Beowulf Quiz - Learn About This Epic Poem
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Beowulf is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. Check out the quiz and test your knowledge in the field on English literature here!
- 1.
- Which of the following does NOT describe the Anglo-Saxon period?
- A.
Barbarism
- B.
Romanticism
- C.
Ignorance
- D.
Violence
- 2.Which of these is FALSE the poem?
- A.
An epic celebrates a hero’s deeds.
- B.
An epic is a short story
- C.
The earliest epic tales survived as oral traditions
- D.
Many epics were based on historical fact
- 3.In what language was Beowulf originally written?
- A.
Old English
- B.
Middle English
- C.
Victorian English
- D.
Standard English
- 4.Which of the following is NOT an example of a kenning?
- A.
"helpless people"
- B.
"the almighty's enemy"
- C.
“sin-stained demon"
- D.
“hell’s captive"
- 5.Which is the hall built by King Hrothgar?
- A.
Herot
- B.
Hrunting
- C.
Hygelac
- D.
Scylding
- 6.How were the Danes tortured for 12 years?
- A.
They are at war with the Geats
- B.
Grendel’s mother is threatening them with revenge
- C.
Grendel continues killing each night keeping them out of their hall
- D.
The warriors are not able to use their weapons against the monsters
- 7.What biblical figure is Grendel connected to?
- A.
David
- B.
Hrothgar
- C.
Unferth
- D.
Cain
- 8.What proof does Beowulf offer that he is up to the challenge of killing Grendel?
- A.
He tells stories of his previous battles with men and monsters
- B.
He challenges King Hrothgar to a fight
- C.
He pulls a sword from a stone
- D.
He offers none, just his help
- 9.A character like Unferth is called a ?
- A.
Protagonist
- B.
Sidekick
- C.
Foil
- D.
Stock character
- 10.When used to describe Beowulf, the phrase “the ruler of warriors” is called what?
- A.
A symbol
- B.
A kenning
- C.
A simile
- D.
A greeting
- 11.How does Grendel die?
- A.
Beowulf stabbed him with a sword called Hrunting
- B.
Beowulf uses a giant’s weapon that is enchanted with magic to slice his arm off
- C.
He is stabbed by Beowulf’s knife
- D.
As he tears out of Beowulf’s grasp he is severely injured and returns to the marsh to bleed to death
- 12.What is so fantastical about Beowulf's journey to Grendel's mother's lair??
- A.
Beowulf is able to stay alive under water for what seems like hours
- B.
Other sea monsters join him, biting on Beowulf
- C.
Beowulf is able to find and use a giant’s sword against the monster
- D.
Both A and B
- E.
All of the above
- 13.How does Grendel’s mother die?
- A.
Wiglaf helps defeat the monster with his bare hands
- B.
Beowulf kills her with a giant’s sword he found in the lair
- C.
King Hrothgar shoots an arrow
- D.
Grendel’s mother dies of a broken heart
- 14.How did Hrothgar reward Beowulf?
- A.
He passed his crown over to him
- B.
He sang a song in his honor
- C.
He gave him treasures and gold
- D.
He offered his daughter’s hand in marriage
- 15.Why does the dragon attack the Geats?
- A.
He needs food and desires human blood
- B.
He is not being worshiped anymore
- C.
A thief had stolen a cup from out of his treasure
- D.
He is lonesome like Grendel
- 16.What caused Beowulf’s death?
- A.
Grendel’s mother stabs him in the heart
- B.
He is betrayed by Unferth
- C.
He doesn’t die; he is taken up to the heavens to live forever
- D.
The dragon wounded him in the neck
- 17.Why does Wiglaf berate the other warriors saying they are “branded with disgrace”?
- A.
They were trying to strike at the Dragon when Beowulf said not to
- B.
He was proud of their actions and how they waited in the woods as told
- C.
He was disgusted that they did not come to the aid of their king when he was suffering
- D.
He will most likely be their king so he needed to begin to lecture them
- 18.What does every warrior know is inevitable?
- A.
Death
- B.
Bravery
- C.
Marriage
- D.
Treasure
- 19.Which of the following is NOT one of the traits of an epic hero?
- A.
They are of ordinary birth
- B.
They exhibit traits or qualities that the society looks up to
- C.
They perform courageous, fantastic feats that reflect values of their society
- D.
Their actions affect large groups of people
- 20.The story of Beowulf reflects which of the following traits of an epic story?
- A.
The plot and conflict involves courageous, sometimes superhuman beings
- B.
The theme reflects timeless values and universal ideas
- C.
The story must include magic or supernatural forces odf some sort
- D.
Both A and B
- E.
All of the above
- 21.Which of following is the best theme of this story?
- A.
Great strength makes things right
- B.
Intelligence is greater than strength
- C.
Good will triumph over evil
- D.
A king must be wealthy
- 22.Beowulf is
- A.
An epic poem
- B.
A lyric poem
- C.
A narrative poem
- D.
An ode
- 23.Beowulf came from
- A.
Sweden
- B.
Denmark
- C.
Geatland
- D.
Finland
- 24.Beowulf and Grendel stand respectively for
- A.
Bravery and cowardice
- B.
Saints and devils
- C.
Good and evil
- D.
Strengths and weaknesses
- 25.Hrothgar and the men believed that Beowulf was dead when
- A.
Blood bubbled on the lake
- B.
His mail coat was found
- C.
A dragon appeared
- D.
His horn ceased
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