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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. Who tells Beowulf that Grendel can only be defeated by bare hands?

2. Who meets Beowulf and his men when they reach Denmark?

3. As Beowulf and his men march to Heorot, what glares from their helmets?

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

5. Who does Beowulf's guide tell him will meet them at Heorot?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

6. According to Hrothgar, what cannot harm Grendel?

7. What does Grendel look like?

8. Why does Beowulf say he needs his mailcoat and shield to fight the dragon?

9. How does Beowulf plan to show Unferth what courage is?

10. After Grendel's mother fails to kill Beowulf with a knife, how does Beowulf break free of her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Queen is mentioned only briefly in the story, yet her role is significant. What does the queen represent? Why is her role important to the story?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Each of Beowulf's three foes fall along a scale ranging from completely monster to the most human-like. Place the foes in order of least human to most human and discuss the characteristics of each in terms of their animal and human characteristics.

(see the answer keys)

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