Research Concepts Matrix
EXERCISE ON BEOWULF Open Book:
While doing this exercise, use the selection Beowulf from your Prose and Poetry of England textbook, including the paragraphs that introduce it and the footnotes. You also may use the “Glossary of Literature Terms” and the “Glossary of Poetic Terms” in the Course Manual, as well as a dictionary and thesaurus.
Any other notes or resources may not be used. Instructions: Answer in complete sentences in third person, present tense, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Brief quotes may be used as support, but unless otherwise stated in the question, answers should be primarily in your own words. [Copying from the Internet or plagiarism will result in a failing grade.]
Part I. Short Answers (60 points total)
1. Review lines 37-49. Describe how the poem draws from the Bible and from myth in its account of Grendel’s ancestors. (6 points)
2. Unferth taunts Beowulf by saying he was beaten in an oceanic swimming match by a man named Breca. Drawing on lines 131-160, describe three points Beowulf makes in his account of the race to defend himself from ridicule. (12 points)
3. Carefully study lines 212-289, which contain the fight between Beowulf and Grendel. Describe the basic events of the battle in your own words. Also, explain why swords are ineffective against Grendel and how Beowulf is able to defeat him despite this. (12 points)
4. Review lines 463-474. Describe two thoughts that make Beowulf glad as he is dying. (6 points)
5. Starting in line 475, Beowulf speaks to Wiglaf and makes two parting requests. Describe these two requests. (6 points)
6. Anglo-Saxon poetry had between three and five repetitions of an alliterating consonant per line. Review the text and identify lines in which the translator successfully imitates this alliterative aspect of Anglo-Saxon verse. Quote three such lines and write out their line numbers in parentheses. [No complete sentences are needed for this question.] (6 points)
7. Certain parallels (similarities) may be drawn between Beowulf and Christ, and between Beowulf’s companions and Christ’s Apostles.
This is most apparent in the section with the fire dragon, where many of the details parallel details from the Passion and death of Christ. For example, Jesus had twelve Apostles, and Beowulf has twelve fellow warriors in this scene. Focusing only on the fire dragon section, discuss three other parallels. (12 points)
Part II. Paragraph Answer (40 points total)
8. A character trait is not a physical ability or skill but a quality that is ingrained in a person’s makeup, such as shyness, gloominess, grumpiness, cheerfulness, cowardice, curiosity, excitability, and so forth. Write a paragraph (75 words minimum) naming three distinct character traits of Beowulf and giving a specific example—a particular incident from the poem–to illustrate each. Use brief quotes as support. Use topic and concluding sentences.
