Beowulf Study Guide

Beowulf Study Guide

Heroic Behavior:
· Bravery
· Selfless
· Moral code
· Opportunity
· Strength (Physical and Emotional)
· Something to overcome


Mythic Heroic Archetype:
1. Hero comes from obscure/mysterious background
2. Hero is not invincible, but not a fool
3. The hero’s path is not always clear or direct—but there is a goal
4. The hero’s journey is filled with danger, loneliness, and temptation
5. The hero is often accompanied by a companion, friend, servant, or disciple
6. There is a guide(s)
7. The hero has a decent into darkness
8. There is a different hero after the decent
9. The hero suffers a physical wound
10. The hero’s knowledge is brought back to the community

Beowulf Mythic Heroic Archetype:
1. Beowulf is not a part of society
2. Beowulf is wise, but he has Hubris, he eventually goes against Hrothgar’s warning when he becomes overwhelmed with pride.
3. Beowulf does not know anything about Grendel, but he knows that he has to defeat him.
4. Beowulf is lonely when he regrets that he does not get married in the 3rd section. He also has 3 major battles.
5. Beowulf’s companions: 1st episode-14 warriors. 2nd episode-13 Geat warriors. 3rd episode-11 warriors and slave.
6. Beowulf’s guide is Hrothgar, and then Beowulf becomes the guide and passes his wisdom to Wiglaf, who becomes the hero.
7. 1st-Night falls on Herot and Grendel attacks. 2nd-When he goes to fight Grendel’s mother. 3rd-When Beowulf goes into the dragons cave.
8. Beowulf is reborn after the decents into darkness, he has proven himself, and he has gained faith by remembering his name and his faith.
9. The dragon bites Beowulf on the neck, he gets poisoned.
10. Beowulf’s knowledge is passed on to Wiglaf, when Beowulf becomes the guide in the last minutes of his life.

Anglo-Saxton Poetry Format:
Kenning- A poetic phrase used in addition to the usual name. Ex. The “sea” à “swan road.”
Caesura- The poetic device that is used in the middle of each line of the poem.
3 Characteristics of the epic poem form
1. Alliteration
2. Stress
3. Rhythm
What is the term for an Anglo-Saxton poet?
SCOP, or shaper. (A poet forms and shapes words into a poem.)

What effect is created by the use of alliteration, stress, and caesura?
It gives the poet freedom to alliterate on the 4th syllable and binds the line together.

