How many men had Grendel killed in the opening chapter?

30. Grendel, a demon, came up from the ocean when she heard Hrothgar and his men singing songs about God and his creation.
Grendel, who was a descendant of Adam and Eve's son Cain, killed thirty of Hrothgar's men. After that night, Grendel had attacked
the kingdom for twelve years.
Was Beowulf able to get Hrothgar's advisor away from the second demon?
No. When they arrived at the sea where the second demon lived, Beowulf and his men found Aescheres had been decapitated.
How did Hrothgar reward Beowulf for killing the second demon?
Twelve treasures were awarded to him. After defeating the second demon, Beowulf partied with the people of the kingdom and then
went to bed. The next morning he and his men left for their homeland.
When Beowulf returned to his homeland, how long did he rule as king after the previous king passed away?
Fifty years. After Beowulf and his men returned to their homeland, Beowulf gave some of his treasure to his king and queen. In return
for his generosity and bravery, Beowulf's king gave him some land to rule. After King Hygelac was killed in battle, Beowulf took over
the kingdom.
Why does the fire-breathing dragon hidden under ground in Beowulf's land come above ground?
Because his treasure was stolen. It has been fifty years since Beowulf defeated Grendel and Beowulf is happy with his land and his
people. When a slave steals a jeweled goblet belonging to a fire-breathing dragon, the dragon comes above ground to find the culprit.
He attacks some of the citizens of Beowulf's kingdom and Beowulf goes after him.
Who wrote Beowulf?
No one knows. The author of Beowulf is unknown, but it was first available for the public in print in 1815.
When was the oldest surviving manuscript of "Beowulf" written (about)?
1000 A.D.. The oldest surviving manuscript was written by an Anglo-Saxon in 1000 A.D. The owner of the manuscript, Robert Cotton,
gave it to a British museum after a fire came close to destroying it in 1731. However, some scholars believe that the poem could
have been written as early as the seventh or eighth century
For years, King Hrothgar has futilely tried to protect his subjects from the monster Grendel. What group of people does
he rule?
The Danes. Hrothgar, probably a legendary figure, is the king of the Danes in "Beowulf". His name is mentioned in other Scandinavian
literature, with some degree of consistency, so it is possible that the king in "Beowulf" was based upon some ancient Scandinavian
king.
The author of "Beowulf" states that Grendel the monster was condemned by God. Why?
He was a child of Cain.. The author says that God repudiated Cain (for killing his brother Abel) and all of Cain's descendants--which
include all "ogres, hobgoblins, and monsters". Grendel, being a "child" of Cain because he is a monster, has been rejected by God.
What does the jealous lord Unferth mock Beowulf about?
Losing a swimming race. Unferth is jealous of Beowulf and tries to undermine him. Beowulf denies the loss of a swimming race, and
contends that he not only won the race, but also fought nine sea-monsters in the process! (Hmm...can anyone say 'exaggeration'?)
After Beowulf slays Grendel, who comes to avenge the monster?
Grendel's mother. Grendel's mother, who is given no name, is described in masculine and monstrous terms. It appears that she is
more evil than Grendel himself. She does, however, evince the human traits of love (for her son) and desire (for vengeance).
How does Beowulf eventually become king of the Geats?
King Hygelac and his sons all die, leaving no heirs.. After King Hygelac dies, his own sons too die. Beowulf is then chosen king of the
Geats.
How does Beowulf die?
Wounds received from his battle with the dragon. The dragon that Beowulf fights manages to bite him in the neck. This attack proves
to be fatal, and Beowulf later dies. The poem states that Beowulf of all kings "was the gentlest and most gracious of men, the kindest
to his people and most desirous of renown".
Beowulf participated in a swimming competition with which person?
Breca. Breca and Beowulf decided upon a swimming competition, which got a bit out of hand. Breca almost died and Beowulf had to
slay several sea monsters.
Who is Beowulf's father?
Edgetheow. Edgetheow was considered a great warrior in his time, and was highly regarded by Hrothgar.
Beowulf came from a people known by what name?
Geats. The Geats lived in the area now known as Sweden, and Beowulf came from this land, which was called Geatland back in his
time.
Hrothgar built a place where his people gathered and celebrated. The destruction of this place severely affected the
spirit of Hrothgar's people. What was the name of this place?
