Beowulf Comprehension Questions

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)
1. Scyld was abandoned as a baby, but he became a successful leader- that’s what was unusual. Scyld’s body was sailed away on a boat, like the way he had come as an infant. Hrothgar is Scyld’s grandson.

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)1.Hrothgar built Heorot, a mead hall. Grendel attacks Heorot and kills Hrothgar’s men, making Hrothgar sad.  Grendel attacked the next night and a war started. It lasted over twelve years. The Danes leave their Christian beliefs and go back to paganism. 

[The Hero Comes to Heorot] (lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)
1. What Beowulf hears of Grendel attacking Heorot, he, along with fourteen men, goes to Heorot in order to kill Grendel.
2. The Geats first meet a warden who asks them stated their business. Beowulf introduces himself and tells the guard that they came to help Hrothgar get rid of Grendel
3. Hrothgar’s herald’s name is Wulfgar. He also asks for an introduction and the reason that they came, and he encourages Hrothgar to meet the men. Hrothgar says that he knows Beowulf. No, it does not surprise me that Hrothgar knew who Beowulf was because if news of Grendel reached the Geats, then news of the Geats might have reached Heorot.
4. Beowulf assures Hrothgar that he will get rid of Grendel. Hrothgar gave treasures to Beowulf’s father’s enemies so that he could avoid conflict.

[Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)
1. Unferth accuses Beowulf of loses a swimming competition with another warrior. Beowulf first blames Unferth for being drunk before he states that there were many sea monsters that he had to kill and that they were both young when it had happened. This excerpt is relevant to the poem because Beowulf is the main character, and readers can know more about him. Beowulf accuses Unferth of killing his own brothers.
2. Queen Wealhtheow handed everyone mead.

[The Fight with Grendel] (lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)
1. Unlike many other heroes, Beowulf relinquishes his weapons and armor, putting his fate in God’s hand.
2. When Grendel enters Heorot, he takes and eats one of the Geats. Beowulf grabs Grendel’s arm, and Grendel becomes afraid due to Beowulf’s strength. Grendel tries to leave, and Beowulf’s warriors try to help. However, their swords don’t affect Grendel. Grendel does leave, but his arm gets torn off. After he leaves, Grendel goes to die.

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)
1. Beowulf is like Sigemund because he is “war-like”, but he is not like Heremond who planned out his wars.
2. Hrothgar is terribly excited and says that he thinks of Beowulf as a son. Hrothgar says that he will give Beowulf anything that he desired. Unferth was proven wrong by Beowulf successfully killing Grendel.
3. The story is about Finn, who was a Frisian king. Many of his followers were killed, including Hnaef. Finn’s wife pressures him to end the conflict due to the many deaths. This suggests that a woman’s wisdom is much needed in a marriage that might end enmity.

4.When the feasting resumes Wealhtheow reminds Hrothgar that he has his own sons, so she asks him not to put Beowulf on the  throne.
5. Beowulf gives the necklace to Queen Hygd. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to look after her daughters and protect them if needed.
6. Many men sleep in the beer hall because there is no more room in the sleeping quarters. This is a mistake because Grendel’s mother comes to retrieve Grendel’s torn arm and proceeds to take Hrothgar’s closest companion.

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)
1. Grendel’s mother came to Heorot for a different reason than Grendel. She came to take back her son’s torn arm and get revenge by taking Hrothgar’s friend.
2. Hrothgar is immensely saddened because Grendel’s mother had killed his closest friend.
3. The mere is like a lake.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother] (lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar that if he should die in battle with Grendel’s mother, Hrothgar should give his treasure to Hygelac.
2. Beowulf and his men find the bloody remains of the men that Grendel’s mother had taken.
3. Beowulf puts on some armor, and he takes the sword Hrunting.
4. Grendel’s Mother tries to crush Beowulf, but his armor prevents it from happening. The mere is filled with other sea monsters.
5. The sword that Beowulf borrowed from Unferth doesn’t harm Grendel’s mother.
6. Beowulf sees a sword hanging in the lair and uses it to kill her.
7. Beowulf uses a big sword to to cut her throat. When Grendel’s mother dies, the sword melts, so Beowulf takes the hilt of the sword to Hrothgar.
8. All of the other men had left after they lost hope that Beowulf would return alive.

