Grade 12

Quarter 1: Beowulf Unit

6 Lessons
 Focus Standards Learning Goals
*Key Ideas and Details *Key Ideas and Details
LAFS.1112.RL.1.2 1. The student will identify two themes of Beowulf and Epic
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and poems and discuss verbally and in writing how those themes
analyze their development over the course of the text, including interact to create a meaningful text.
how they interact and build on one another to produce a
complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. 2. The student will analyze the authors story choices, such as
character and setting, and demonstrate understanding of how
LAFS.1112.RL.1.3 authors make choices by creating a hero, or modern Beowulf,
Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to who embodies modern cultural values similarly to how Beowulf
develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a embodied values of his own time.
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed). Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: *Craft and Structure
Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning 3. The student will analyze the story structure of Beowulf and
discuss verbally and in writing how the authors choices impact
*Craft and Structure the meaning of the text.
LAFS.1112.RL.2.5
Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure *Writing
specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end 4. The student will compose a well-organized and audience-
a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) appropriate letter to a future upcoming senior student, detailing
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its how, according to Beowulf, one can become a hero.
aesthetic impact. Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: Strategic
Thinking & Complex Reasoning

*Writing
LAFS.1112.W.2.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: Strategic Thinking &
Complex Reasoning
 Lesson Purpose
To be able to construct a cohesive, authentic letter to an upcoming senior student that
employs both personal reflection and evidence from the Beowulf to discuss what it
means to be a hero.

Big Idea Lesson

Throughout time, some elements of what it means to be a hero have changed, and
some have stayed the same.
A peoples values, fears, and hopes are reflected in their literature.
Authentic writing occurs when students have a real audience and motivation to write.

Essential Questions
What are the values of the Anglo-Saxon people, and how does Beowulf exemplify those
values?
How do authors structure their stories effectively?
How do authors make specific story choices such as character and setting?

Academic Vocabulary Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary

Audience Students will review vocabulary essential for writing a
Kenning letter to a future student based on Beowulf.
Caesura *Word Wall
Alliteration
Epic Poem
Motif
Legendary Hero

Domain Specific Vocabulary Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary

Reparation Create PowerPoint with words and definitions. Have
Solace students write the words in a sentence. Include the
Writhing words in the study guide.
Massive
Purge
Loathsome

Formative Assessment
Journal Entries: During the unit, the teacher will guide students in a series of journal
entries that encourage active engagement with the material.

Stop and Write: During the unit, the teacher will guide students to stop at key points in
instruction and reflect on the text. The Stop and Write questions directly correspond to
the unit standards.
Turn-Pair-Share and collaboration: During the unit, students will collaborate, work
together, and share their work with the class.

Text Used
Beowulf, Author Unknown
Lexile 1090

Anchor Text Description

This is a traditional Anglo-Saxon text. The poem is about encountering the monstrous,
defeating it, and then having to live on, physically and emotionally exposed in the
exhausted aftermath.

Materials
Anchor Text: Beowulf, Author Unknown
Paper/Pencils/Pens/Highlighters
Large papers for tabletop twitter
Beowulf PowerPoint
Pre-test and post-test
Journal
 Lesson One Resources and Notes

Lesson purpose: To explore the history of Beowulf in preparation for Objective: Students
reading the text; to determine students own perspectives on what a will reflect on their
hero should be and do; to begin reading the text. own notions of what
makes a hero.
Hook: Students respond in their journals to the following Bellwork:
Students will read and
Journal Topic: What Makes a Hero? connect their
Are heroes born, or are they made? experiences to the
How does one become a hero? text. Students will
Is a hero found in a persons actions, or a persons intentions? predict the next
Who is a hero in your life? section of the text.
In their groups, students will discuss their answers. Each group will then
elect a speaker to share some insights with the class (Accommodation:
group work. Provides support for all students).

Discussion/ Pre-Teaching:
The teacher will use the Beowulf PowerPoint to lead students in a
discussion of the texts background. Students will take notes in their
English notebooks and answer the Stop and Write questions in their
journals (Accommodation: visual images. Images in the PowerPoint
assist visual learners, ELLs, and all students).

Guided Practice:
The teacher will begin reading the text with students. Together, the
students and teacher will read the sections The Wrath of Grendel and
The Coming of Beowulf.

Exit Ticket:
Students will respond on an index card to the following prompt:

Make a prediction! What do you think will happen as the story

continues?

