Beowulf Test- Senior Composition and Literature

Select the best answer for the following multiple choice questions. Each
question is worth 3 points.
1. To which tribe did Beowulf belong?
a. The Danes
b. The Swedes
c. The Geats
d. None of the above
2. Approximately what year was Beowulf set?
a. 500
b. 600
c. 700
d. 800
3. As a work of literature, Beowulf is valued because:
a. It is the oldest known English literary work
b. It gives readers insight into the customs, traditions and values of
Anglo-Saxon society
c. It is rich with literary techniques
d. All of the above
4. Why do the swords of Beowulfs men fail to harm Grendel?
a. The men have dull swords
b. Beowulf refuses to let his men fight
c. The men are too weak to fight Grendel
d. Grendels skin cannot be pierced by swords
5. Which of the following was NOT a goal of Beowulfs when he first came
to Denmark?
a. Kill Grendel or at least die trying
b. Earn greater fame
c. Become king of Denmark
d. Win the good will of the Danes
6. How does Beowulf kill Grendel?
a. He rips off his head with his hands
b. He stabs him in the chest
c. He rips off his arm with his hands
d. He pushes him off a cliff
7. Who inherited Beowulfs treasure and title?
a. His son
b. Hrothgar
c. Grendels mother
d. Wiglaf
8. Beowulf most closely resembles which of the following characters from
other works we have read this year:

a. Annie, in A Walk to the Jetty, because they both took risks and
went on journeys
b. Hamlet because they both met avoidable endings by poison.
c. Martin Luther King Jr. because they both believed in using
peaceful methods to get tasks done
d. All of the above
9. From Beowulf we can infer that one personal quality admired by the
Anglo-Saxons was:
a. Beauty
b. Physical strength
c. Intelligence
d. Cruelty
10.
Which of the following passages contains a kenning that refers to
Herot?
a. Up from his swampland, sliding silently/ Toward that goldshining hall (lines 238-239)
b. By morning; the monsters mind was hot/ With the thought of
food and the feasting his belly (lines 255-256)
c. And defeat, the tears torn out of Grendels/ Taut throat, hells
captive caught in the arms (lines 310-311)
d. Cliffs, wolf-dens where water pours/ From the rocks, then runs
underground (lines 426-427)
11.
What is the alliteration in the lines 474-478, Then he saw/ The
mighty water witch, and swung his sword,/ His ring-marked blade,
straight at her head.
a. Ring-marked blade
b. Straight at her head
c. The mighty water witch, and swung his sword
d. All of the above
12.
The swords in the poem are given names and described as
having lifelike qualities. This is an example of:
a. Personification
b. Kenning
c. Caesura
d. Alliteration
13.
Beowulfs journey follows the journey of a hero which is very
common in literature and movies. In the story of Beowulf, what does
Grendels mothers lair represent in Beowulfs journey?
a. Herot
b. The underworld/hell
c. The evil that resides in all people/characters
d. What Beowulf will become by the end of the story
14.
If Beowulf were to encounter six terrorists on his way home, what
would he most likey do:

a.
b.
c.
d.
15.
a.
b.
c.
d.
16.
a.
b.
c.
d.
17.
a.
b.
c.
d.
18.
a.
b.
c.
d.
19.
a.
b.
c.
d.
20.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Call his back up crew for help in the battle

Fight them all himself, barehanded, right then
Run the other way and hide
Schedule a battle with them at a later date
What are the origins of Old English?
Germanic group of Indo-European, spoken in England before
about 1100CE
Germanic group of Indo-European, spoken in England between
1200-1300CE
Germanic group of Indo-European, spoken in England before
about 200BCE
Germanic group of Indo-European, spoken in England before
about 1600CE
What is an epic poem?
Short poem (about 14 lines) written in iambic pentameter
A text that is broken up into specific parts that different
characters speak
A spoken or written account of connected events; a story
A narrative that is usually about heroic deeds and events that are
significant to a culture
What are the characteristics of an epic poem?
The hero is outstanding
Supernatural forcesgods, angels, demonsinsert themselves in
the action.
It is a poem that tells a story
All of the above
Who was the author of Beowulf?
William Shakespeare
Edgar Allen Poe
Ernest Hemingway
The author is unknown
How was Beowulf originally told?
It was written down
It was told orally
It was performed by actors and actresses
It was a puppet show
What is/are the theme(s) in Beowulf?
Revenge
Loyalty
Knowing when to retire/quit
All of the above

The following represent some steps in the journey of a hero, which is

depicted throughout literature. For each step, describe the event(s) that
Beowulf went through; your description should include character names and

specific plot details. Please write in complete sentences on a separate sheet

of paper. 20 points
-

Ordinary
world:___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Call to
Adventure:_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Mentor/Helper:_________________________________________________________
__
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Crossing the
Threshold:_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Tests/Evils:_____________________________________________________________
__
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reward:
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Return:
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Short Answer: answer ONE of the following questions. 20 points

Short Answer 1: Pick two characteristics of an epic poem. Explain what these
characteristics are, and then give specific details about how they were
represented in Beowulf.
Short Answer 2: Name at least TWO key differences between the epic poem
and movie Beowulf. Your answer should include specific details from the plot
of each and the characters.
Short Answer 3: Argue whether or not Beowulf showed good or poor
judgment in going into his last battle with the dragon.