Beowulf
by Anonymous
Table of Contents
Discussion Topics
- Throughout the poem, the poet mentions treasure and riches; however, the heroes seem to view treasure as a secondary acquisition. What role does financial gain play in the poem?
- What does Heorot symbolize in the novel? Does this make Grendel’s choice to specifically target people in Heorot more understandable?
- What is the importance of Grendel’s claw in the poem? Does it make a difference in the structure of the story if Grendel’s claw was at the end of his arm or if it completely replaced his arm?
- How does Beowulf embody the code of comitatus?
- How does Hrothgar serve as a mentor for Beowulf? Do you feel that Beowulf learned the lessons that Hrothgar tried to teach him?
- Beowulf’s motivations throughout the poem seem very unemotional, while other characters are highly motivated by emotion. What role did emotion play in the actions of Beowulf’s primary antagonists: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the Dragon?
- What are Beowulf’s primary failings as a king?
- Is Beowulf’s decision to fight the Dragon near the conclusion of the story a selfish sacrifice on behalf of his people or the action of an old man unwilling to accept the limitations of his age?
- Why would Beowulf have failed to leave an heir by the end of the poem?
- What, if any, differences are there between an epic poem like Beowulf and a modern work of literature?
- In many ways, Beowulf is the precursor of a modern superhero in later stories. What modern stories do you think reflect the same mythological elements used in Beowulf?
