Name _______________________ Date _________________ block _____

Beowulf Test Answer Document

Instructions:
1. Follow the prompts for each section of the test.
2. Allow the boxes to expand as you fill them with information.
3. You should find examples of these epic characteristics throughout the text; do not focus on only one part of the three sections.
4. Where it asks for explanations, provide 2-3 strong, analytical sentences to respond.
5. Refer to the rubric for grading parameters.
6. Be aware of the time.

Paganism Textual Evidence

Copy/Paste
Textual Evidence

Line
numbe
r

Explain how this relates to Pagan characteristics.

What is it describing? Be specific.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Christianity Textual Evidence

Copy/Paste
Textual Evidence
For this, this gold, these
jewels, I thank
Our Father in Heaven, Ruler
of the Earth
For all of this, that His grace
has given me,
Allowed me to bring to my
people while breath
Still came to my lips. I sold
my life
1. For this treasure, and I sold
it well.
Our glorious king! By
almighty God,
Id rather burn myself than
see
Flames swirling around my
lord.

2.

Line
numbe
r

Explain how this relates to Christianity.

What is it describing? Be specific.

175-180

Our Father in Heaven is referring to god. Saying that god has given him the strength and ability to defeat the dragon and
help his people. The ruler of the Earth is believed to be the one who created it.

121-123

God is the founder of Christianity.

3.
4.
5.

Anglo-Saxon Virtues
There are 9 A-S virtues - find one example of any seven of those virtues

Virtue
1. Courage

2. Truth

Copy/ Paste
Textual Evidence
. I am old, now,
But I will fight again, seek
fame still,
If the dragon hiding in his
tower dares
To face me.
But those days are over and gone
And now our lord must lean
on younger
Arms

Line
numbe
r

How does the text you chose display that virtue?

3-5

Beowulf admits that hes old now but he is still determined to fight anyone who brings
difficulty to him. He has confidence because of the fame he has and the dragon hiding in the
tower.

117-119

Beowulf is too old to be fighting a battle fit for the young. Beowulf believed that he still had the
strength that he once had, but he did not. Beowulf had the confidence, and because of that
confidence it costed him his life. He refused to accept the fact that he no longer had the strength
to protect and serve for his people.
Honor means high respect and/or a privilege. Wiglaf saying, all of us swore to repay him,
when the time came, kindness for kindness. With or lives, if he needed them. He allowed us to
join him. The few words he stated displayed the respect he had for Beowulf and how it was a
privilege that Beowulf choose him to fight along Beowulfs side.

3. Honor

I remember how we sat

in the mead-hall, drinking
And boasting of how brave
wed be when Beowulf
Needed us, he who gave us these
swords
And armor: all of us swore to
repay him,
When the time came,
kindness for kindness
- With our lives, if he needed
them. He allowed us to
join him,

103-109

4. Fidelity

Then the Geats built the

tower, as Beowulf
Had asked, strong and tall, so
sailors
Could find it from far and
wide; working
For ten long days they made his
monument,
Sealed his ashes in walls as
straight
And high as wise and willing

202-208

The Geats did as Beowulf asked before he took his last breath. They spent ten days making
Beowulfs dying wishes come true.

5. Discipline

6. Hospitality

7. Self-reliance

8. Industriousness

hands
Could raise them.
He knew it, but he raised his
sword
And struck at the dragons
scaly hide.
The ancient blade broke, bit
into
The monsters skin, drew
blood, but cracked
And failed him before it went
deep enough, helped him
70 Less than he needed. The
dragon leaped
With pain, thrashed and beat
at him, spouting
Murderous flames, spreading
them everywhere.
And then twelve of the bravest
Geats
Rode their horses around the
tower,
Telling their sorrow, telling
stories
Of their dead king and his
greatness, his glory,
Praising him for heroic
deeds, for a life
As noble as his name.
Each in his turn, for the last
time:
Id use no sword, no
weapon, if this beast
Could be killed without it,
crushed to death
10 Like Grendel, gripped in my
hands and torn
Limb from limb. But his
breath will be burning
Hot, poison will pour from his
tongue.
I feel no shame, with shield
and sword
And armor, against this
monster
205 For ten long days they made
his monument,
Sealed his ashes in walls as

65-73

The dragons way of disciplining Beowulf was to kill him. The dragon fought to protect the
gold and treasures. No one was allowed to get to it, but Beowulf had other wishes and his life
was the consequence of not listening to the dragons signs.

215-220

The Geats told their stories of sorrow, telling the story of their dead king as a way of
remembrance but also entertainment.

6-14

Beowulf wanted to rely on only his limbs like he did with Grendel, but the dragon was too
powerful to defeat with weapons.

205-208

The Geats worked for ten long and hard days to build the monument Beowulf wished for.

9. Perseverance

straight
And high as wise and willing
hands
Could raise them.
Flames beat at the iron
Shield, and for a time it held,
protected
Beowulf as hed planned; then
it began to melt,
And for the first time in his
life that famous prince
Fought with fate against him,
with glory
65 Denied him. He knew it, but
he raised his sword
And struck at the dragons
scaly hide.

60-66

Beowulf knew that after his shield was melted by the dragons flames that odds were against
him, but he still stood tall and fill with dignity.

Kennings
Copy/Paste the Kenning
Beowulfs ancient sword
Was waiting, unsheathed, his
sharp and gleaming
1.
Blade.
But his breath will be burning
Hot, poison will pour from
his tongue.

Line
number

Who AND what is it describing?

52-54

The text is describing Beowulfs ancient sword.

11-12

The text is describing the dragons breath.

92-94

The text is describing Wiglaf as a good soldier.

224-228

In the text the Geats are describing Beowulfs bravery.

112-118

In the text Wiglaf is describing Beowulfs mightiness and strength.

2.
His name was Wiglaf, he was
Wexstans son
And a good soldier; his
family had been Swedish,
3.
Once.
Beowulfs followers
225 Rode, mourning their
beloved leader,
Crying that no better king
had ever
Lived, no prince so mild, no
man
So open to his people, so
deserving of praise.

4.
. He took us

For soldiers, for men. He

meant to kill
This monster himself, our
mighty king,
115 Fight this battle alone and
unaided,
As in the days when his
strength and daring dazzled
5.
Mens eyes.
And he saw,
Hanging high above, a
golden
150 Banner, woven by the best
of weavers
6.
And beautiful
Then he brought their
treasure to Beowulf, and found
170 His famous king bloody,
gasping
7.
For breath.
So should all men
Raise up words for their
lords, warm
With love, when their shield
and protector leaves
His body behind, sends his
soul
On high. And so Beowulfs
followers
225 Rode, mourning their
beloved leader,
Crying that no better king
had ever
Lived, no prince so mild, no
man
So open to his people, so
deserving of praise.

148-151

Wexstans son Wiglaf is describing the beauty of the woven banner.

169-171

The text is describing Beowulfs bloody and weak body.

220-228

The text is describing Beowulfs followers and the love they had for him.

8.

Alliteration
Copy/Paste fifteen examples of alliteration. There should be three instances within two lines of text to form a strong example of alliteration.
Chose us from all his great army, thinking
Our boasting words had some weight, believing
1.
Our promises, trusting our swords.
The dragon

Coiled and uncoiled, its heart urging it

Into battle.
Ive never known fear, as a youth I fought
In endless battles. I am old, now,
But I will fight again, seek fame still,
If the dragon hiding in his tower dares
3.
To face me.
But his breath will be burning
Hot, poison will pour from his tongue.

2.

4.
, too hot for anyone
To stand, a streaming current of fire
5.
And smoke that blocked all passage.
He meant to kill
This monster himself, our mighty king,
Fight this battle alone and unaided,
As in the days when his strength and daring dazzled
6.
Mens eyes.
And bracelets, rusty old helmets, beautifully
Made but rotting with not hands to rub
7.
And polish them.
, a golden
Banner, woven by the best of weavers
8.
And beautiful.
He ran,
Hoping his wounded king, weak
And dying, had not left the world too soon.

9.
Here, at the waters edge, high
On this spit of land, so sailors can see
This tower, and remember my name, and call it
Beowulfs tower, and boats in the darkness
And mist, crossing the sea, will know it.

10.
Then the Geats built the tower, as Beowulf
Had asked, strong and tall, so sailors
11.
Could find it from far and wide
And so Beowulfs followers
Rode, mourning their beloved leader,
Crying that no better king had ever
Lived, no prince so mild, no man
So open to his people, so deserving of praise.

12.
And the riches he and Wiglaf
Had won from the dragon, rings, necklaces,
210 Ancient, hammered armor all
The treasures theyd taken were left there, too,

Silver and jewels buried in the sandy

Ground, back in the earth, again

13.
None of his comrades
Came to him, helped him, his brave and noble
Followers; they ran for their lives, fled
14.
Deep in a wood
90 Remained, stood there, miserable, remembering,
As a good man must, what kinship should mean.

15.

Multiple Choice
Write the letter: please make it legible to remove any doubt of
your answer choice. The questions can be found at the end of
the text.
1. D
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. C

Vocabulary
Correctly use all 7 words in any of the three summary portions of the test. You only
need to use the word once, but you must complete all three summaries. This is two
separate categories on the rubric.
Highlight the terms within the text.
1. Mail
2. Loathsome
3. Writhing
4. Massive
5. Solace

6. Purge
7. reparation

Summary: The Last Battle

Type your summary in the box below allowing it to expand as you type. Be sure to include information from the beginning, middle and end of the section. The
summary should be a strong, solid paragraph, but remember that too much is as bad as too little.

Summary: The Spoils

Type your summary in the box below allowing it to expand as you type. Be sure to include information from the beginning, middle and end of the section. The
summary should be a strong, solid paragraph, but remember that too much is as bad as too little.

Summary: The Last Farewell

Type your summary in the box below allowing it to expand as you type. Be sure to include information from the beginning, middle and end of the section. The
summary should be a strong, solid paragraph, but remember that too much is as bad as too little.