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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 color is the banner Hrothgar gives Beowulf?

2. What does the Queen give Beowulf and his men to drink?

3. Who do the Danes honor the one man in Beowulf's party who was killed by Grendel?

4. Who stays awake waiting for Grendel while the other warriors sleep in the hall?

5. Who did Hrothgar give golden rings and bracelets to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are Hrothgar and his men surprised when Beowulf returns to Heorot with Grendel's head?

2. What happens when Beowulf strikes the dragon with his sword?

3. Where is Grendel's mother's lair located?

4. Why does Grendel attack Heorot?

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

6. What spoils does Grendel's mother take with her from Heorot?

7. What does the train on the Queen's dress look like?

8. What kind of wound does the dragon give Beowulf?

9. When Beowulf agrees to battle Grendel's mother, what does Hrothgar offer him as a reward?

10. What does the dragon do in seeking his revenge?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hrothgar serves to magnify Beowulf's heroism. In what ways does he do this? What are the aspects of his personality or the actions he takes that show the reader how truly heroic Beowulf is?

Essay Topic 2

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy? Do you think Grendel's mother is a sympathetic or an empathetic character? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Though the two do not get along, Beowulf wills his sword to Unferth before he goes into battle with Grendel's mother. Why does he do this? What does this act say about Beowulf?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 489 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample