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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What attacked Beowulf while he was in the ocean with Breca?

2. According to Beowulf, what did he and Breca giddily plunge into the water to do?

3. According to Beowulf, who was the first ashore in the swimming match with Breca?

4. What decorates the goblets the Queen uses to serve Beowulf and his men?

5. What does Hrothgar vow to treat Beowulf like after Grendel's defeat?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Beowulf do while he's traveling to the dragon's den?

2. After Hygelac's death, what does Beowulf do for fifty years?

3. What does Wiglaf do to punish the cowardly men who did not help Beowulf to fight the dragon?

4. Why is Beowulf scarcely able to breathe as he fights the dragon?

5. What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar in an attempt to convince him to accept Beowulf's bid to slay Grendel?

6. Why does the dragon wake up?

7. Once the Queen leaves Heorot, where do the Danes go?

8. What do Beowulf's people do with the dragon's treasure and why?

9. How does Beowulf kill the dragon?

10. Why does Beowulf nail Grendel's arm to the wall of Heorot?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What makes Beowulf an archetypal hero? What characteristics does he possess? What are some of the things he does that show he is a hero?

Essay Topic 2

When Beowulf dies, he leaves no heir to reign in his place. Instead, he has only a kingsman to take the throne. What does the passing of the kingdom to its next ruler in this manner represent in terms of the changes taking place in the author's world?

Essay Topic 3

Do you think the journey of Beowulf's life changes him over time? Or, do you think his heroic deeds merely prepared him to be king one day?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 521 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample