“The Last Battle” “The Death of Beowulf” “Mourning Beowulf”

Question 1 A slave escapes and steals the dragon’s favorite cup from among his treasures.

Question 2 Beowulf himself provides all the details about his deeds and how he will fight the dragon. We learn that he fought Grendel with his bare hands but that he will use a sword and shield against the dragon.

Question 3 The word angry is used for both. The dragon’s heart is “urging it into battle.” Both are “set on slaughter.”

Question 4 The dragon advances toward Beowulf. Beowulf has held up his iron shield, but the dragon’s fiery breath melts the shield. Beowulf strikes the dragon with his sword. The blade breaks, although it does pierce the dragon’s skin. The dragon thrashes in pain and spews fire. Beowulf, without defense, is in danger of being killed.

Question 5 Wiglaf thinks of Beowulf’s generosity to him and his family: “Armor and gold and the great estates . . . “ His speech reminds the men that Beowulf gave them their swords and armor, and that they “swore to repay him” and boasted how brave they would be “when Beowulf needed us.”

Question 6 We learn that Wiglaf decides to stay and raises his shield and draws his sword. He also demands that the other men go with him to Beowulf now that he is under attack by the dragon and can’t defeat it alone.

Question 7 Beowulf’s knows that he had “unwound his string of days on earth” and that “life would go, soon.” He speaks of not having on heir, and he asks Wiglaf to go quickly to bring him some of the dragon’s treasure, so he can see it “before I die.” He refers to the treasure as “the last of all prizes.”

Question 8 Beowulf is facing certain death and thinking about what he has done with his life as a king (“rule as well/As I know how,” protecting the Geats) and as a man (he has never killed anyone “Born of my own family”). His speech reveals his ideals about peace, justice, family loyalty, and honor.

Question 9 Beowulf talks about protecting the Geats by fighting against neighboring people. He has sought “no lying wars.” He has never killed a kinsman.

Question 10 In Beowulf’s words before the battle, he says that though he is old, he will “seek fame still.” His wish for the Geats to build him a tomb that can be seen from far off shows that he wants fame that lasts after his death.

Question 11 Wiglaf alone stays to help Beowulf. He tries to get the other warriors to stay also. Before he dies, Beowulf chooses Wiglaf to lead the Geats after his death. It’s important that we know Wiglaf is brave and loyal, because the Geats value courage and loyalty.

Question 12 After Beowulf’s speech,Wiglaf decrees a punishment for the cowardly warriors who ran away.

Question 13 Bravery and loyalty are so important to the Geats that the men’s cowardice and abandonment of Beowulf will result in the loss of riches and lands for them and even their kin. All Geats will consider these men shamed and will not let them keep their possessions (“none of your race/Will have anything left but their lives”).

Question 14 The king is the giver of lands and riches, including at least some armor and swords. (Note that some swords are passed down through families.”) Presumably the king can also take such gifts away.

Question 15 As Beowulf wishes, the Geats build a tower that can be seen “far and wide” as a lasting monument to him. They also mourn him by riding around the tower and telling about his deeds and his noble life. This shows that the Geats value bravery and leadership and that they also value fame and glory that lasts even after death.

Question 16 The use of the word beloved indicates that the leader had a personal relationship with his people, not a distant one.

Question 17 Examples of alliteration that praise Beowulf’s character and behavior: “his greatness, his glory” “a life as noble as his name” “no prince so mild, no man so open to his people”

Question 18 Notice the alliteration in the phrases “words for their lords” and “warm with love.” How would you describe the tone of these lines? The alliteration helps accentuate the reverential feeling the Geats had for Beowulf as well as the values they found important, such as “his greatness, his glory” and “a life/As noble as his name.”

Question 19 Beowulf is a man of noble rank who has ruled as king for fifty years. He speaks of his virtues as a king as he is dying, and his mourners call him their “shield and protector.” As king, he is generous to his followers, as Wiflaf points out in detail. Beowulf is brave in battle. He also has seemingly superhuman strength as shown in his battle with the dragon. In his “final boast” before fighting the dragon, he speaks of having killed Grendel without any weapons. Beowulf also seeks fame and glory, which is reflected in his dying wish for a tower to be built as his tomb. Beowulf also says that he has lived with honor and lived for peace.