View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Grendel call the words of the blind man in Chapter 3?

2. What is the dragon sitting on?

3. What Biblical stories does the harper sing of?

4. What does the Chinaman keep caged?

5. What does Grendel take from Hrothgar's Hall in Chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does the story of Finn foreshadow what could happen with Hrothgar's truces with Hygmod and Ingeld?

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

4. Describe the hairless man and his function in the group.

5. What entices Grendel to Hrothgar's hall? Why is a part of him swept up in the merriment?

6. Describe how the bull fights in Chapter 2.

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

8. Why do you think Grendel is so offended by the Shaper's words?

9. Describe how the men act/talk in the mead halls. What is the function of this behavior?

10. Describe life around the village as Grendel observes it.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the use of the word "theories" in the book. Grendel refers to theories and the dragon refers theories also. What theories do they propose? How are the dragon and Grendel theories themselves?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Grendel's state of mind in the twelfth year of his war. Is he going crazy? Has his power over Hrothgar overwhelmed him? What does Grendel make of the war at this point?

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)

This section contains 1,143 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample