Beowulf
1. Give a specific timeline of Beowulf’s life, from the time he was accepted into the Geat Hall until his death.
Accepted into Geat Hall Fights and kills Grendel. Grendel’s mother kills Aeschere. Beowulf fights and kills Grendel’s mother. Hrothgar makes Beowulf king. Beowulf and Wiglaf kill the dragon.
2. What was the role of women in the period based solely on the poem?
The role of women was very little in the poem. The women of that time were loved by the men, but only as prizes of war. They were essentially material possessions. They were within that time frame, useless. They were to cook, clean, and pour more alcohol into the cups of their husbands. They were viewed as too weak to fight, and too dumb to be leaders. The men were definitely the dominant gender in this time.
3. What were the lies of regular citizens like during this time period?
The lives of citizens were pretty much uneventful. They would get up early in the morning, work, and go to bed. Their soul purpose was to work for the king. Whether that be working within the palace itself, being a messenger, or working in the fields that provide the town with food.
4. Christianity plays a large part in the story of Beowulf. How do the ruling characters feel about God? How does their faith guide their actions? How does Beowulf specifically fell about God’s hand?
The people of this time period were very strong believers in God. Beowulf and many of the other characters were very faithful to God. They would pray, give thanks, and give credit to God for their accomplishments. When Beowulf tells the story of how he defeated Grendel’s mother, he says, “The fight would have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me.” The part that stuck out the most to me when it came to the belief of God within this time was when he said, “It is a wonder to say that in His Great Spirit God gives wisdom to mankind, land and earlship. He possesses power over all things. At times He lets...