Homework: Students will be given the Beowulf study guide.

Lesson Two Resources and Notes

Lesson Purpose: To continue reading Beowulf; to explore the Objective: Students

characters and setting of the story in order to question the authors will consider and
decisions; to understand how the authors story choices arose out of formulate audience-
Beowulfs time period. appropriate responses
to text-based
Hook: Collaborating with their table, students will answer the following
response as a group: questions.

Recall what we have read so far of Beowulf. What do you think are
the values of Beowulfs culture? How do you know? Provide at least two
examples.

Students will elect a speaker who is different from the speaker from
lesson one to share their response with the class (Accommodation:
group work. Provides support to all students).

Guided Practice:
The teacher will continue reading the text with the students. The class
will read the sections The Battle with Grendel, The Monsters Lair,
and The Battle with Grendels Mother.

While reading, the teacher will stop and address the following Stop and
Discuss questions:
*How does the renaming of Grendel in line 325 emphasize the
significance of the battle? How does it help characterize Grendel? Why
did the author choose to call Grendel those names?

*What details from the battle with Grendel seem realistic? What seem
to be epic? Why did the author choose to include these elements?

*Why does Grendels Mother not have her own name?

(Accommodation: text chunking. Provides support to readers of all

levels).

Activity: Tabletop Twitter

Five tables will be converted into stations, and each one will have a
large sheet of paper with a question or statement written on it.

*Beowulf boasts about his skills and triumphs. Does that make him any
less of a hero?

*The poem places a lot of emphasis on fate. What does that say about
the world the Anglo-Saxons lived in?

*Write down a heroic deed of your own! Why did you choose to do that
deed?

*What has been the most dramatic setting so far in the story? Why did
the author choose to include this setting?

*What themes seem to be appearing in the poem so far?

(Accommodations: movement around the classroom and group work.

Group work provides support for all students. Movement around the
classroom provides support for kinesthetic learners).

(Accommodation for student in wheelchair: the path around the stations

will be wide and circular to allow our student who uses a wheelchair
easy access to the stations).

Students will rotate around the tables, respond to the questions, and
then respond to their peers responses in short sentences.

Lesson Three Resources and Notes

Lesson Purpose: To finish reading Beowulf; to make personal out-of- Objective: Students
text connections; to make audience-appropriate decisions in writing. will judge important
information and make
Hook: Students will respond in their journals to the following bellwork: decisions about how
to represent
Journal Topic: Your Life
Are some things worth giving your life for? What are those things? information to a
specific audience.
Guided Practice: The teacher will finish reading the text with the Students will craft an
students. The class will read the sections The Last Battle, The Spoils, audience-appropriate
and The Farewell. reproduction of the
text.
Stop and Discuss Questions:
*Why do you think theres an emphasis on fate in the final sections of
this poem? How does this contribute to the themes of the story? What
does it say about the Anglo-Saxon culture?

*Who is Wiglaf? How is he similar and different from Beowulf?

(Accommodation: chunking. Provides support for students of all reading

levels).

Independent Practice:
Now that youve read all of Beowulf, consider how you would explain
the story to a younger brother or sister. Craft a synopsis of Beowulf
that you could use to explain the story to a child.

(Accommodation: students will have the opportunity to decide how they

would like to present the information. They could draw a graphic
depiction of the story, write a paragraph, create a bulleted list, or
choose another way to share their ideas. Provides support to all
learners).

The teacher will call on volunteers and non-volunteers to discuss what

they wrote and how they made choices in language and tone. The
teacher will draw attention to the point that students made choices
according to their audience.

Homework:
Beowulf study guide

Exit Slip: 3-2-1 Slip

Students will write down 3 things they have learned so far while reading
Beowulf, 2 questions they have, and one theme of the text.
 Lesson Four Resources and Notes

Lesson Purpose: To formatively assess knowledge of the text; to apply Objective: Students
knowledge about authors choices to a modern and relevant setting. will demonstrate text
comprehension.
Hook: Kahoot!
Students will design a
Students will participate in a 12 question Kahoot! quiz. This serves as a hero based on their
formative assessment. own modern values
and ideals.
(Accommodation: presenting information in short, alternative,
interactive way. Provides support for all students, including ELLs).

Students will respond in their journal to the following bellwork:

Journal Topic: Fighting Monsters

Who do you think would win in a fight between Grendel and Grendels
Mother? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

OR
What monsters have you fought in your own life? Reflect on some
heroic battles youve won and lost.

