Beowulf Comprehension Questions

I divided the comprehension questions amongst my group of 5. Meghan Martella answered the first 11. I completed 11-21 (as shown below), Hannah Savaso did 22-33, Zach Roy completed 34-45, and Bailey Wineman did the last two sections. Splitting up the questions made the work load more manageable and allowed us the view different perspectives of the story.

Celebration at Heorot

1. Beowulf is like Sigemond in that he loves displaying his courage and valor through warring battles. However, he is unlike Sigemond in that he would rather go into battle alone and rely on his own strength, than to do well commanding others and being a leader.

2. Hrothgar is esctatic about Beowulf's deed, and celebrates his victory by awarding him many gifts. Among those gifts is a sword. Unferth is rather quiet after Beowulf succeeded, because he was proven wrong.

3.  In the story of Finn the Frisians and the Danes are at war, and until Hildeburgh, a Dane, married Finn, Lord of the Frisians. This idea of using a bride as a way to heal two warring states was proved ineffective, because Hildeburgh's brother was killed when visiting her and Finn was later killed out of vengeance. 

4. Wealtheow asks Hrothgar to not give Beowulf the throne, but instead to keep the throne in the bloodline.

5. Beowulf gives the necklace to Hygelac, who later wears it in the battle in which he dies. Wealtheow asks Beowulf to guide and protect her children.

6. So many men remain in the beer hall to sleep because, now that Grendel is dead, they think it is completely safe. This is a mistake because Grendel's vengeful mother comes in the night and takes one of Hrothgar's men and her son's arm.

Another Attack

1. Grendel's mother comes to Heorot to get revenge for her son's death. This is different than Grendel's reason for tormenting the hall. Grendel just enjoyed the thrill of killing the men and stopping their constant celebrations.

2. Hrothgar's response is to ask Beowulf to kill Grendel's mother. Grendel's mother had killed Aeschere who was Hrothgar's close friend and advisor.

3. The mere is a strange swampy lake, where Grendel and his mother live in an underwater cave. 

Beowulf's Fight with Grendel's Mother

1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar to take care of the Geats and give all of his property to Hygelac in the event that he dies in his underwater battle.

2. Before Beowulf enters the mere, him and his men must fight of sea monsters and find the bloody remains of dead men that Grendel and his mother had slaughtered. Amongst these remains they find Aeschere's head, which is more motivation for the vengeful men.