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Quizzes > Books & Literature

Beowulf test: How well do you know the epic?

Quick Beowulf quiz with instant results. Review themes, plot, and characters.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Slo RichardsonUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for Beowulf quiz on sky blue background

This Beowulf quiz helps you check what you remember about the epic, from major fights to key themes. Answer quick questions on Grendel, Heorot, and the heroic code, then see your results. For more practice, try the Beowulf reading quiz or the Beowulf practice quiz.

Who is the author of Beowulf?
Geoffrey Chaucer
John Milton
William Shakespeare
Unknown (anonymous)
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem whose author remains anonymous. The text was passed down orally before being committed to manuscript form. The surviving manuscript does not name the poet, so scholars simply refer to the author as unknown.
Which monster does Beowulf fight first?
Grendel
The Dragon
Grendel's Mother
Fenrir
In the opening action of the poem, Beowulf travels to Heorot to battle Grendel, a marauding monster. Grendel has been attacking Hrothgar's warriors nightly. Beowulf confronts him unarmed to match Grendel's own use of bare hands.
What is the name of Beowulf's homeland?
Sweden
Denmark
Geatland
Norway
Beowulf hails from Geatland, which corresponds to Götaland in modern southern Sweden. He returns there after his exploits in Denmark. His role as prince and later king of the Geats frames the poem's latter half.
Who is Hrothgar in Beowulf?
A Geatish warrior
Beowulf's father
King of the Danes
A dragon slayer
Hrothgar is the aging king of the Danes who builds the mead-hall Heorot. He is plagued by Grendel's attacks and calls upon Beowulf for aid. Their relationship exemplifies loyalty between liege and thane.
In what language was Beowulf originally composed?
Middle English
Latin
Old Norse
Old English
Beowulf was composed in Old English, the language of Anglo-Saxon England. Its meter relies on alliteration rather than rhyme. The poem survives in a single manuscript dating from around the 10th - 11th centuries.
What creature does Beowulf fight in his final battle?
A troll
A sea serpent
Grendel's Mother
A dragon
In the poem's climax, an aging Beowulf confronts a dragon that threatens his kingdom. This dragon has been provoked by a stolen cup. Unlike his earlier fights, Beowulf uses a sword but still faces mortal danger.
How many years does Beowulf rule as king before facing the dragon?
50 years
20 years
100 years
10 years
After returning to Geatland, Beowulf reigns as king for fifty years. His long rule is marked by peace until the dragon appears. The length emphasizes the hero's longevity and the epic's sense of fate.
Which poetic device is most prominent in Beowulf?
Sonnets
Internal rhyme
Metered iambs
Alliteration
Beowulf uses a poetic form based on alliteration, where stressed words share initial sounds. There is no rhyme scheme like in later English poetry. Each line is divided into two half-lines connected by alliteration.
Grendel is described as a descendant of which biblical figure?
Samson
Noah
Abel
Cain
The poet links Grendel to Cain, establishing him as cursed and murderous. This biblical reference underscores themes of exile and divine wrath. It reflects the Christian perspective layered over a pagan story.
What is the name of the great hall where Beowulf fights Grendel?
Heorot
Hart Hall
Medford
Valhalla
Heorot is King Hrothgar's mead-hall, symbolizing community and royal generosity. Grendel's nightly assaults on Heorot set the stage for Beowulf's arrival. The hall's name means "hart" or stag, a noble animal.
What is the name of the sword given to Beowulf by Unferth, which ultimately fails him?
Nægling
Excalibur
Hrunting
Gram
Unferth lends Beowulf the sword Hrunting for the fight with Grendel's mother. Despite its reputation, Hrunting fails to wound the monster. This moment highlights the poem's theme that traditional weapons and human pride can fall short.
How does Beowulf kill Grendel's mother?
With a giant sword found in her lair
Using Hrunting
By strangling her
By luring her into Heorot
After Hrunting fails, Beowulf discovers a massive sword in Grendel's mother's underwater lair. He uses it to decapitate her. This divine intervention emphasizes the poem's mix of fate and faith.
Which theme is highlighted by Beowulf's series of boasts throughout the poem?
Redemption
Hospitality
Romantic love
Wyrd (fate)
Beowulf's boasts, or beots, emphasize the Anglo-Saxon concept of wyrd, meaning fate or destiny. These formal declarations frame his heroic code and foreshadow outcomes. The practice binds him to his word and to divine will.
What role does the mead-hall play in Anglo-Saxon culture as seen in the poem?
Center of community and royal hospitality
Marketplace for traders
Place of religious worship
Training ground for warriors
Mead-halls like Heorot functioned as communal gathering places for feasts, storytelling, and governance. Kings demonstrated wealth and generosity there. It also served as a setting for testing loyalty and heroism.
Who remains loyal to Beowulf during his final fight with the dragon?
Hrothgar
Wiglaf
Unferth
Hygelac
Wiglaf is the only warrior who aids Beowulf against the dragon. His loyalty exemplifies the ideal thane-king relationship. Other warriors abandon Beowulf, highlighting themes of courage and faithfulness.
Which character lends Beowulf his sword Hrunting?
Hrothgar
Hygelac
Unferth
Wiglaf
Unferth, who initially doubts Beowulf's prowess, eventually offers his sword Hrunting. This act shifts the poem's tone from rivalry to respect. Hrunting's failure underscores the role of fate and divine aid.
The Beowulf manuscript is known by what codex name?
Exeter Codex
Cotton Vitellius
Nowell Codex
Junius Manuscript
The sole surviving manuscript of Beowulf is part of the Nowell Codex, named after archivist Laurence Nowell. It resides in the British Library's Cotton collection. The manuscript suffered damage in a 1731 fire.
What is a kenning in Anglo-Saxon poetry?
A formal boast
A two-word metaphorical compound
A four-beat alliterative line
An Old English caesura
A kenning joins two words to create a metaphorical phrase, such as "whale-road" for sea. It enriches imagery and aids alliterative meter. Kennings are a hallmark of Old English verse.
In Beowulf scholarship, what is a beot?
A pagan ritual
A king's gift
A heroic burial
A formal boast or vow
A beot refers to the ritualized boasting of one's future deeds, common in Beowulf. These vows bind the hero to his word and frame narrative expectations. They also highlight the interplay of honor and fate.
Which meter characterizes Beowulf's original poetic form?
Trochaic tetrameter
Four-stress alliterative verse
Blank verse
Iambic pentameter
Beowulf uses a four-stress line divided by a caesura, with alliteration linking half-lines. This differs sharply from later rhyme-based meters. It reflects the oral tradition of Anglo-Saxon scops.
What marks the shift from pagan to Christian elements in the poem?
Invocation of Roman deities
References to God's will and biblical events
Use of Latin inscriptions
Appeals to Norse gods
Although rooted in Germanic pagan culture, Beowulf contains Christian commentary and references to God's providence. These appear in digressions and moral judgments. They reflect the monkish scribe's worldview during transcription.
Which 20th-century scholar delivered the seminal lecture "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics"?
Seamus Heaney
H.R. Ellis Davidson
E. Talbot Donaldson
J.R.R. Tolkien
In 1936 J.R.R. Tolkien delivered "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," revolutionizing modern scholarship. He argued for focusing on the poem's artistic unity rather than merely its historical elements. The lecture remains foundational.
Which archaeological site is often linked to the historical Heorot?
Gamla Uppsala, Sweden
Birka, Sweden
Lejre, Denmark
Jelling, Denmark
Excavations at Lejre in Denmark uncovered large hall remains matching descriptions of Heorot. Lejre was a royal center in the early medieval period. Though not conclusive, it offers plausible historical context.
What does the dragon's hoard symbolize in Beowulf?
The fleeting nature of earthly wealth
Heroic honor
Immortal glory
Divine reward
The dragon's treasure hoard is ultimately inaccessible and cursed, illustrating that material wealth can outlast but not save its possessor. It serves as a caution against greed. The hero dies defending it, underscoring its transient value.
In Beowulf, the Old English term "ofermod" is often translated as what, reflecting a key theme?
Fateful destiny
Excessive pride or overconfidence
Martial bravery
Divine favor
Ofermod literally means 'over-spirit' and is usually rendered as excessive pride or overconfidence. It appears when the poet critiques Beowulf's final actions. The concept engages with themes of hubris and the limits of human strength.
The extant Beowulf manuscript is generally dated to which century?
10th century
11th century
9th century
8th century
Paleographic analysis places the Nowell Codex manuscript in the early 11th century. While the poem's composition may be earlier, the surviving copy dates from around 1000 - 1025 CE. This dating informs linguistic and cultural studies of the text.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Key Characters -

