Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________ Baker Eng IV

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_____1. In lines 104-110, which of the following is not a word or phrase used to describe Healfdane’s son? a. Sorrowful c. Unable to let go of grief b. Bitter d. Far-off home _____2. From reading lines 120-123, what characteristics do you think the fourteen men that Beowulf chose to accompany him had in common? a. Young, wealthy, independent b. Strong, married, perfect eyesight c. Orphans, poor, eager to make a name for themselves d. Proven warriors, skilled in battle, courageous _____3. At what point in the story is Beowulf introduced? a. When the poet tells of Beowulf’s birth and upbringing as a nobleman’s son. b. When Grendel hears tales of Beowulf’s strength and courage and challenges him to a

duel. c. When he learns of Grendel terrorizing the Danes and how the monster filled nights

with horror, he sets sail to offer to help Hrothgar. d. When Hrothgar invites Beowulf to Herot pending a match in marriage to his daughter. _____4. What traits of an epic hero does he appear to possess? a. Very strong, courageous, and has a great sense of duty b. Boastful, egotistical, unreliable c. Wealthy, charismatic, chivalrous d. Courageous, egotistical, charismatic _____5. Which traits of Beowulf’s might also be used to describe the British people and their origins? a. His sense of duty and loyalty. c. His ego, and love of history. b. His sense of pride and strength. D. His loyalty and family lineage. _____6. Why does Beowulf come to see Hrothgar? a. Beowulf heard that Hrothgar had a beautiful daughter of an eligible marrying age. b. Beowulf is volunteering his services, suggesting that it is his duty to do so because of

his many previous heroic accomplishments. c. Beowulf is trying to equate himself to Hercules by solving twelve seemingly impossible

tasks. d. At one point, Beowulf’s father offended Hrothgar, and Beowulf is trying to make

amends for the rift between their families.

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________ Baker Eng IV

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_____7. What impression of Beowulf does the poet convey through Beowulf’s opening remarks to Hrothgar? a. Beowulf’s opening remarks suggest an epic hero—a warrior who is bold and confident

and has performed many heroic deeds. b. Beowulf’s opening remarks suggest a chivalrous knight—one worthy of the princess’s

hand in marriage. c. Beowulf’s opening remarks suggest an egotistical fool—one who is exceedingly boastful

and likely a pathological liar. d. Beowulf’s opening remarks suggest he has a great affinity for nature, and wants to

interview the monster to determine the source of it’s darkness. _____8. What is the effect of having Beowulf describe his own great deeds? a. Beowulf sounds boastful, and unbelievable about his accomplishments. b. Beowulf sounds modest and shy about his accomplishments. c. Beowulf sounds confident and matter-of-fact about his accomplishments. d. Beowulf sounds indifferent and bored about his accomplishments. _____9. Notice that in lines 153 – 159, Beowulf boasts about past victories that required superhuman strength and courage. Why might the people of Beowulf’s time have valued such traits? a. The people of Beowulf’s time would have valued his art as a storyteller, even if he was

exaggerating. b. The people of Beowulf’s time would have valued great strength and courage because of

their pagan beliefs and desire to end up in Valhalla. c. The people of Beowulf’s time would have valued strength because there was a lot of

manual labor involved in day to day life. d. The people of Beowulf’s time might have valued great strength and courage because

they were frequently attacked by enemies. _____10. In lines 160-189, what is Beowulf asking of Hrothgar? a. Beowulf is asking Hrothgar for his daughter’s hand in marriage. b. Beowulf is asking Hrothgar to turn the rule of Herot over to him. c. Beowulf is asking Hrothgar to let him and his men fight Grendel. d. Beowulf is asking Hrothgar to forgive his father for his previous transgressions. _____11. Why does Beowulf insist that “my hands alone shall fight for me?” a. Because Beowulf has been blessed by the gods and his hands are imbued with

supernatural strength. b. Because Beowulf has rings on all of his fingers that act as weapons themselves. c. Because Grendel needs no weapons Beowulf feels that fighting him with hands alone

gives Beowulf no advantage and thus makes the fight fair. d. His hands are a metaphor for goodness and purity in his fight against evil.

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________ Baker Eng IV

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_____12. What is the significance of Beowulf’s statement, “Fate will unwind as it must”? a. Such fatalism was part of the Anglo-Saxons’ pagan religion. b. Beowulf is referring to the spinners of fate from Greek mythology. c. Beowulf is so confident in his abilities, he believes he will defeat his opponent. d. Beowulf is prideful enough to think that even he can determine his own fate. _____13. Observe that as Hrothgar begins to speak about Grendel in lines 207-210, his tone, or his attitude toward his subject, becomes bleak and despairing. What repeated sounds does the poet use to suggest this tone? a. The poet repeats l’s, m’s, and a’s. c. The poet repeats r’s, g’s, and k’s. b. The poet repeats h’s, t’s, and d’s. d. The poet repeats b’s, f’s, and n’s. _____14. Note that Hrothgar delivers a long speech to Beowulf in lines 190-224. Which of the following is not a virtue reflected in the speech? a. friendship c. loyalty b. patience d. courage