Beowulf: an Anglo Saxon Poem

[login to view URL] This link will take you to the poem, this is a different translation from the lines in the questions if you can please try to cite your answers from the poem in the hyperlink I will correct them to fit the question Please answer the following it would be best if you had the book Beowulf but I will upload a hyperlink to try to reach the poem. 5. What the Villain Grendel Stands For: Clearly, the “powerful spirit / dwelling in darkness” Grendel represents a force for evil – but what kind of evil? (Beowulf 85-6). To what degree is his evil a violation of Christian values, pagan warrior values – or both? Consider his attack on Heorot – and what Heorot symbolizes? Does that make him evil in Christian or pagan terms? Look also at lines 98-113. What does that imply about Grendel’s evil? See also lines 114-136. How do these lines help define Grendel’s evil? 6. Unferth as a Foil to Beowulf: Unferth is what critics call a foil – a minor character, often a protagonist, who is contrasted with a hero either to clarify a hero’s values or to illustrate how a hero or main character grows. Look at Unferth’s interactions with Beowulf. How is he compared to Beowulf in terms of actions and words? See especially lines 499-528; 529-534; 570-597. 7. The Royal Feminine Ideal: The poem also seems to describe what was good and proper behavior and values for the women of the warrior caste. What kind of values does Hrothgar’s queen, Wealhtheow, embody? See lines 607-630. How does her role compare to that of her husband, Hrothgar? See also lines 639-41. Can we also define good and bad females here? In questions above, we considered the royal feminine ideal as represented by Wealhtheow. How does she compare/contrast with other women in the poem, such as Grendel’s mother and Modthryth? And Hilderburh? Do the Anglo-Saxons value women the way we do today? 8. Good and Evil: Based on the above questions, try to define good and evil as they are represented in the poem – for both men and women. Does Beowulf’s conduct seem to accord with these values throughout the story? Be sure to consider Beowulf’s conduct late in the story, to – say around lines 2298 to the end? In other words, does he seem to follow the example of good rulers and heroes on earth and in Heaven?