School

• What is the primary focus of the attendance check message?

  Thanking the attendees for their presence
• What cultures and traditions influenced Anglo-Saxon literature?

  • Mixture of different cultures
  • Traditions of Germanic tribes
  • Migration to the island
• Who are the Anglo-Saxons?

  People of the Anglo-Saxon period
• What language is associated with the Anglo-Saxons?

  Old English
• What is Beowulf recognized as in Anglo-Saxon literature?

  The longest and greatest surviving Anglo-Saxon poem
• What is the significance of Beowulf in English literature?

  It is the oldest surviving epic
• When was Beowulf composed?

  Around the 7th or 8th century
• What is the setting of Beowulf?

  The sixth century in what is now Denmark and southwestern Sweden
• What are the key characteristics of Beowulf as a hero?

  • Brave and loyal
  • Generous and effective king
  • Strongest and ablest warrior
  • Embodies the best values of heroic culture
  • Wise and effective ruler in old age
• Who is King Hrothgar?

  The king of the Danes
• What does Hrothgar represent in the epic?

  A different kind of leadership compared to Beowulf
• How does Hrothgar's leadership differ from Beowulf's?

  Hrothgar is a wise and aged ruler, while Beowulf is a youthful warrior
• Who is Wealhtheow?

  Hrothgar’s wife and the gracious queen of the Danes
• What role does Wealhtheow play in the epic?

  She is a strong ambassador of peace
• Who is Wiglaf?

  A young kingsman and retainer of Beowulf
• What does Wiglaf do during the fight against the dragon?

  He helps Beowulf while the other warriors run away
• How does Wiglaf prove himself in the epic?

  By adhering to the heroic code better than Beowulf's other retainers
• Who is Grendel?

  An evil descendant of Cain
• What motivates Grendel's actions in the epic?

  His hatred for joy and goodness
• How does Grendel fit into the ethos of the poem?

  His existence is part of the retribution for Cain's murder of Abel
• Who is Grendel's mother?

  An unnamed swamp-hag
• What motivates Grendel's mother to terrorize Heorot?

  Her desire for vengeance
• What is the dragon in Beowulf?

  An ancient, powerful serpent
• What does the dragon guard in the epic?

  A horde of treasure in a hidden mound
• What does Beowulf's fight with the dragon represent in the epic?

  The third and final part of the epic