(Accommodation: choice. Students will have the opportunity to choose

which journal to respond to. Provides support to all learners).

Activity: Create a Hero!

The teacher will distribute the Create a Hero worksheet. Students will
work independently to create their heroes.

(Accommodation: visual depiction of information. Graphic organizer.

Visualizing a hero and drawing it provides support for visual learners.
Organizing the information on the back provides support for all
learners).

Students will assume the identity of their hero and introduce

themselves to their classmates. Students must ask each other questions
to understand their heroes. Students must write down the information
of at least two other heroes they meet.

(Accommodation: movement around the classroom, group work.

Students will move around the room, which provides support for
kinesthetic learners. Speaking to peers provides support for all students).

Homework due: The Beowulf Study Guide is due. Students will turn it in
and the teacher will lead a discussion about some of the challenging
questions.

Lesson Five Resources and Notes

Lesson Purpose: To encourage students to think about their own Objective: Students
choices as writers; to create an authentic piece of writing. will craft an authentic
piece of writing
Hook: Students will respond to the following bellwork:
appropriate directed
Write down a crazy story from own life. Use vivid details (remember at the desired
how you told your story in your narrative essay!) to bring your story to audience.
life.

3-4 Students will be called on to read their stories aloud to the class. We
will discuss why they chose to structure their stories as they did. Why
did they choose to start where they did? Why did they choose to end
where they did? After discussion, all students will explain their story
structure choices at the bottom of their paper.

Assignment:

Students will begin crafting a letter to an upcoming senior describing

how to be a hero. Students will start by doing a free-write activity to
collect their thoughts. They will write whatever comes to mind for five
minutes. Then, students will craft an outline for their paper. They will
turn-pair-share and explain their outline to their partner. Some students
will be called on to share their outline with the class. Students will have
the remainder of the class period to write.

The specific requirements for the paper are located on the assignment
sheet.

The rough draft will be due at the beginning of lesson six.

(Accommodation: The writing process is guided in order to support all

students. Students can create an outline in a graphic organizer if they
choose. Provides support for all students).

Class discussion: The teacher will lead the class in a discussion regarding
the questions in the Beowulf study guide. The challenging questions
will be reviewed. Students will take notes in a format that they choose.

(Accommodation: Multi-modal notes. Students will decide how to best

take notes so they remember the information. Supports all learners).

Lesson Six Resources and Notes

Lesson Purpose: To finish the Beowulf unit; to assess student learning Objective: Students
over the course of the unit. will revise their
writing according to
Hook: Students will respond in writing to the following bellwork:
peer-feedback.
Journal Topic: 10/10, Would Read Again Students will make
Would you recommend Beowulf to a friend? Why or why not? decisions about which
feedback to
Assignment: Students will exchange papers with somebody at their incorporate. Students
table and complete a peer review. Students will complete the peer will demonstrate
review worksheet for their partner. The teacher will lead a discussion in understanding of the
how to revise the letters. Students will revise for homework and turn in text through the final
their completed typed draft the next day.
assessment.
(Accommodation: Grouping and peer-review provides support for all
learners).

Picture review before test: The teacher will flip through the picture
slides of Beowulf and have the students either tell the story to a
partner, using the images as prompts, OR write down the story in a
bulleted list using the images as prompts.

Summative Assessment: Students will take the Beowulf post-test.

(Accommodation: Images are printed on the test in order to support all

learners. Students who require more time will be given an extension.
English Language Learners will use a digital translator).
 Lesson Resources:
1. Beowulf pre-test
2. Beowulf study guide
3. Create a Hero worksheet
4. Hero Letter Assignment Sheet
5. Beowulf post-test
[Pre]

Name ________________________

Date_________________________

Pd __________________________

Beowulf
Section 1: Reading Comprehension

Directions Please circle the correct answer to each question. Please answer every question!

1. Where does Beowulf come from?

a) Scotland
b) Geatland
c) England
d) Texas

2. What is Grendels mothers name?

a) Hygd
b) Elizabeth
c) She doesnt have a name
d) Breca

3. Where does Grendel live?

a) The swamp
b) Heorot
c) The church
d) The underworld

4. Who helps Beowulf slay the dragon?

a) Hrothgar
b) Grendel
c) Hygelac
d) Wiglaf
[Pre]

5. What does Beowulf do after slaying the dragon?

a) He becomes king
b) He tells Hrothgar and is rewarded with treasure
c) He dies
d) He renounces the throne

Section 2: Analysis

Directions Please circle the correct answer to each question. Please answer every question!

