Beowulf Review

Which story element demonstrates the influence of Christianity in Beowulf?

• The warriors exchange weapons before commencing battle.

• Beowulf seeks great treasures as prizes from battles in order to ensure his fame.

• The monster Grendel and his mother are descendants of Cain.

• A band of scops sing poems of praise in Beowulf's honor.

Answer explanation

In the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, Cain sins by killing his brother Abel. In Beowulf, Grendel is said to be a descendant of Cain.

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Which of the following is not characteristic of epic heroes?

• They are of divine or noble birth.

• They are tasked with rescuing a princess.

• They have superhuman strength.

• They reflect the values of their culture.

Answer explanation

Epic heroes usually have divine or noble ancestry, possess superhuman strength or skills, and reflect the values of their culture.

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Which of the following is often used to elevate the language of an epic story?

• Exaggeration and a serious tone

• Settings that take place on distant planets

• A war between two different civilizations

• Personification and cliffhangers

Answer explanation

Epics are told in a serious tone, and they tend to exaggerate details on a grand scale, such as lengthy speeches or extensive lists of treasures.

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Which of the following is a compound word or phrase that substitutes for a noun or name?

• Alliteration

• Caesura

• Kenning

• Rhyme

Answer explanation

A kenning is a compound word or phrase that substitutes for a noun or name, such as whale-path.

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Which of the following is a pause that divides a line of poetry into two parts?

• Alliteration

• Caesura

• Kenning

• Rhyme

Answer explanation

A caesura is a pause that divides a line of poetry into two parts, such as "Then let from his breast, // for he burst with rage."

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Which story element demonstrates the influence of Scandinavian warrior culture in Beowulf?

• Beowulf lives his whole life without having any children of his own.

• Wiglaf inherits the throne because he proves his worth in honoring the values of loyalty and kinship.

• The sword Hrunting fails to help Beowulf defeat Grendel's mother.

• After Beowulf slays Grendel's mother, the hall lights up as bright as "heaven's candle."

Answer explanation

Wiglaf is the only warrior who holds true to the Scandinavian values of honor and kinship. Thus, he faithfully battles by Beowulf's side and later inherits the throne.

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Which literary device helps establish mood in Old English poetry?

• Alliteration

• Imagery

• Negative connotations

• Descriptive language

Answer explanation

Alliteration such as blundering back with the butchered corpses creates a barbaric mood.

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Which characteristic does not reflect Grendel as the antagonist?

• Selfless

• Ultimate force of evil

• Devourer of scores of people

• Destroyer of places of joy

Answer explanation

The supernatural creature Grendel is entirely in opposition of Beowulf. He is Beowulf's antagonist because he is the ultimate force of evil and excess compared to Beowulf representing a cultural ideal. He was creating havoc and ruled in defiance of right, devouring scores of people and destroying places of joy. He shows no remorse for his murders, and if Beowulf if "right," then Grendel is wrong.

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Which actions or deeds explain how Beowulf reflects a typical characteristic of a hero in an epic poem?

• takes a long journey

• confronts a monster

• requests his mail-shirt to be sent back to his people if he is killed.

• creates havoc.

Answer explanation

The action of a long journey to confront a monster is heroic because it is selfless and brave. Beowulf's fight with Grendel is an example of good fighting evil. Beowulf tells King Hrothgar that if Grendel kills him, the king should send back his mail-shirt so that people in Geatland will know he died. This reflects the courage and nobility of a hero.

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An example of a kenning is...

• The dread of the land was desperate to escape

• Grendel was the name of this grim demon

• Beowulf's warriors worked to defend their lord's life

• With his own hands he had killed Heatholaf

Answer explanation

The dread of the land is a kenning for Grendel.

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