Question

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your answer should include aspects of this information:

• the theme of envy is prominent in the poem. grendel is the symbol of envy in the poem. he resents the joy and happiness of the men who gather at heorot. unferth is another character who is envious of beowulfs fame and goodwill.
• revenge is another major theme in the poem. grendels mother dies in her attempt to avenge her sons death. also, the dragon seeks revenge for the theft of its treasures.

self-evaluation
how did you do? rate your work on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest score. then write a brief evaluation of your work below. note what you learned and what challenged you.

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Explanation:

This self-evaluation asks for a 1-5 score (5 highest) plus a reflection on learning and challenges related to analyzing themes in Beowulf. The reflection should connect to the work on identifying envy (Grendel, Unferth) and revenge (Grendel's mother, the dragon) as core themes.

Answer:

Score: 4

• What I learned: I gained a clear understanding of how character motivations directly tie to a poem's central themes, specifically how envy and revenge drive key conflicts in Beowulf.
• What challenged me: It was tricky to distinguish between how envy functions as a foundational character flaw versus a plot-driving theme, and I had to double-check how Unferth's envy contrasts with Grendel's more destructive envy to make my analysis precise.