6. What are two themes of Beowulf? (LG1)

a) Fate, heroism
b) Protecting the natural world, faith
c) Happiness, Tranquility
d) Questioning authority, the value of family

7. Why may the author have chosen to set Beowulfs battle against Grendels mother in the
water? (LG2)

a) Beowulfs brother was killed there, so the battle takes on symbolic meaning
b) Beowulf is more vulnerable in the water, so the battle takes on an epic tone
c) Grendels mother lured Beowulf there, showcasing Beowulfs foolishness
d) The water represents Beowulf cleansing his wrongdoings

8. Why may the author have chosen to end the story as he or she did? (LG3)

a) As an Epic poem, the story follows a legendary hero throughout his entire life
b) The narrator wanted the readers and listeners to feel deeply moved
c) The values of Anglo-Saxon culture dictated that what makes a true hero is his courage in
the face of danger, no matter what the cost
d) The Anglo-Saxon author wanted to teach the moral that death comes to all, even the
heroic
[Pre]

9. How can the readers of Beowulf today use the text to understand and interpret the values
of Anglo-Saxon culture? (LG2)

a) The poetic nature of the text indicates the Anglo-Saxon love of poetry
b) The actions of Beowulf showed how an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero would behave
c) The cowards in the text all die, depicting the ultimate value of bravery
d) The text can be used as an example of a poem changing drastically as it is shared
throughout the years

10. As an Epic poem, what types of themes might be most likely to appear in Beowulf and
similar texts? (LG1)

a) War, fear, conflict

b) Great journeys, sailing the seas, scaling mountains
c) Heroic deeds, valor, courage
d) Peace, tranquility, respect

11. Why might the author have chosen to use the three heroic battles of Beowulf as a means of
structuring the story? (LG3)

a) The author wanted to create a simple structure to help people who couldnt read follow
the story
b) The author wanted to showcase the most important moments of Beowulfs life
c) The Anglo-Saxons believed three was a lucky number
d) The author decided to keep the poem short so more people could access it

Short Response

Directions Please respond to the question below.

Describe two characteristics of a hero (one sentence). Apply those characteristics to someone
who is a hero in your life today. Give one example of each characteristic (4-6 sentences). (LG4)

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 1

Beowulf Study Guide

One of the most important remains of Anglo-Saxon literature is the epic poem Beowulf. Its age is unknown; but it
comes from a very distant and hoar antiquity . . . It is like a piece of ancient armor; rusty and battered, and yet
strong. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

BACKGROUND
It is a curious fact that some of the worlds greatest literature has come to us from an unknown hand.
Beowulf, the first epic poem in the English language, ranks high among such literature. Scholars believe
that this epic about a brave warrior who vanquishes evil monsters was composed between the mid-
seventh century and the end of the tenth century. Some of the story materials the poet uses may have been
passed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. Beowulf was probably composed in
writing by one man. Although no one knows the identity of the author, he lived in what is now England,
probably somewhere north of the river Thames. Little more can be said about the author with certainty,
except that he was highly skilled in poetic technique and was thoroughly familiar with the traditional
themes and legends of early Germanic culture.

What is it about Beowulf that moved the American poet Longfellow to compare it to a
piece of ancient armor; rusty and battered, and yet strong? Perhaps it is that the poet fused early
Germanic history, legends, mythology, and ideals with Christian faith and values to create an enduring
work of art that inspires as it entertains. Or perhaps it is that we still cherish many of the qualities that
Beowulf embodiesamong them courage, loyalty, and generosity.

THE TIME AND PLACE

The poem is set mainly in Denmark and Geatland (now southern Sweden) during the sixth century. The
map at right shows the locations of peoples mentioned in Beowulf. The proximity of those peoples to one
another, together with the warrior code they followed, made for frequent clashes.

CHARACTER LIST
Much of the early action takes place in Heorot (also called Herot), a great mead hall, or banquet hall,
where the well-loved and generous Danish king Hrothgar holds court. The following list includes the
principal characters in Beowulf.