Heorot. Heorot was the mead hall that Hrothgar built. It served as a place where the people gathered and celebrated. Heorot was an
important aspect of the culture as the hall provided a means for the people to gain strength through the fellowship of unity.
Where did Grendel's mother live?
bottom of a lake. Grendel's mother lived at the bottom of a lake. Beowulf had to dive into the lake and do battle with her in order to
finally free the land from the grasp of her evil.
The sword Hrunting was given to Beowulf to fight against which monster?
Grendel's mother. It's interesting Unferth gave Beowulf his sword considering how jealous he was of Beowulf when he first arrived.
Who or what is Naegling?
Beowulf's sword. Every hero, especially epic ones, have a wondrous sword. King Arthur had Excalibur and Beowulf had Naegling.
Hygelac is whose uncle?
Beowulf's. Hygelac is Lord of the Geats, and Beowulf's uncle.
Who is a proud Danish warrior whose name means 'un-peace'?
Unferth. When Beowulf arrived he was given a hero's welcome. His feats and abilities had traveled before him, yet one particular
warrior of Hrothgar's was rude and uncivil to Beowulf. This would be Unferth, whose behavior mostly stemmed from jealousy of being
displaced by this outsider.
Who was Wiglaf?
A relative and loyal warrior to Beowulf. Wiglaf plays an important role in the second half of Beowulf. When Beowulf is in his declining
years, he must battle a dragon that is terrorizing Geatland. Beowulf believes it is his responsibility to battle the dragon alone. Wiglaf
is the only warrior who stays with the dying Beowulf, and vanquishes the dragon.
THEMES
Fame, Pride, and Shame
The warriors of Beowulf seek fame through feats of strength, bravery in the face of danger, an utter disdain for death, as well as by boasting about their feats of
strength, bravery, and disdain for death. The quest for fame is of the utmost importance to a warrior trying to establish himself in the world. Yet the quest for fame
can lead to harm in two very different ways. First, a quest for fame can easily succumb to pride. Both pride and fame involve a desire to be great, but while fame
involves becoming great in order to bring strength and power to one’s people, pride involves a desire to be great no matter what. Put another way, fame in Beowulf
is associated with generosity and community while pride is associated with greed and selfishness. Second, a man who seeks fame can also bring shame to himself
(and therefore his family) if his courage fails him. And shame, in Beowulf, is not mere embarrassment. It’s a kind of curse that broadcasts to the world that you, your
family, and your people lack the courage, will, or might to protect yourselves. When Wiglaf rebukes Beowulf’s men for fleeing in the face of the dragon, he does
not merely say that they have shamed themselves. Rather, he implies that their shame is bound to bring ruin down the entire Geatish people.
Repetition and Change
Beowulf is full of repetitions: the story begins and ends with funerals of kings; Beowulf must fight Grendel and Grendel’s Mother; the tale of Sigemund
foreshadows Beowulf’s battle with the dragon; the feuds related in stories told by the bards echo the feuds of Beowulf’s own time. For instance, Beowulf opens and
closes with the funeral of two different kings, Scyld Scefing and Beowulf. But while Scyld’s death comes of old age and founds a dynasty through succession to a
son, Beowulf’s funeral comes in battle and ends a dynasty because he has no son. Should Beowulf therefore not have fought the dragon, and instead remained to
protect this people? Through the contrasts of seemingly similar events, Beowulf highlights how things change and raises questions about characters’ decisions and
actions.
Heorot and Mead-Halls
The mead-hall is the symbol of a society: it is in this central place that the people gather to feast, socialize, and listen to the scop (bard) perform and thereby
preserve the history of the people. Heorot, as the largest mead-hall in the world, symbolized the might and power of the Spear-Danes under Hrothgar.
Gold, Treasure, and Gifts
In Beowulf, gold, treasure, and gifts are less important for their economic value than their social value. In fact, gold can be seen as a symbol of social interaction: a
lord rewards loyalty with gold, and in doing so inspires further loyalty. The transfer of the gold is also a kind of physical embodiment of the lord’s duty to nurture his
people. Gold can also act as a symbol of regret or a desire for peace: one way of avoiding a feud is to pay the wergild, the man-price, by compensating the family of
the injured person with gold, to avoid more violent vengeance.