Honors English IV Beowulf Review Beowulf Test Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free. Instead, he is able to fight Grendel with courage because he's already accepted that he will probably die in the attempt. Contrast Beowulf and Hermod. 5. Beowulf is close to being defeated. By Staff Writer Last Updated Mar 25, 2020 6:32:44 AM ET. - Why does the dragon terrorize the Geats? Beowulf’s Last Battle (line 606-735) - What does Beowulf do after his battles in Denmark? Along these lines, the gap of fifty years between the first two conflicts and the last marks the dividing line. Beowulf spake, Ecgtheow’s son: / “Recall now, oh, famous kinsman of Healfdene, / Prince very prudent, now to part I am ready, / Gold-friend of earlmen, what erst we agreed on The last battle between the dragon and Beowulf was the final battle in Beowulf’s life. Beowulf's battle with Grendel serves as Beowulf's first great, heroic achievement in the poem. But now a fire-breathing dragon ravages his land and the doughty but aging Beowulf engages it. - How long does Beowulf rule as king? The narrator says that "for the first time, fate did not make Beowulf the winner in battle." “Warrior who bravely does battle with the creature.” Beowulf has prior experience with fighting monsters. Beowulf wants to impress those who do not know him, assert his authroty so others will follow him into battle against Grendel, and make clear to all present that he alone deserves the honor of killing the monster. He gives an inaccurate version of Beowulf’s swim match with Breca.3. His request is granted by Hrothgar, King of the Danes, so he and his man enter into the battle themselves so that when Grendel is defeated, the glory, love and respect belong solely to Beowulf and his men. Blade. Arthur does the same, "he met with his man and his horse, and so mounted up and dressed his shield and took his spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry there till he came again." 46-49 4. The armor and weapon Beowulf used was practically useless. 5. 555 Tight in my flesh. 203 “As he was loved by the Geats” He was highly thought of in his own country. Who gave him the sword? Beowulf explains what really happened.4. His men, upon seeing this and fearing for their lives, retreat into the woods. The monster came quickly toward him, Pouring out fire and smoke, hurrying. From death. Unferth2. - What circumstances allow Beowulf to take the throne as “King of the Geats”? How long does the feud between Grendel and Hrothgar last? It attacks, breathing flame. Lines 623-713. In a poignant passage, the dying king says that "fate has swept / all my kinsmen to their final doom" (2814-15). Beowulf's sword fails when he strikes. The two slay the dragon, but Beowulf is mortally wounded. Beowulf pp. The depictions of Anglo-Saxon culture in "Beowulf" include displays of strength, valor, honor and boastfulness of early epic traditions. What Anglo-Saxon code of valor does Beowulf demonstrate in lines 624-626? What is Beowulf’s final challenge? Into battle. Where does the final episode of the epic take place? The Last Battle. 1. They are awaiting the arrival of the monster. Who challenges Beowulf’s honor? In Beowulf, Beowulf fights three different monsters. LESSON 7: BEOWULF: Beowulf's Last Battle, The Death of Beowulf, Mourning BeowulfLESSON 8: BEOWULF: Debriefing and Wrap-Up ... they must stand at my doorway and must answer my question correctly to enter the classroom. With what weapon does Beowulf plan to fight Grendel? Beowulf’s courage, though motivated primarily by his own notion of fate, is, none the less, unwavering. What are Beowulf’s position and age in the concluding part of the poem? He resigns to fate, which is a pagan concept, but he makes no mention of God. How does the contrast help define Beowulf’s character? The Battle with Grendel pp.50-54 7. The beast came closer; both of them. Provide examples from Beowulf to support your positions. One of the main thematic points highlighted by such a division is the difference in responsibilities of the warrior and of the king. And as a hero he achieved his desire for immortality through the poem itself. 6. (Beowulf 63) As one of Beowulf's last surviving kinsmen, ... the fact that he has made a promise is enough to hold him to it; other circumstances do not enter into his consideration of the situation. Having spoken his last, Beowulf "chose / the high battle-flames; out from his breast / his soul went to seek the doom of the just" (2818-20). Why? Explain how the belief in destiny influences the thought and actions of at least three (3) characters in Beowulf. How does he do so? What two concerns motivate Beowulf to fight the dragon? Woven across my breast, saved me . A monster seized me, drew me . By Staff Writer Last Updated Mar 28, 2020 ... and all but Beowulf fall asleep. 4. How Does "Beowulf" Reflect the Anglo-Saxon Culture? Alternatively, one might make a division of the text into two parts, examining youth and old age as the two distinctive phases of Beowulf’s life. But fate let me . He might seem a little boastful at first, but he manages to prove his boasts therefore making him a true and powerful man. Were ready, each set on slaughter. It opens in Denmark ... passes rapidly over King Hygelac’s subsequent death in a battle (of historical record), the death of his son, and Beowulf’s succession to the kingship and his peaceful rule of 50 years. 300 305 310 315 Then he drew himself up beside his shield. What do you think this confrontation reveals about each of the men? Answer the question. Beowulf seeked help from his knights, but only one person helped him. Each fight shows an important part of Beowulf. One of his men, Wiglaf, however, in great distress at Beowulf's plight, comes to his aid. What does the sword’s failure in battle suggest about its owner? 