Quotes:
1. Narrator is speaking to audience
About the Death of Shield
AS culture- honoring the king by returning gifts, kennings-“ring-giver.”
Analysis- All things end, foreshadowing ( starts and ends with funeral)
Found in prologue
2. Narrator speaking to audience
About Herot being built by Hrothgar
AS culture-Mead Hall, torque giving (necklace, treasure)
Analysis- Foreshadowing (the mead hall will burn, all things end, blood vengeance
Beginning of poem
3. Narrator to audience
About the arrival of Grendel
AS culture-ancestry, belief of monsters, demons, and God(creator), Christian/Pagan writer
Analysis- Grendel attacks and causes horror. Foreshadowing more than one monster…Grendel has family
4. Narrator to audience
About Grendel’s first night of attack, killed 30 men
AS culture- belief in monsters,
Analysis-foreshadowing blood vengeance (Beowulf and Danes will try to get back at Grendel).
First Episode
5. Narrator to audience
About Gredel taking over Herot, but he never actually came near the throne because he was the lords outcast.
AS culture-belief in God, belief in monsters, exiled (Grendel was exiled)
Analysis- Grendel was exiled because of his ancestor Cain, because of that he is afraid to go through the throne.
First episode
6. Beowulf is speaking to the Coast guard
About Beowulf asking to see Hrothgar because he was going to help the Danes.
AS culture- Blood vengeance, respect to lower rank
Analysis- Beowulf showed respect, even though not necessary, because coast guard was not of a high rank. My name is John Leskow and I smell bad. Beowulf came to help Danes because Hrothgar helped Ecgtheow when they were younger.
First episode
7. Beowulf speaking to Hrothgar
About Beowulf’s” Resume,” and he is boasting.
AS culture- monsters, respect high rank, boasting of accomplishments, blood vengeance.
Analysis- Beowulf is boasting to Hrothgar to prove that he is worthy to help out with the monster problem.
First episode
8. Beowulf speaking to Hrothgar
About how Beowulf will not use weapons in his fight with Grendel. He is heightening Hygelac’s fame.
AS culture- belief in God, boasting, blood vengeance, honoring your lord, being fair in war
Analysis-Beowulf chooses not to use weapons during his battle with Grendel to make the fight more fair.
First episode
9. Beowulf speaking to Unferth
About Beowulf refuting Unferth’s statement and turning the blame back to Unferth
AS culture-loyalty to king, kenning (The Danes referred to as the Victory-Sheildings)
Analysis- Unferth has to insult Beowulf because Hrothgar could not ask him because it was disrespectful.
First episode
10. Narrator speaking to audience
About Beowulf’s warriors and how they are worthy to him
AS culture-loyalty to leader, rather die fighting than flee
Analysis-Grendel cannot be hurt by a weapon. The warriors try, but the hero is the only one who can defeat the monster (Mythic Heroic Archetype).
First episode
11. Narrator speaking to audience
About Beowulf’s accomplishments and how Hrothgar was a good king, even though bad things happen under his reign.
AS culture- Thane/King relationship, boasting of accomplishments.
Analysis- Recollection of Beowulfs accomplishments.
First episode
12. Narrator speaking to audience
About Geats (not Danes), because Danes were not ready, and lacked faith. Geats were prepared by sleeping with their armor.
AS culture-Preparedness of warriors, faith.
Analysis-The Danes were not prepared because they lost faith, by losing their pride, because of Grendel’s attack.
Second episode
13. Beowulf is speaking to Hrothgar
About Hrothgar losing faith and Hrothgar not wanting to get vengeance, but Beowulf makes Hrothgar realize he needs to get blood vengeance on Grendel.
AS culture- Exacting Wergild
Analysis- Beowulf realizes Hrothgar is losing faith because he is crying, Beowulf uses his experience to convince Hrothgar to get blood vengeance on Grendel.
Second episode
14. Narrator is speaking to audience
About right before Beowulf goes into the water before his battle against Grendel’s mother.
AS culture-Kenning (Beowulf’s body=bone cage), evening battle field
Analysis- He realized he needs armor because he is not fighting on his home turf, and he needs every advantage he can get.
Second episode
15. Narrator is speaking to audience
About Unferth giving Beowulf the sword (Hrunting).
AS culture- respect, warrior culture, brave as a warrior
Analysis-Unferth is not man enough, and is not bold. Beowulf only takes the sword to be respectful, and incase it may work against Grendel’s mother.
Second episode
16. Narrator is speaking to audience
About how Beowulf did not lose heart during the fight with Grendel’s mother. The sword fails him.
AS culture- warrior culture, kenning(Hygelac’s kinsman=Beowulf)
Analysis- Beowulf must rely on his own power because Hrunting fails him (Mythic Heroic Archetype) Evil defeats itself.
Second episode
17. This is the narrator talking to the audience while Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother in the second episode. It talks about A-S culture with it being a war based culture and swords being passed down from generation to generation as heirlooms. This is important because it talks about the thought that all things end (the giant's race). It also shows the strength of Beowulf, with him being able to wield a sword that no other man can hold.
18. This is the speaker talking to the audience. It is the end of the section where Beowulf fights Grendel's mother in the second episode. The a-s culture is represented with the theme of courage and being loyal to your lord. The Danes left the edge of the lake because they list their faith while the Geats stayed even though they thought Beowulf was killed. They also waited so they could kill. Grendel's mother if she surfaced to extract wergild.
