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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. In Chapter 7, what is Wealtheow's hair color described as?

2. Who is Hygmod the lord of?

3. What statues stand near Hrothgar's hall?

4. Grendel thinks that the Stranger is what in Chapter 11?

5. In what year of Grendel's wars does Hrothgar's power begin to fail?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Grendel mean by saying that it is just as pointless to kill Wealtheow as to let her live?

2. The goat invading the mere can be seen as a symbol and foreshadowing. What does the goat stand for?

3. Does the Finn tale function only to foreshadow what will befall Hrothgar? Who else could suffer a similar fate?

4. Discuss the sentiment that bread-thieves die while murderers go free. What is meant by this statement?

5. In Chapter 12, who are Grendel's final words directed toward? What foreshadowing do his words provide?

6. How do the Danes respond to the arrival of the Geats?

7. Describe the lead Stranger. How does he act? What does he look like?

8. Compare the bowsman hunting the hart to the priest coming to Grendel in the ring of gods.

9. What similarities do you see between the brief account of Finn and Hnaef and Hrothgar and Wealtheow's brother?

10. Discuss Ork's behavior as he talks about the King of Gods.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Grendel’s observation that animals see life without observing it. According to Grendel, animals make no distinctions in their lives. What implications does this hold for men? For Grendel himself?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the meeting between Unferth and Grendel in Grendel's cave and Grendel and the Stranger in Hrothgar's hall. Which encounter do you feel is more heroic? Why did Unferth fail while the Stranger succeeded?

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think that Grendel continues to update the reader on the dragon? Why does Grendel refer to the dragon by smell? How does Grendel’s relationship with the dragon evolve in the narrative?

(see the answer keys)

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