363-364 “Led by a warrior called Beowulf.” To its fate. Was waiting, unsheathed, his sharp and gleaming. Beowulf wanted the battle to be something everyone remembered. Describe the battle between Grendel and Beowulf. He's humiliated. W. P. Ker, a nineteenth-century critic, asserts the dragons are commonly fit for fables and contain more of a fantastic nature than Grendel does. Into life—and the iron hammered links . The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet trusted in his own strength entirely and went under the crag. Find its heart with my sword, hack myself Free; I fought that beast’s last battle, His raids throughout the countryside lead to a battle with Beowulf, the king's last. No coward path. How does Beowulf respond to the challenge? How does Beowulf’s acceptance of fate show his deep sense of responsibility to his people? After all, if you accept the worst possible outcome, there's nothing left to make you afraid. Find 2 examples of the Danes belief in Christianity. Wealhtheow, wife of Hrothgar and queen of the Danes, enters with the ceremonial goblet, which she offers to everyone in the room. What sword does Beowulf take into battle? Swiftly toward the bottom, swimming with its claws . = He is a brave and bold man. The Geats’ Great prince stood firm, unmoving, prepared. 550 Of my mail shirt, these shining bits of metal . Beowulf's sword fails for the first time; he has to retreat. The dragon blasts him with "death-fire." He must follow his ancestors. 1. barrow n.: a hill. “Fate will go as it should.” (Line 455) The Anglo Saxons believed that people lived life as an every day struggle against undefeatable odds and that a man’s “wyrd” or fate would be what it would be (Chickenring 269). Lines 915-1231. The first monster he fights is Grendel, the second is Grendel’s mom, and the third is a dragon. To Higlac? The dragon takes a deep breath and hits Beowulf with another blast of fire. At the conclusion of the feast, Beowulf pledges to Queen Wealhtheow that he will either defeat Grendel that night or die in his efforts to do so. 3. Two Men, Three Swords, and a Great Mead-Hall. Although Beowulf's warriors try to help, their swords have no effect upon Grendel. Why does Beowulf choose to use weapons in this situation? Beowulf’s ancient sword. Armor. What does Beowulf’s speech just before fighting Grendel’s mother suggest about his relationship to his men? Beowulf descends to do battle with the dragon, but finds himself outmatched. Beowulf falls into two parts. Beowulf does believe in fate, and his premonition leads him to believe his time has come. Grendel arrives and kills one of Beowulf's warriors, but then Beowulf seizes him in his powerful grip and refuses to let go. Yet, he also wants to reflect on his life , to relive his "glory days" before his last battle. He believes that Grendel is much better suited than a dragon; however, a dragon turns up in Beowulf. Beowulf’s last battle with a dragon is the final substantial fantastic element in this epic poem. The author does, however, associate fate with elements of Christianity at other points in the narrative. Breca A royal member of the Brondings, he and Beowulf engaged in a swimming contest against each other as adolescents, which Unferth claims Beowulf lost. Beowulf's Kingdom and the Dragon. Ten of Beowulf's hand-picked men break ranks and run for their lives into the woods nearby. The subsiding of the wind may indicate a divine purpose, and the sky swallowing the smoke may suggest the acceptance of Beowulf's spirit into heaven. This morbid outlook frees him from fear. How does the watchmen respond to Beowulf's explanation of why they have come to the rescue of the Danes? Fifty years have passed since the titular hero of the Old English epic poem, Beowulf and the Geats returned to Geatland, in Sweden, from Denmark. 418-419 “Have watched me rise from the darkness of war/ Dripping with my enemies’ blood.” Beowulf is unafraid to fight, whether is be bloody or not. Wiglaf is the last of the Waegmundings, Beowulf's clan, but he has earned the right to rule, not inherited it. The wind dies down as the pyre is lit, allowing the smoke to rise high, so high that the sky seems to swallow it. What does this idea say about the Danish belief in fate? The Anglo-Saxon’s understanding of fate is that it is a force that controls a man’s life regardless of his actions. The feast ends, and the Danes retire to safety. Behind his high shield, waiting in his shining. The 17th act of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf includes Beowulf's fight with a dragon, the third monster he encounters in the epic.On his return from Heorot, where he killed Grendel and Grendel's mother, Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules wisely for fifty years until a slave awakens and angers a dragon by stealing a jeweled cup from its lair. Into life—and the iron hammered links ... 290 Free; I fought that beast’s last battle, ... What does Beowulf’s speech reveal about his character? Beowulf's shield protects him, but not for long enough. Section Three: The Battle between Grendel and Beowulf. Find 3 examples of Beowulf’s belief in Fate. Beowulf doesn't enter into his battle with Grendel expecting to triumph over the demon. Beowulf’s confidence cheers the whole hall, and soon the warriors are laughing and drinking happily. If students do not answer their question correctly, they must proceed to the back of the line and await a new question. Knowing that Grendel comes to Heorot to find victims, Beowulf and his warriors stay at Heorot.