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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 do the people do with the remains of those killed by Grendel in Chapter 1?

2. What can no longer harm Grendel after his visit with the dragon?

3. Who does Grendel say explains things to him?

4. What advice does the dragon give Grendel?

5. What is Grendel caught in when the bull charges him in Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do snakes symbolize in the novel?

2. Why do you think Grendel chooses to spare Unferth in his cave and on subsequent raids?

3. Describe the location of Grendel’s home.

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

5. Describe Unferth's reaction to Grendel's speaking.

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

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

8. How does Grendel's relationship with men change after his visit to the dragon?

9. How do Grendel's emotions play into his role as narrator?

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

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

Now that Grendel has been terminated as a threat to Hrothgar, what other threats does Hrothgar now face? Are these threats easier to handle than Grendel? Do you think that Hrothgar should have been more concerned about his political position rather than Grendel's raids?

Essay Topic 3

What do you think Grendel means when he says that it was inevitable that a blind man came to Hrothgar's hall? Why is the man's blindness significant to the story or his role within the hall?

(see the answer keys)

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