Unit Test Answers

Read the excerpt from Gilgamesh: A New English Version.At four hundred miles they stopped to eat,at a thousand miles they pitched their camp.They had traveled for just three days and nights,a six weeks' journey for ordinary men.

What characteristics of an epic hero does Gilgamesh exhibit in the excerpt? Select 2 options.

Read the excerpt from Grendel.Thus I fled, ridiculous hairy creature torn apart by poetry—crawling, whimpering, streaming tears, across the world like a two-headed beast, like mixed-up lamb and kid at the tail of a baffled, indifferent ewe—and I gnashed my teeth and clutched the sides of my head as if to heal the split, but I couldn’t.

Read the excerpt from Gilgamesh: A New English Version.The man who pulled you up from the groundand gave you fresh water from his waterskinis Lugalbanda, your personal god.With his help, we will achieve a triumphgreater than any man has achieved.

Which statements accurately contrast Beowulf and Grendel? Select 2 options.Both works are written in an Old English poetic style.Beowulf characterizes Grendel as bloodthirsty, but Grendel shows Grendel’s gentler side.Beowulf is sympathetic to the humans, while Grendel shows the monster’s perspective.Both works focus primarily on the hero, Beowulf.Beowulf is a contemporary version of an old tale, while Grendel is based on oral tradition.

Which words best complete the comparison of Beowulf and Grendel?Readers of Beowulf hope that Grendel will be destroyed, but readers of Grendel are most likely to

Which of these are elements of an epic poem’s structure and style? Select 4 options.the use of poetic verse throughout the epica narrative voice that tells the storythe use of prose in some passagesshort descriptionselevated, or eloquent, stylecompelling speeches

Read the excerpt from Grendel.Now and then some trivial argument would break out, and one of them would kill another one, and all the others would detach themselves from the killer as neatly as blood clotting, and they’d consider the case and they’d either excuse him, for some reason, or else send him out to the forest to live by stealing from their outlying pens like a wounded fox. At times I would try to befriend the exile, at other times I would try to ignore him, but they were treacherous. In the end, I had to eat them.

Read the excerpt from Grendel.It wasn’t because he threw that battle-ax that I turned on Hrothgar. That was mere midnight foolishness. I dismissed it, thought of it afterward only as you remember a tree that fell on you or an adder you stepped on by accident, except of course that Hrothgar was more to be feared than a tree or snake. It wasn’t until later, when I was full-grown and Hrothgar was an old, old man, that I settled my soul on destroying him—slowly and cruelly.

A literary theme is defined as

Both Beowulf and Grendel

What topics are commonly explored in epics? Select 3 options.love and romancefame and gloryacademiaperseveranceleadership

Read the excerpt from Gilgamesh: A New English Version.Gilgamesh answered, "Dear friend, dear brother,I cannot kill Humbaba alone.Please stay here with me. Stand at my side.'Two boats lashed together will never sink.A three-ply rope is not easily broken.'If we help each other and fight side by side,what harm can come to us?"

best

Which detail from Gilgamesh: A New English Version best illustrates a courageous hero?

Which statement best describes how Gilgamesh's dreams affect the plot of Gilgamesh: A New English Version?

Read these lines from Beowulf.He realizedthat the demon was going to descend on the hall,that he had plotted all day, from dawn-lightuntil darkness gathered again over the worldand stealthy night-shapes came stealing forth under the cloud-murk.Read this excerpt from Grendel.Thus I fled, ridiculous hairy creature torn apart by poetry—crawling, whimpering, streaming tears, across the world like a two-headed beast, like mixed-up lamb and kid at the tail of a baffled, indifferent ewe—and I gnashed my teeth and clutched the sides of my head as if to heal the split, but I couldn’t.

detailed descriptionsinformal languagenature imageryshort verses

ineffectiveenviousreluctantspineless

Read the passage from The Rámáyan of Válmíki.His brother, fell before his feet,And cried, "Thy claim all men allow:O come, our lord and king be thou."But Ráma nobly chose to beObservant of his sire's decree.

What is one effect of repeating Ráma's name numerous times in The Rámáyan of Válmíki?

Read the passage from "A Shield."A lonely warrior,I am wounded with iron,Scarred with sword-points,sated with battle-play,Weary of weapons.I have witnessed much fighting,Much stubborn strife.From the strokes of warI have no hopefor help or releaseEre I pass from the worldwith the proud warrior band.

Read the passage about Grendel from Beowulf.For no cause whatever would the earlmen’s defenderLeave in life-joys the loathsome newcomer,He deemed his existence utterly uselessTo men under heaven.Now, read the passage about Hrothgar from Grendel.Meanwhile, those who paid tribute to him were forced to strike at more distant halls to gather the gold they paid to Hrothgar—and a little on the side for themselves. His power overran the world, from the foot of my cliff to the northern sea to the impenetrable forests south and east. They hacked down trees in widening rings around their central halls and blistered the land with peasant huts and pigpen fences till the forest looked like an old dog dying of mange.

archetypescharacteristicsthemestopics

Read the passage from Beowulf.At last for the Danemen,When the slaughter was over, their wish was accomplished.The comer-from-far-land had cleansed then of evil,Wise and valiant, the war-hall of Hrothgar,Saved it from violence. He joyed in the night-work,In repute for prowess; the prince of the GeatmenFor the East-Danish people his boast had accomplished,Bettered their burdensome bale-sorrows fully . . .