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Beowulf Part I

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why was Grendel angry about King Hrothgar's men celebrating in the mead hall? Check ALL correct answers

a)

He was not invited to celebrate

b)

He was cursed as a descendant of Cain and therefore an outcast

c)

The men were too loud when celebrating in the mead hall

d)

He had a long standing feud with King Hrothgar and wanted revenge

2.

"But fate, that night, intended Grendel to gnaw the broken bones of his last human supper." This is an example of which literary term?

a)

hyperbole

b)

metaphor

c)

foreshadowing

d)

irony

3.

Grendel's mother killing King Hrothgar's best friend, Aeschere, and taking her son's arm is an example of which Anglo-Saxon concept?

a)

wyrd

b)

wergild

c)

comitatus

d)

mead hall

4.

"...Grendel's vicious attacks...coming to Herot...killing them...eating some on the spot...and running to his loathsome moor with another such sickening meal waiting in his pouch." Using context clues, which word could be replaced with "moor" in the above sentence?

a)

vehicle

b)

church

c)

burial grounds

d)

lair

5.

Why does the author describe the swampy area where Grendel and his mother live and then explain that wild animals will not even step into the water? Choose all correct answers.

a)

to foreshadow the great danger of this battle for Beowulf

b)

to scare Beowulf so he will not fight

c)

to use vivid imagery to set a spooky, threatening mood for this scene

d)

to explain that a swampy area is not an ideal place to live

6.

2. What is the meaning of the word loathsome as it appears in the following excerpt?


"...and running to his loathsome moor [land]/With another such sickening meal waiting/In his pouch." (lines 538-40)

a)

a desire, wish, or aspiration

b)

bravery, boldness, or fearlessness

c)

a problem or something that causes pain

d)

intense religious devotion

7.

"That mighty protector of men/Meant to hold the monster till its life/Leaped out..."


Considering the above example, which of the following best describes the tone that the poet takes when describing Beowulf in his battles?

a)

admiring; praising

b)

optimistic; hopeful

c)

disgusted; repulsed

d)

fearful; apprehensive

8.

How many men did Grendel kill the FIRST time he attacked the Mead hall?

a)

150

b)

100

c)

50

d)

30

9.

Before Beowulf came to Daneland, how many years had Grendel terrorized the mead hall?

a)

5

b)

12

c)

24

d)

36

10.

Grendel is said to be a descendant of which biblical character?

a)

Cain

b)

Noah

c)

King David

d)

Joseph

11.

"Then old and young rejoiced...mounted their hard-hooved horses, high-spirited stallions and rode them slowly toward Herot again..." This excerpt uses which literary device?

a)

onomatopoeia

b)

simile

c)

alliteration

d)

irony

12.

"that shepherd of evil," "the greedy she-wolf," and "mighty protector of men" are examples of which literary device?

a)

theme

b)

epic

c)

alliteration

d)

kenning

13.

What was the name of the sword Beowulf used when fighting Grendel's mother? (the one that did NOT work)

a)

Cain

b)

Excalibur

c)

Aeschere

d)

Hrunting

14.

What battle gear saved Beowulf when he fought Grendel's mother? Choose all that apply.

a)

Hrunting

b)

a giant's sword

c)

chain mail

d)

shield

15.

Why could Hrothgar's men not kill Grendel all those years? And why could Beowulf not kill Grendel's mother with Hrunting?

a)

Grendel and his mother cast a spell on man made weapons

b)

the men were too weak

c)

Grendel and his mother can only be killed at sunrise

d)

Grendel and his mother have thick skin