19. This is the narrator addressing the audience. It is just after Beowulf killed Grendel's mom in the second episode. It shows the a-s belief that treasure is not as important in comparison to other things in life like pride in your actions and being a good leader. It talks about how Beowulf did not bother to bring the treasures he found in the bottom of the lake to the surface because the Danes were not ready to have them. They were a warrior society that was no longer brave but gave up hope too easily. He brought back the head of Grendel and the giant’s sword hilt to give reminders to the Danes that they need to keep their faith. The head of Grendel shows that any problem can be overcome and the sword hilt is in the shape of a cross.
20. This quote is the narrator speaking to the audience. It is after Beowulf defeats Grendel's mother, and is giving the giants sword hilt to Hrothgar. It shows A-S society with the concept of one God. It also talks about how a flood destroyed the race of gaints, which was a way the A-S tribe explained things they did not know and understand, like the Roman's buildings and monuments. This hilt shows the values of the A-S culture with them being "comfortably Pagan." It also could be foreshadowing of the Danes being wiped out, like what happened to the giants.
21. This quote is Hrothgar speaking to Beowulf before Beowulf leaves to return to Geatland. It talks about A-S culture by saying how lords and kings will be remembered after they die. The way Heremod behaved was bad for a king because he kept treasures for himself because he was selfish. He did not make his people happy and they did not respect him because of that. It also mentions the Almighty God, the sigh of Christianity. Hrothgar in this speech is a guide to Beowulf right after he proved himself fighting Grendel (the way the mythic heroic archetype says it would). He tells Beowulf to be a good king and lord by giving treasure to his thanes (also foreshadowing saying Beowulf will have power).
22. This quote is Hrothgar still talking to Beowulf before his return. It talks about A-S civilization by using a kenning, "flower of warriors", to talk about Beowulf. It basically says that all things end, with Beowulf's strength fading when he gets old, sight becoming less sharp, and people having to face death. This is Hrothgar continuing to being a guide and telling Beowulf that he should become a guide in the future because he will not always be incredibly strong and he has to let his people survive on their own, which Beowulf forgets over the time he becomes king.
23. This quote is the narrator talking to the audience, after Beowulf has become king. It gives examples of A-S culture with the kenning, "the prince of the rings", which is another way to say the king, Beowulf. It also calls the dragon the "sky-plague". It talks about Beowulf's pride and how he did not want an army to help him fight against the toughest enemy he ever saw, the dragon. Hrothgar warned him about being too proud of his strength and told him that he would lose his strength, which is what will make him lose against the dragon in the end.
24. Narrator to audienceEpisode 3Beowulf boasts again. Talks about how he will kill the dragon for the glory of winning. Wants the dragon to come out of his barrow.Culture- Pride, Fair Fight.Analysis- Beowulf feels it’s his duty to kill the dragon and decides to take him on.
25. Beowulf to soldiersEpisode 3Beowulf tells his men to stay back and not follow him into battle.Culture- PrideAnalysis- Mythic Heroic Archetype, needs to do it by himself even though he is old and stuff.
26. Narrator to audienceEpisode 3Beowulf’s sword (Naegling?) fails him when he strikes the dragon.Culture- Kenning, son of Ecgtheow. Honor from lineageAnalysis- sword has never failed him before. Hardest battle for Beowulf to date.
27. Wiglaf to shirkersEpisode 3conflict. wiglaf disobeys his leader beowulf to protect beowulf.Culture- loyalty to leader. ProtectionAnalysis- wiglaf disobeying beowulf to protect beowulf was a great honor and an extreme show of loyalty.
28. Wiglaf to GeatsWiglaf predicts the enemies will attack the Geats.Culture- All things come to an endAnalysis- Wiglaf realizes without Beowulf the other tribs will know they’re weak and attack them.


29. Wiglaf speaking to the Geats
About the gold that Beowulf will be buried with.
AS culture- loyalty to lord/King, respect
Analysis- Wiglaf tells the Geats why Beowulf’s treasure must be buried with him and not be used for anything else. It is only to be buried with Beowulf.
Third episode

30. Narrator is speaking to audience
About how the treasure that Beowulf had given the Geats was not worth anything, and they should give it back to Beowulf, in his casket.
AS culture- treasure is only worth its hype, loyalty to lord, respect, all things end
Analysis- the Geats return the treasure to their lord, this shows that Beowulf was a great King and warrior.
Third episode
31. Narrator is speaking to audience
About how the Geat people were truly sad when Beowulf died in battle. They remember him and discuss his legacy.
AS culture- loyalty to lord/King, all things end
Analysis- The Geats appreciated what Beowulf had done for them and they honor him by saying he is gracious and fair-minded, kindest to the people and keenest to win fame.
Third episode


*Other tools for studying include the book, study questions, and the quote sheet*

Created by John Leskow, Paul Derickson, Chris Balch, and Jordan Leavy