nature of his origins.
2. What does the conflict between the Danes and Grendel symbolize? Why is Grendel
unable to touch Hrothgar’s throne?
3. Define kenning. Provide examples of kennings from the first part of Beowulf.
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Part 2 – The Coming of Beowulf
(Lines 85-268, pages 26-30)
1. Why does Beowulf arrive in Hrothgar’s kingdom?
2. According to Beowulf, what are Hrothgar’s options?
3. In this part, Beowulf makes a prediction based on prior events. What past events are
described? What does Beowulf predict will happen in the future?
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Part 3 – The Battle with Grendel
(Lines 269-420, pages 30-34)
1. Summarize what happens during the battle between Grendel and Beowulf.
2. How does Hrothgar reward Beowulf?
3. What does Hrothgar's generosity say about his character?
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Part 4 – The Battle with Grendel’s Mother
(Lines 421-579, pages 34-38)
1. Why does Grendel’s mother try to kill Beowulf?
2. Describe the battle and its outcome.
3. After the struggle with Grendel’s mother, why does Beowulf search for Grendel? Why
does he feel the way he does?
4. The literary term deus ex machina refers to the improbable and unexpected introduction
of a person or device to make things turn out right. In your opinion, does the term apply to
Beowulf’s fight with Grendel’s mother? Explain.
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Part 5 – The Battle with the Dragon
(Lines 580-1090, pages 38-49)
1. What incident leads the dragon on the path to vengeance?
2. Describe the battle and its outcome.
3. Why does Wiglaf come to Beowulf’s aid in his fight with the dragon?
4. In what ways are Beowulf and Wiglaf similar? In what ways are they different?
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Part 6 – The Funeral Fire
(Lines 1091-1135, pages 49-50)
1. Describe the ending of Beowulf.
2. At the end of the poem, is the view of Beowulf positive or negative? Explain.
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