Answers above courtesy of the amazing Ashley Hong

Further Celebration at Heorot.

1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar the hilt of the sword he used to kill Grendel and his mother as their blood had melted away the blade.
2. Hrothgar tells Beowulf the story of Heremod who ruled by using fear and an iron-fist. He was selfish and lost the support of his people. Hrothgar tells Beowulf to learn from this as God gives the power to rule and gain wealth, but an unguarded-soul is required to go beyond that power.
3. To Unferth, Beowulf leaves Hrunthing, the sword that had accompanied him for so long and served him well.

Beowulf Returns Home

1. Hrothgar approves of Beowulf, believing he would make a wise and worthy king .
2. Hygd is the wife of Hyegelac. She is very kind unlike Modthryth who was a ruthless ruler and would have men killed if they looked her way.
3. Beowulf wishes to marry off Freawaru in order to buy time by creating peace with the Heathobards. He knows that fighting will resume, but hopes that some agreement will be able to made before then. This shows that Beowulf has tactical skills as well as his strength.
4. He casually refers to his defeat of Grendel, not to be arrogant, but to remind himself and others to have faith in his decisions. 
5. He is given Hygelac's boar standard, suit of armor, and a sword from Hrothgar. He is told to use it well, showing that Hygelac has respect for him and believes in his greatness.

Beowulf and The Dragon

The Dragon Wakes

1. This section takes place 50 years after the events of the first. In that time, both Hygelac and Heardred have died.
2. The dragon was angry because a tribe of people had stolen some of his treasure. The tribe had followed the lone man who stole the cup to where the treasure was hidden.
3. The dragon attacked the countryside of the Geats, burning everything down and killing many people.
4. He believes the dragon is looking for him and has an iron shield crafted to withstand the dragon's fire. Beowulf once again says he will fight barehanded, but he will die fighting.
5. Hygelac died during an invasion from another tribe. Beowulf vowed to avenge his death and is offered the chance to rule Hygelac's kingdom but refuses.
6. It is unclear as to how Heardred died, but his death was most likely caused by the dragon. Beowulf is determined to kill the dragon, far more than he was when he had to battle Grendel.
7. He takes 13 men to with him to fight the dragon.
8. Heardred is killed by the men of the Swedish King. Beowulf then kills all who were responsible for hsi death causing tension between the Geats and the Swedish.

Beowulf Attacks the Dragon

1. Beowulf orders his men to wait outside and to only help if he is in a dire situation.
2. He fails to severely injure the dragon and gets burned by its flames. Beowulf's companions abandon him and flee into the forest, Wiglaf condemns them for leaving their king to death and goes to assist Beowulf.
3. Once again, Beowulf cannot harm the dragon and is fatally injured himself. Wiglaf, fueled by anger, manages to kill the beast.
4. Wiglaf is instructed to retrieve the dragon's treasure. Upon his return, Beowulf is pleased by the amount of gold, happy that he will not die poor. Beowulf then make Wiglaf king and asks to be buried in a tower.

Beowulf's Funeral

1. Wiglaf is furious at the companions for leaving their King behind and worries that the Geats will become targets of neighboring clans.
2. The city is informed of Beowulf's death. The Geats are harassed by Ongentheow's army and Hygelac brings reinforcements. Ongetheow is killed by Eofor who was avenging his brother's death. The Geats are told by the messenger to place the gold on Beowulf's pyre so it will melt with him. The dragon is the final image in the messenger's speech.
3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that the death and sacrifice of one person can caused so much pain to those around them and to do it so hastily.
4. The dragon's body is left untouched, but its treasure is used in the Beowulf's pyre.
5. Beowulf's body burns, a widow sings about the dangers to come, and a tower is built on the site of the funeral pyre.
6. "Thus made their mourning the men of Geatland,
   for their hero's passing his hearth-companions:
   quoth that of all the kings of earth,
   of men he was mildest and most beloved,
   to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise." 
   These are not  words that describe a warrior, they are words that describe a King. Fearless and selfless, beloved by his people because everything he did was for his people.