1. Vocabulary
Unit 12

2. Aesthetic (adj.)
Pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty (artistic)
There are many beautiful works of art that depict scenes from Beowulf.
These artistic works can be described as AESTHETIC.
Synonyms: artistic, creative, gorgeous
Antonyms: displeasing, ugly

3. aesthetic Aesthetic qualities of this painting
The queen’s dress and lavish jewelry
The colors of the costumes and the background
Details including columns in background, food on table, etc…

4. Defunct (adj.) No longer in existence or functioning, dead
You would think that after all of these years, the original manuscripts of Beowulf would have been destroyed. It was in a fire in 1731, but most of it was saved. It is now preserved electronically.
The Beowulf manuscript cannot be described as being DEFUNCT.
Synonyms: departed, expired
Antonyms: existing, functioning, operative

5. defunct

6. Discomfit (v.)
To frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass
“…the terrible screams of the Almighty’s enemy sang in the darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain and defeat, the tears torn out of Grendel’s taut throat, hell’s captive caught in the arms of him who of all the men on earth was the strongest.”
Grendel was DISCOMFITTED by Beowulf.
Synonyms: abash, annoy, baffle
Antonyms: surrender, yield

7. discomfit

8. Espouse (v.)
To take up and support; to become attached to, adopt, to marry
The historical background tells us that at the time Beowulf was composed, the people were beginning to convert from their pagan religions to Christianity.
By “doing” this, they were ESPOUSING Christianity.
Synonyms: approve, advocate, accept
Antonyms: forsake, reject

9. espouse

10. Fetish (n.)
An object believed to have magical powers; an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence
Some people carry around a “lucky” rabbit’s foot. Some athletes have “good luck” objects that they wear to every game such as a certain pair of socks. In Beowulf, the sword forged by giants was “magical.”
These items are FETISHES.
Synonyms: cult object, talisman, idol
Antonyms: religious objects

12. Gregarious (adj.)
living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others
From “the Wrath of Grendel:” “So Hrothgar’s men lived happily in his hall/Till the monster stirred…”
Hrothgar’s men enjoy living together in a group so they can socialize; an adjective to describe them is GREGARIOUS.
Synonyms: outgoing, companionable, sociable
Antonyms: introverted, unfriendly

13. Gregarious

14. Hapless (adj.) Marked by the absence of good luck
The dragon managed to deliver a death wound to Beowulf when no other monster could; this did not make him lucky, though. The dragon died anyway.
In this case, both the dragon and Beowulf are HAPLESS victims of violence.
Synonyms: luckless, loser,
Antonyms: fortunate, well-off

16. Impeccable (adj.) Faultless, beyond criticism or blame
In the most recent Beowulf movie, Angelina Jolie played the roll of Grendel’s mother in a plot twist that is NOT in the book. Many people consider Jolie’s face and body to be absolutely perfect.
Angelina Jolie’s looks are IMPECCABLE in some people’s opinions.
Synonyms: perfect, unblemished
Antonyms: flawed, imperfect

18. Importune (v.) To trouble with demands; to beg for insistently.
In the Beowulf movie, the Queen begs the men in her life (first King Hrothgar and then Beowulf) not to cheat on her with other women or female monsters.
The Queen IMPORTUNES these men to be faithful to her.
Synonyms: to plead, to beg
Antonyms: to command, to order

20. Interpolate (v.)
To insert between other parts of things; to present as an addition or correction
Beowulf kills Grendel and gets ready to return to Geatland, but then he finds out that he needs to kill Grendel’s mother in addition to Grendel himself.
The killing of Grendel’s mother is INTERPOLATED between killing Grendel and returning to Geatland.
Synonyms: insert, interject
Antonyms: erase, remove

22. Irreparable (adj.) Incapable of being repaired or rectified
The wounds inflicted on Beowulf by the dragon do not heal; instead, they result in his death.
Beowulf’s wounds are IRREPARABLE.
Synonyms: broken, ruined
Antonyms: repairable, fixable

24. Laconic (adj.) Concise, using few words
Most of the characters in Beowulf take turns delivering long speeches, so they are all really more talkative than LACONIC. This must have been written before the strong, silent heroes become more popular.
In fact, one of the problems in the MOVIE version of the epic is that the male characters spend too much time listening to Grendel’s mother speak, and they fall under her spell.
Synonyms: brief, concise
Antonyms: verbose, wordy

26. Languish (v.)
To become weak, feeble, or dull; to droop; to be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect
We are used to seeing Beowulf in all of his youth and battle-ready glory, so it is difficult to imagine him as a 75 year old king who is LANGUISHING from his death wounds.
Synonyms: brood, yearn
Antonyms: improve, strengthen

28. Mendacious (adj.) Given to lying or deception; untrue
King Hrothgar is a bit MENDACIOUS. He neglects to inform Beowulf that there is a second monster—Grendel’s mother.
Synonyms: deceitful, fraudulent
Antonyms: truthful, honest

30. Nadir (n.) The lowest point
Grendel killing so many men in the hall of Herot is definitely the NADIR of King Hrothgar’s career.
Synonyms: bottom
Antonyms: pinnacle, zenith

32. Omnipresent (adj.) Present in all places at all times
The Anglo-Saxon religion was “fatalistic.” The character of Beowulf believes in an OMNIPRESENT God who controls his fate; it is either Beowulf’s time to die or it isn’t.
Synonyms: infinite, universal
Antonyms: limited, finite

34. Perfunctory (adj.)
Done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm
There is nothing PERFUNCTORY or halfhearted about Beowulf in the next picture. He is fully ready and willing to do battle.
Synonyms: apathetic, careless
Antonyms: careful, precise

36. Plaintive (adj.) Expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy
In the movie, Grendel’s mother’s mourning over the death of her son is very PLAINTIVE. The audience almost feels sorry for her until they realize that she is already working on her next evil plot.
Synonyms: crabby, grumpy
Antonyms: cheerful, happy

38. Requite (v.)
To make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate
Grendel’s mother (in the movie) decided to requite her son’s death by giving birth to another son, which is really pretty twisted.
Synonyms: reciprocate, retaliate
Antonyms: dissatisfy, refuse

40. Tantamount (adj.)
Equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect
Destroying old copies of the Beowulf manuscript would be TANTAMOUNT to a felony.
Synonyms: identical, duplicate
Antonyms: different, opposite