In the following excerpt from Beowulf, a monster named Grendel attacks a
kingdom and the warrior Beowulf prepares to fight him:
of Grendel's deeds the tidings reached a vallant Gothic knight,
Highborn, a thane* of Higelac; no mortal man in might
In his life's day was like to him. A goodly ship he bade
Make ready the swan's path to sail, that he might carry ald?
* Thane was used in early England and Scotland to refer to a nobleman who
was loyal to a particular king or lord.
1. Beowulf. An Old English Poem, trans. H. W. Lumsden (London: Kegan Paul, Trench &
Co., 1883) 11-12
Which of the following is the most plausible explanation for how the structure
of the poem contributes to its meaning?
A. The epic structure of Beowulf allows the speaker to interrupt the
sequence of events to praise the knight, which builds suspense
and emphasizes that the knight is probably the hero.
B. The epic structure of Beowulflacks rhythm, suggesting that the
poem is closer to a novel or short story in structure than a lyric
poem would be.
C. The lyric structure of Beowulf provides an opportunity for the
author to use repetition of the word "might" to show that evil rules
the day and only the powerful can survive.
D. The lyric structure of Beowulf uses the figurative term "goodly
ship, to imply that the ship has human characteristics and will
serve as a sort of sidekick to the knight.