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Beowulf: The Monster Grendel

Total questions: 28

Worksheet time: 14mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The events in epic poems reflect the culture and time in which they are written. Beowulf does this by--

a)

Making use of long speeches to show the speaking style and diction of the time

b)

Employing formal syntax to create a sense of how serious people were at the time

c)

Telling a story celebrating a noble and courageous hero who is a product of his time

d)

Using details that reflect historical events from a time preceding the action

2.

The story-teller substitutes the name Grendel with the kenning God-cursed brute in order to--

a)

Emphasize the depth of Grendel's evil

b)

Describe the havoc Grendel creates in detail for the reader

c)

Show the reader that Grendel presents no real challenge

d)

Stress the excess of Grendel's greed

3.

The poem says that to rid themselves of Grendel, the people sometimes went to pagan shrines and made offerings to idols. What does this most reveal about the people there?

a)

They are so weak that they decide to join the evil force that they could not beat.

b)

They are angry at Grendel, so they plot against him with idols.

c)

They are disgusted with the state of Heorot, so they need a quick fix.

d)

They are so desperate for relief that they are willing to try whatever might help.

4.
What is Herot?
a)
The mead hall
b)
Beowulf's ship
c)
Hrothgar's home
d)
Grendel's lair
5.
What is a kenning?
a)
Renaming a person
b)
Repetition of sounds
c)
Break in the middle of a line
d)
Comparison to something else
6.
Which is an example of a kenning for Beowulf?
a)

Mankind's enemy

b)

Strong-slayer

c)

Hrothgar's follower

d)

Evil fiend

7.
Which is an example of a kenning for Grendel? 
a)
Higlac's follower
b)
Mightiest of warriors
c)
Mankind's enemy
d)
Strongest of the Geats
8.
What is an alliteration?
a)
Renaming a person
b)
Repetition of a sound
c)
Break in the middle of a line
d)
Comparison of something 
9.
Choose the example of an alliteration.
a)
The brave watchman
b)
So mankind's enemy
c)
Glowing in the sun
d)
Sliding silently
10.
Grendel descended from:
a)
Cain
b)
Abel
c)
Abraham
d)
Moses
11.
"Hrothgar's heart" is an example of what? 
a)
Alliteration
b)
Caesura
c)
Kenning
d)
Metaphor
12.
Beowulf comes from which country?
a)
Denmark
b)
Geatland
c)
Sweden
d)
Norway
13.
Beowulf was written in which language? 
a)
Middle English
b)
Modern English
c)
Swedish
d)
Old English
14.

Where does Grendel live?

a)

deep in the swamp/marsh

b)

the jungle

c)

the ocean

d)

the city

15.

How many winters did Grendel terrorize Herot?

a)

150 years

b)

6 years

c)

30 years

d)

12 winters/years

16.

What was the name of the Mead Hall?

a)

Herot

b)

Bungalow

c)

Mead Hall

d)

House of the Danes

17.
What does "wyrd" mean? 
a)
Weird
b)
Strange 
c)
Fate 
d)
Another name for a person 
18.
What does oral tradition mean? 
a)
When stories are passed down by word of mouth for generations
b)
When the stories are published for all to see on stone tablets 
c)
When the king holds council 
d)
The practice of spitting into another's mouth to show friendship. 
19.
What is a kenning? 
a)
a place where dogs are kept 
b)
when several words start with the same letter 
c)
When a king can do whatever he wants 
d)
A short descriptive phrase used in place of a name 
20.
Who passed down stories from generation to generation? 
a)
The youngest member of the village. 
b)
The king
c)
The scop
d)
The only person who could read and write. 
21.
Who first wrote down the story of Beowulf? 
a)
An ancient scop
b)
A Christian monk
c)
An Medieval scholar 
d)
King Hrothgar 
22.
The religion of the Anglo Saxons was ___, but they converted to ___. 
a)
Christian to Pagan 
b)
Pagan/polytheistic, Christian 
c)
Buddhism to Christian 
d)
Christian to polytheism 
23.

Which of the following words is a loyalty agreement between a king/lord and a thane?

a)

wergild

b)

wyrd

c)

comitatus

d)

polytheism

24.

Why was Grendel terrorizing Herot?

a)

He disliked Danish food

b)

He was annoyed by the loud music and noises

c)

He had hoped for a pool instead

d)

He was never invited to their parties

25.

Mead is made from ______is similar to ______.

a)

grapes; wine

b)

hops; beer

c)

agave; tequila

d)

honey; wine

26.

Which of the following is a characteristic of the human condition?

a)

Success

b)

Fame

c)

Conflict

d)

War

27.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the human condition?

a)

Emotion(s)

b)

Aspiration(s)

c)

Comraderie

d)

Mortality (death)

28.

What is NOT a reason Beowulf is still studied?

a)

First scribed ENG story

b)

JRR Tolkien loved it.

c)

Depicts a hero's journey

d)

To make students believe in dragons.