Test Dates:
*NOTE: THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN EXAM DATES. SEE BELOW:
Period 7: Wednesday, December 2
Period 8: Thursday, December 3
Readings to Review:
Beowulf reading (Modern English version)
Beowulf : Historical Backgound
Beowulf: Appeal and Value
Beowulf: The Germanic Hero
Pagan & Christian Influence Sheet
Passages for close reading (scroll down for list)
Class notes on struggle, strength, and perseverance
Class notes on Introduction to Beowulf and Old English (listening notes)
Class notes on Heorot before, during, and after Beowulf’s battle with Grendel
Class notes on descriptions of Grendel
Passages for close reading and interpretation:
*You will be asked questions about these specific passages.
p. 3, paragraph 2, “Hrothgar decided…”
p. 3, right column, 2nd to last paragraph, “As the Geats…”
p. 5, right column, 3rd - 8th paragraph, “Beowulf sprang to his feet…” to “to celebrate Beowulf’s victory
p. 3, paragraphs 3 – 8, “Hrothgar and his noble warriors…” - …”no avenging death…”
p. 5, paragraph 8, “Grendel, the shadow walker…”
p. 4, paragraph 3 - 6, “Standing before Hrothgar…” – “…your purpose and plan”
p. 4, paragraph 3, “From the days of my youth…”
p. 6, paragraph 2 - 5, “Hrothgar gave Beowulf…” – “…woven for them…”
Vocabulary/Unit 4:
abscond (p 7 only)
access (p 7 only)
anarchy
arduous
auspicious
biased
daunt
disentangle
root –auto-
root –bio-
root –chron-
root –cosmo-
Vocabulary / Beowulf & Old English:
epic
manuscript
contemporary
religious
secular
unique
pagan
dialect
solidarity
fellowship
unity
unalterable fate
wyrd (Old English word)
hapax legoma
thane
lord
aristocratic
retributive justice
wergild (Old English word)
feud
faith
mead-house / mead-hall
gable
hero
Characters, Settings, Weaponry:
*Be able to describe each in a sentence or two.
Hrothgar
Unferth
Grendel
Beowulf
Hygelac
Breca
Wiglaf
Wyrd
Grendel
Grendel’s mother
Fire-Dragon
Spear-Danes
Storm-Geats
Geatland
Heorot
Cain
Wulfgar
warrior who hides the gold in the stone wall
slave who discovers hidden gold
slave’s master
Naegling
giant-sword
Hrunting
iron shield
Literary Elements:
epic
theme
setting
action
symbol
synecdoche (p 8 only)
Short-Answer Questions:
You must explain your responses in 2-5 sentences to earn points.
1) Why does the Beowulf epic contain both pagan tradition and obvious Christian influence?
2) Provide specific examples of pagan influences in the epic.
3) Provide specific examples of Christian influences in the epic.
4) What inferences have scholars made about the poet’s identity? How have scholars come to these conclusions?
5) Provide specific examples from the epic to support the following attributes of a hero.
a) hero must create a meaningful life in a world that is often dangerous and uncaring
b) hero must accept the inevitability of death
c) hero takes pride in himself and his accomplishments
d) hero chooses to reject despair
d) hero values human relationships
6) What do the following characters/settings symbolize?
a) Beowulf
b) Grendel
c) Heorot
7) How do the setting changes of Heorot and the battle between Grendel and Beowulf develop a theme of human struggle, strength, and perseverance?
8) What other themes are conveyed through the symbolic representations of Beowulf, Grendel, and Heorot? Discuss 3 separate themes and how those themes are conveyed. (Some starting points include: loyalty, pride, honor, courage, jealousy/envy, experience)
Test Format:
Multiple-Choice
Character Descriptions
Short-Answer
Matching
Quote Identifications