Beowulf, an ideal warrior of the Geats and the hero of the poem

Dragon, a fire-breathing, snakelike monster that terrorizes the Geats

Grendel, a monster with human qualities that terrorizes Herot for twelve years

Grendels mother, a monster that also terrorizes Herot

Hrothgar, Danish king and builder of Herot

Higlac, king of the Geats and uncle of Beowulf

Shild, legendary king of the Danes and great-grandfather of Hrothgar

Unferth, a warrior in Hrothgars court who challenges Beowulfs bravery

Welthow, Hrothgars wife

Wiglaf, a young warrior and relative of Beowulf

 2

Study AnAlySiS QueStionS:

1. Briefly describe Grendel. What might Grendel symbolize?

2. Hrothgar and his followers face Twelve Winters of Grief. How does the length of their
suffering increase the epic feeling of this tale?

3. What details from the battle with Grendel seem realistic? What seem to be epic? Why did the
author choose to include these elements?

4. How does the setting of the battle against Grendels Mother showcase its epic significance? Why
did the author choose this setting? (Consider what it shows about the realms in which Beowulf
has power.)
 3

5. Grendels mother is a major figure, but nothing is known about Grendels father. In a
poem in which ancestry is important, what does Grendels ancestry suggest about his character?

6. What characteristics does the dragon have in common with Grendel? How is Beowulfs battle
with the dragon different from his battle with Grendel?

7. Why do you think theres an emphasis on fate in the final sections of this poem? How does this
contribute to the themes of the story? What does it say about the Anglo-Saxon culture?

8. Who is Wiglaf? How is he similar and different from Beowulf?

 4

domAin VocABulAry
Reparation

Definition:

Sentence:

Solace

Definition:

Sentence:

Writhing

Definition:

Sentence:

Massive

Definition:

Sentence:

Purge

Definition:

Sentence:

Loathsome

Definition:

Sentence:
 5

AcAdemic VocABulAry

Motif
Definition
Sentence

Epic Poem
Definition
Sentence

Legendary Hero
Definition
Sentence

Alliteration
Definition
Sentence

Kenning
Definition
Sentence

Caesura
Definition
Sentence

Audience
Definition
Sentence
 6

Test Preparation

1. Know the basics of the story! Be able to tell the characters apart. Be able to describe the
three essential sections of Beowulfs epic story.

2. What are the characteristics of a hero? Be able to define what a hero is and apply that
knowledge to the characters from the story.

3. What are two themes of Beowulf?

4. What are some examples of themes that might appear in Epic poems in general?

5. Know why the author of Beowulf might have chosen the three main battles as a way to
structure the story. Why do authors in general structure stories the way they do?

6. Know the values of Anglo-Saxon culture and how Beowulf explores those values.

7. Why may the author have made certain choices about character and setting? Think about
why Beowulfs battles took place where they did. Think about why the characters in the
story act the way they do.
 Create a Hero!
Directions: Weve been reading about Beowulf, one of the first heroes in English literature. Now its time
to create your own hero! Think about the qualities that Beowulf embodies. Which qualities make him a
hero? If you were to create a hero, would he or she share the same qualities, or have different ones?
Create your hero below.
 Create a Hero!
What is your heros name? ____________________________________________

What does your hero fight for?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What epic battles has your hero fought?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What is your heros heroic code? List five elements of this code.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
What does your hero value? List five values.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Write two kennings to describe your hero: __________________and _____________________

 4 3 2 1
Content The letter describes at least 3 The letter describes 2 The letter describes The letter is not on-
attributes of a hero and attributes of a hero fewer than 2 attributes topic.
relates them to the modern and relates them to the of a hero. The student
world. The student cites at modern world. The cites fewer than 2
least 3 strong supporting student cites 2 supporting examples
examples from the text. supporting examples from the text.
from the text.

Structure The letter is organized into The letter is organized The letter is not
paragraphs. Each paragraph into paragraphs. The NA organized into
has a clearly defined topic. paragraphs are not paragraphs.
clearly defined.

Audience The student makes all The student makes The student makes a The students choices
Awareness audience-appropriate choices many audience- few audience- are not audience-
regarding language usage and appropriate choices appropriate choices appropriate.
examples. regarding language regarding language
usage and examples. usage and examples.
Mechanics There are no spelling errors. There are a few There are many Spelling errors make
Punctuation is used spelling errors. spelling errors. the letter difficult to
completely correctly. The Punctuation is used Punctuation is read. Punctuation is
word count is written at the mostly correctly. The sometimes used not used. The word
bottom of the page. word count is written correctly. The word count is not written at
at the bottom of the count is not written at the bottom of the
page. the bottom of the page.
page.

