Take a look at the following questions and topics. This basically represents all the material we have covered up to this point in the quarter. Answer these questions and come prepared to discuss with your peers on Monday. Unless the school is destroyed and there is no school on Monday, we will be testing on Tuesday, so prepare accordingly. Enjoy!
1. Identify the three major periods of development of the English language.
2. From what major branch of the Indo-European language tree does English descend?
3. Identify the five major languages that produced English as we know it. How was the developing English language exposed to these language influences?
4. Identify one important event in history (there are several you could choose from) that assisted in the development of the English language. Explain how.
5. Define the following Anglo-Saxon cultural terms: a. kinship, b. lordship, c. scop, d. pagan, and e. mead (or great) hall.
6. Discuss the importance of the scop in Anglo-Saxon culture. Why did a warrior culture value poets and songwriters?
7. What was the importance of material wealth in Anglo-Saxon culture?
8. Identify the five major characteristics of Old English Poetry as discussed in class?
9. Describe in detail each of Beowulf's battles. Be sure to include location, Beowulf's method of attack, related characters, surprising and/or important events during the battle, and Beowulf's ke to victory. What is the cause of each of these battles?
Beowulf vs. Grendel
Beowulf vs. Grendel's mother
Beowulf vs. the Dragon
10. Identify the following important characters. What is their role in the poem?
Hrothgar
Beowulf
Wiglaf
11. Who or what is Grendel? To whom is he related? Why does Grendel attack Herot?
12. What is an epic poem? What qualities must an epic poem feather? What characteristics must an epic hero possess?
13. Consider Beowulf as an epic hero. What are his motivations? Consider Grendel as a villain. How is he the antithesis of everything Beowulf stand for (the values of Anglo-Saxon culture and the characteristics of the epic hero)?
14. Where do we see pagan elements in Beowulf? Christian elements? How do you know that the narrator of this piece is most likely Christian?
15. Does Beowulf accurately portray the Anglo-Saxon people? What elements of Anglo-Saxon culture appear in Beowulf?
16. Discuss the characteristics of an elegy.
17. How does "The Seafarer" qualify as an elegy?
18. What is the seafarer mourning? How do you know?
19. Why does the seafarer return to the sea and leave the land? Is this difficult for him? Why or why not?
20. What does the seafarer value? What are his beliefs? How do you know?
21. How are Beowulf and the seafarer (the characters) similar? Different?
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