32 Questions
Beowulf corrects Unferth with a story of his heroic victory in the ______ contest
swimming
Hrothgar promises Beowulf all of his gold if Beowulf should defeat the ______
monster
Grendel slinks off to his ______, where he dies
lair
The Danes nail Grendel’s arm to the walls of Heorot as a ______, bathing Beowulf and his men in riches
trophy
Grendel’s mother arrives, seeking ______
revenge
Beowulf takes a sword from Unferth and dives into a deep ______
lake
He notices Grendel’s dead body and cuts off his ______ too
head
Beowulf surfaces carrying Grendel’s head and the hilt of his sword, which melted in the heat of Grendel’s ______
blood
Hygelac gives Beowulf half the ______
kingdom
A fire-breathing dragon seeking revenge on a Geat servant who stole a golden cup from its ______
lair
Beowulf is the first surviving epic written in the English language, though its author remains mysterious. The circumstances of the poem’s creation are hotly debated by ______
scholars
The epic draws from early Germanic legend and is set in ______ Scandinavia
pagan
It recounts the saga of Beowulf, a Geat warrior who defends the Danish kingdom, and then his own, from various ______ monsters
bloodthirsty
Grendel attacks during the night, leaving Hrothgar and his thanes to discover the ______ the next morning
bloodshed
Twelve years pass, and news of Grendel’s campaign against the Danes spreads to another tribe, the ______
Geats
To honor Beowulf’s arrival, Hrothgar holds another feast at ______
Heorot
Who is the King of the Danes in the epic Beowulf?
Hrothgar
What is the name of the monster who attacks the Danes at night?
Grendel
What tribe does Beowulf belong to?
Geats
Where does the epic Beowulf take place?
Pagan Scandinavia
Who seeks revenge on a Geat servant for stealing a golden cup?
A fire-breathing dragon
What item does Beowulf bring back after defeating Grendel?
Grendel's head
Who engages Beowulf in a boasting match during the celebration?
Unferth
What does Beowulf promise to do at the feast?
Kill Grendel
What does Hrothgar promise Beowulf if he defeats the monster?
All of his gold
What do the Danes do to celebrate the defeat of Grendel?
Nail Grendel's arm to the walls of Heorot
Who arrives seeking revenge after the defeat of Grendel?
Grendel's mother
What does Beowulf use to finally defeat Grendel's mother?
Unferth's sword
What does Beowulf bring back after defeating Grendel's mother?
Grendel's head and a melted sword hilt
Who becomes king of the Geats after Hygelac is killed in battle?
Beowulf
What does Beowulf promise to Hrothgar before returning home to Geatland?
An alliance forever
What does Beowulf use to finally defeat Grendel?
Unferth's sword
Test your knowledge of the epic poem Beowulf, the first surviving epic in English literature. Explore its composition, authorship, and historical context, as well as the story of the heroic Geat warrior. Challenge yourself with questions about early Germanic legend and pagan Scandinavia.
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