Question

Which is the best paraphrase of the following passage from Beowulf ? So the living sorrow of Healfdane’s son / Simmered, bitter and fresh, and no wisdom / Or strength could break it: that agony hung / On king and people alike . . .

a.

Hrothgar felt a strong and unending sorrow that he had no power to overcome. It affected both him and his subjects.


b.

The king was in agony and out of his mind because of what his people had done to him.


c.

Grendel was furious at the Danes and so he inflicted great pain on the king and his people.


d.

Hrothgar felt an endless sorrow he couldn’t get rid of.

Answer 1

Hrothgar felt a strong and unending sorrow that he had no power to overcome. It affected both him and his subjects.

Answer 2

Answer: The right answer is the A) Hrothgar felt a strong and unending sorrow that he had no power to overcome. It affected both him and his subjects.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that Halfdane’s son was King Hrothgar, the exemplary and famous king of the Danes, whose kingdom had been threatened by the monster Grendel. As a result of that, he felt not just an unending, but also a strong and permanent sorrow ("living sorrow" [...] "simmered, bitter and fresh") that he couldn't get rid of and that "hung" on him and his subjects.