    Recall major figures such as Beowulf, Grendel, and other central characters, and summarize their roles and motivations within the epic.

  2. Analyze Central Themes -

    Examine core themes like heroism, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil, and understand how they drive the narrative forward.

  3. Interpret Major Plot Events -

    Trace pivotal moments - such as the battles with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon - and explain their impact on the story's development.

  4. Evaluate Heroic Qualities -

    Assess Beowulf's leadership, bravery, and moral choices to determine what defines a hero in the context of the poem.

  5. Support Arguments with Textual Evidence -

    Use specific lines and passages from the text to back up your answers and strengthen your literary analyses.

  6. Discuss Beowulf in Historical Context -

    Connect the events and themes of the poem to the culture and values of the Anglo-Saxon period for a deeper appreciation.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Epic Structure and Old English Origins -

    Beowulf's narrative splits into three dramatic episodes - Grendel, Grendel's Mother, and the Dragon - which serve as natural checkpoints for any beowulf test. A simple "G-M-D" mnemonic helps recall the sequence under time pressure. Scholars at the British Library highlight how Old English alliteration cements thematic unity across these sections.

  2. The Heroic Code Formula -

    Heroism in Beowulf can be boiled down to Strength + Loyalty + Generosity = Heroic Identity, a useful "H-CODE" formula to remember for quiz on beowulf. This equation echoes J.R.R. Tolkien's lectures on Anglo-Saxon ethics, showing how warriors earned fame through selfless deeds. Keep this formula in mind to tackle any test on beowulf question about character motivations.

  3. Key Themes: Good vs. Evil, Fate, Mortality -

    Central themes - Good vs. Evil, Wyrd (fate), and human mortality - underscore every conflict and dialogue in Beowulf, making them prime targets for beowulf questions. Think "GFM" (Good, Fate, Mortality) as your three-letter recall tool when analyzing passages. University of Wisconsin teaching guides emphasize how these themes interlock to drive the epic's moral lessons.

  4. Character Foils and Leadership -

    Contrast between Beowulf, Unferth, and Wiglaf illustrates evolving notions of valor and kingship; this trio often appears in quiz on beowulf character analysis questions. Unferth's doubt vs. Wiglaf's loyalty highlight shifts in heroic standards. Insights from the Dictionary of Old English help decode their Old English epithets and social roles.

  5. Symbolism of the Meadhall and Monsters -

    Heorot symbolizes communal harmony, while Grendel and the Dragon represent external and internal chaos - a duality frequently examined in test on beowulf symbolism questions. Visualize the hall as "H," monsters as "M," giving an "H-M" mental shortcut to map setting to symbolism. Academic journals at JSTOR link this imagery to Anglo-Saxon oral traditions, enriching your answers.

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