A Heroic Ideal

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Anglo-Saxon Culture

• A Heroic Ideal
• Dominated by warfare
• Male centered
• Slave holders

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Hrothgar

• King of what people?
• What connection does he have to Beowulf?
• Is he a good king?
• What is his greatest accomplishment as king?

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Grendel

• Shepherd of Evil
• Mankinds enemy
• Spawn of Cain
• What does Grendel symbolize?

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The Shepherd of Evil

• Monsters embody the fears, doubts, prejudices,
  etc. of the societies who create them. What does
  Grendel reveal about Anglo Saxon society?

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Beowulf

• What are the heros most important qualities?
• What do heroes like Beowulf reveal about the
  societies that revered them?

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The Fight at Herot

• Good versus Evil.
• Is the ending ever in doubt?

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Beowulf's Victory

• What has happened to Grendel?
• How do the Danes react?

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Hell hath no evil . . .
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Round Two

• Describe Momma Grendel.
• What strengths does she possess that Grendel did
  not?

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The Stagnant Fen

• Describe in detail Grendels home.
• In what ways is it symbolic?
• Think of other settings that have automatic
  symbolic power.

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The Dragon Awakens
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Beowulf Attacks

• What weapons has Beowulf brought to the fight?
• Who has promised to stay at his side?

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The Dragon's Magic
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Beowulf Slays The Dragon

• Who fights alongside Beowulf?
• How is the dragon actually killed?
• How does the Dragon inflict its fatal wound?

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The Grey-Beard King

• How has Beowulf changed as he grew older?
• For how many years did Beowulf reign?
• Describe the ideal Anglo/Saxon king.

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The Funeral Pyre

• The passing of the hero
• An elegy for a lost time
• The death of the heroic ideal?