Letter to a Senior Rubric:

Youre a senior now! And as a senior, you have a lot of wise words of advice to give to somebody whos
right now in the junior class. Now that weve read Beowulf, take some time to think about how you can
be a hero like Beowulf in your own life. What advice can you give to someone else about how to be a
hero?

Write a letter to an upcoming senior someone who is a junior right now explaining how she can be a
hero according to Beowulf.
[Post]

Name ________________________

Date_________________________

Pd __________________________

Beowulf

Section 1: Reading Comprehension

Directions Please circle the correct answer to each question. Please answer every question!

1. Where does Beowulf come from?

a) Scotland
b) Geatland
c) England
d) Texas

2. Where does Grendel live?

a) The swamp
b) Heorot
c) The church
d) The underworld

3. What is Grendels mothers name?

a) Hygd
b) Elizabeth
c) She doesnt have a name
d) Breca
[Post]

4. What does Beowulf do after slaying the dragon?

a) He becomes king
b) He tells Hrothgar and is rewarded with treasure
c) He dies
d) He renounces the throne

5. Who helps Beowulf slay the dragon?

a) Hrothgar
b) Grendel
c) Hygelac
d) Wiglaf

Section 2: Analysis

Directions Please circle the correct answer to each question. Please answer every question!

6. How does the Anglo-Saxon author of Beowulf explore the poems theme of fate? (LG1)

a) Grendels father is unknown, indicating that Grendel must choose his own fate
b) Beowulf knows he is fated to die in the battle with the dragon, yet faces it anyway
c) Grendels mothers cave at the bottom of the lake represents a battle against fate
d) Hrothgar is incapable of facing his own fate, so Beowulf must fight for him

7. What are two themes of Beowulf? (LG1)

a) Fate, heroism
b) Protecting the natural world, faith
c) Happiness, Tranquility
d) Questioning authority, the value of family
[Post]

8. Why may the author have chosen to end the story as he or she did? (LG3)

a) As an Epic poem, the story follows a legendary hero throughout his entire life
b) The narrator wanted the readers and listeners to feel deeply moved
c) The values of Anglo-Saxon culture dictated that what makes a true hero is his courage in
the face of danger, no matter what the cost
d) The Anglo-Saxon author wanted to teach the moral that nobody is a true hero

9. How can the readers of Beowulf today use the text to understand and interpret the
values of Anglo-Saxon culture? (LG2)

a) The poetic nature of the text indicates the Anglo-Saxon love of poetry
b) The actions of Beowulf showed how an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero would behave
c) The cowards in the text all die, depicting the ultimate value of bravery
d) The text can be used as an example of a poem changing drastically as it is shared
throughout the years

10. Why might the author have chosen to use the three heroic battles of Beowulf as a means
of structuring the story? (LG3)

a) The author wanted to create a simple structure to help people who couldnt read follow
the story
b) Because Beowulf is an Epic Hero, the author wanted to showcase the most important
moments of Beowulfs heroic journey
c) The Anglo-Saxons believed three was a lucky number
d) The author decided to keep the poem short so more people could access it
[Post]

11. What types of themes might be most likely to appear in the Epic Poem genre about
Legendary Heroes? (LG1)

e) War, fear, conflict

f) Great journeys, sailing the seas, scaling mountains
g) Heroic deeds, valor, courage
h) Peace, tranquility, respect

12. Why might the author have chosen to indicate that Grendel terrorizes the Danes for
twelve winters of grief? (LG2)

a) Twelve is a demonic number in Anglo-Saxon culture

b) Beowulf was a child when Grendel began causing trouble, and had to grow up before he
could fight
c) The length of time indicates how old Hrothgar must have been by the time Beowulf
showed up
d) The length of time indicates Grendels strength, and showcases how strong Beowulf had
to be to fight him

13. Why may the author have chosen to set Beowulfs battle against Grendels mother in the
water? (LG2)

e) Beowulfs brother was killed there, so the battle takes on symbolic meaning
f) Beowulf is more vulnerable in the water, so the battle takes on an epic tone
g) Grendels mother lured Beowulf there, showcasing Beowulfs foolishness
h) The water represents Beowulf cleansing his wrongdoings

Short Response

Directions Please respond to the question below.

Describe three characteristics of a hero (one sentence). Discuss how Beowulf embodies these
characteristics. Give one example of each characteristic (4-6 sentences). (LG4)