Humanities 1
Study Guide: Beowulf
Read the introduction as well as the text of the poem.
Know the following:
Who are these characters? What background do they come from? What functions or roles do they play in the story? What are their relationships to other characters? What notable things do they do? What is their fate?
1. The importance of Beowulf for English literature 2. The preservation of Beowulf from the Middle Ages to today 3. The survival of Beowulf from Saxon times to the present 4. The relationship between the story of Beowulf and history 5. The audience of Beowulf 6. The role of religion in Beowulf 7. What qualities define Beowulf as a ‘hero’? 8. Healfdene 9. Hrothgar 10. Modthryth 11. Grendel 12. Hygelac 13. the Geats 14. Finn 15. Hengest 16. Wiglaf 17. Ongentheow 18. thanes 19. Unferth 20. Hrunting 21. Hygd 22. the Dragon 23. Where does Grendel come from? 24. The forefather of Grendel’s kindred 25. How long does Grendel attack Heorot? 26. What is done at first to defend against Grendel? 27. What weapon Beowulf use against Grendel? 28. What does Beowulf want forwarded to his uncle if he dies while fighting Grendel? 29. What wound does Beowulf inflict on Grendel? 30. Who is responsible for Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel? 31. Where does Grendel die? 32. What is Beowulf given for his defeat of Grendel? 33. Why does Grendel’s mother attack Heorot? 34. What does Beowulf use to kill Grendel’s mother? 35. What do the Geats bring back to Heorot after Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother? 36. What does Beowulf give to Hygelac? 37. How does Hygelac die? 38. Why does the Dragon begin his rampage? 39. Where does the Dragon live? 40. What does the Dragon guard, and for how long?
page 2