Faces of Beowulf

This character-focused worksheet is designed for Grades 7-10 and helps students strengthen comprehension of Beowulf by matching key characters to their correct descriptions. Students analyze a list of heroes, monsters, and leaders-such as Beowulf, Hrothgar, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, Wiglaf, and the dragon-and connect each figure to defining traits, deeds, or actions from the epic. To complete the matching accurately, learners must recall plot details and think carefully about how each character functions within the story.

An optional extension reflection invites students to choose one character and explain how that character’s actions connect to a broader theme, such as loyalty, revenge, heroism, fate, or mortality, encouraging deeper literary interpretation.

Learning Goals

• Character Analysis (Secondary ELA) – Identify characters based on actions, traits, and roles
• Reading Comprehension of Epic Texts – Recall and apply knowledge of major figures
• Theme Identification – Connect character behavior to central ideas in the epic
• Critical Thinking – Explain how individual characters support the poem’s meaning

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with middle and early high school ELA standards
• Clear Matching Format – Supports accuracy and confidence with complex texts
• Reinforces Major Figures – Helps students keep track of heroes and monsters
• Extension for Deeper Analysis – Encourages thematic thinking and written reflection
• Flexible Use – Ideal for review, assessment, guided practice, or discussion prep
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with straightforward directions

This Faces of Beowulf worksheet helps students see how each character contributes to the epic’s exploration of heroism, loyalty, and mortality. By matching characters to descriptions and reflecting on thematic connections, learners strengthen comprehension, analytical reasoning, and their overall understanding of one of literature’s foundational epics.

This worksheet is part of our Beowulf worksheets collection.