beowulf guided reading questions
TRANSCRIPT
Humanities—Mr.Alper Name____________________________________________
BeowulfPartIQuestions Date__________________________ Period_____________
Beowulf Guided Reading Questions RecallandComprehensionQuestions
1.WhatdoscholarsassumeabouttheoriginsofBeowulf?
2.WhatisthepoeticstyleofBeowulf?
3.WhowasShild?WhydidtheDaneslovehim?Howdidtheyshowit?
4.WhoisHrothgar?
5.WhatwasHerot?WhywasitimportanttotheDanes?
6.WhowasGrendel?Whatishisbackground?
7.HowlongdoesGrendelterrorizetheDanes?Whatdoeshenotdoduringallthattime?
8.WhoisBeowulf?
9.WhatreasondoesBeowulfgiveforgoingtoDenmark?
10.WhatdoesBeowulftellHrothgarabouthimselfwhentheyfirstmeet?
11.WhatdoesUnferthsaytoBeowulf?HowdoesBeowulfrespond?
12.WhatdoBeowulf’smenthinkaboutastheygotosleepinHerot?
13.HowdoesGrendelreactwhenBeowulfseizeshim?
14.HowdoesBeowulfdefeatGrendel?WhatdoesGrendeldoafterward?
15.HowdoesGrendel’smotheravengehisdeath?
16.DescribeGrendel’smother’slair
17.WhatisHrunting?WhathappenswhenBeowulfusesit?
18.HowdoesBeowulfultimatelydefeatGrendel’smother?
19.HowlonghasBeowulfbeenrulingtheGeatsatthebeginningofPartIII?
20.WhatpromptsthedragontoattacktheGeats?
21.HowmanymendoesBeowulftakewithhimtofacethedragon?
22.Whatdohismendowhenthedragonattacks?
23.WhoisWiglaf?Whatdoeshedothatdistinguisheshimfromtheothers?
24.Howisthedragondefeated?
25.WhydoesBeowulfsayhecandiehappily?
26.WhatdotheGeatsdowithBeowulf’sbequest?
AnalysisandInterpretationQuestions:PartI:1.Inthefirstpartofthepoem,theBeowulf‐poetportraysasuccessfulking.ThroughHrothgar’s
achievements,thepoetsuggestshisownsystemofvalues.Whatseemstomattermosttopeopleinhissociety?
2.DuringtheaccountofthefightbetweenBeowulfandGrendel,thenarrativepointofviewkeepsshifting.Whoseviewpointsarerepresented?Whataretheconsequencesforthereaderofthisshiftingperspective?
PartII:1.IntheaccountsofBeowulf’svictoriesoverbothGrendelandhismother,anothermandiesbeforeBeowulfis
victorious.ThispuzzlessomereaderswhothinkBeowulfshouldhavepreventedthesedeaths.Whymightthepoethavedecidedtoincludethesedeaths?
2.ThepoethasanunusuallylongdescriptionofGrendel’smother’slair.Whatpurposesdoesthispassageserve?
PartIII1.ThereareanumberofparallelsbetweenBeowulf’syouthfulfightwithGrendelandGrendel’smother,and
hislastbattlewiththedragon.Compareandcontrastthesecriticalfeatures:(a)thecauseofeachmonster’sattackonhumanity;(b)Beowulf’smotivesincounteringtheattack;(c)Beowulf’spreparationsforbattle;(d)thesymbolicdetailsofthefightasitprogresses;and(e)itsconclusion.
2.ComparethefidelityofBeowulf’smeninthethreemajorbattleshefights.Whatpatternemerges?
3.Attheendofthepoem,doestheattitudetowardstherewardsoftreasureandthevalueofmaterialwealthshift?
4.ForwhatreasonsdoBeowulfandhismenplanandcarryouttheelaboratefuneralatthepoem’send?
5.Nowthatyouhavefinishedthestory,reconsiderwhytheBeowulf‐poetbeganwithShild’sfuneral.