1. The dragon talks about fate, free will, and the consistency of time but encourages Grendel to change something. How does the dragon not heed his own advice?

2. What is the significance of Hrothgar's name for his mead hall?

3. What does Grendel hope his mother will tell him someday? Why doesn't she?

4. Describe the firesnakes. What sort of creature do you think they are?

5. What does Grendel do when Unferth falls asleep in his cave in Chapter 6?

6. Discuss Grendel's mother and how she differs from her son.

7. What is the dragon’s dictum? How does he play out this dictum?

8. Describe how the men look the very first time Grendel sees them.

9. Discuss the significance of Grendel's speech about heroes existing only in poetry.

10. Discuss the quote on page 7 where Grendel gives himself alternate names (shadow-shooter, earth-rim-roamer, walker of the world's weird wall). What does this signify?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the role of the dragon. Why did the author use this particular creature to teach Grendel? Do you find the scenes with the dragon necessary? Does the dragon's intelligence reduce Grendel to the level of the bull he mocked earlier?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the Stranger's arrival at Hrothgar's hall. How does this scene embody the idea of the "hero on the beach" as discussed in class?

Essay Topic 3

Use what you know of Grendel's mother and her relationship to her son to speculate about what she will do when she discovers the harm done to her son. Do you think she would be upset? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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