Vocabulary Unit 12 Aesthetic (adj.) Pertaining to beauty;

Vocabulary Unit 12 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 aesthetic Aesthetic qualities of this painting The queens dress and

lavish jewelry The colors of the costumes and the background Details including columns in

background, food on table, etc 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 defunct Discomfit (v.)

To frustrate, thwart, or defeat; to confuse, perplex, or embarrass the terrible screams of the Almightys enemy sang in the darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain and defeat, the tears torn out of Grendels taut throat, hells 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

discomfit 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 espouse Fetish (n.) An object believed to have magical powers;

an object of unreasoning devotion or reverence Some people carry around a lucky rabbits 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 Gregarious (adj.)

living together in a herd or group; sociable, seeking the company of others From the Wrath of Grendel: So Hrothgars men lived happily in his hall/Till the monster stirred Hrothgars 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

Gregarious 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

Impeccable (adj.) Faultless, beyond criticism or blame In the most recent Beowulf movie, Angelina Jolie played the roll of Grendels mother in a plot twist that is NOT in the book. Many

people consider Jolies face and body to be absolutely perfect. Angelina Jolies looks are IMPECCABLE in some peoples opinions. Synonyms: perfect, unblemished Antonyms: flawed, imperfect

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

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 Grendels mother in addition to Grendel himself. The killing of Grendels mother is INTERPOLATED between killing Grendel and returning to Geatland. Synonyms: insert, interject

Antonyms: erase, remove 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. Beowulfs wounds are IRREPARABLE. Synonyms: broken, ruined Antonyms: repairable, fixable 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 Grendels mother speak, and they fall under her spell. Synonyms: brief, concise Antonyms: verbose, wordy

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 Mendacious (adj.) Given to lying or deception; untrue

King Hrothgar is a bit MENDACIOUS. He neglects to inform Beowulf that there is a second monsterGrendels mother. Synonyms: deceitful, fraudulent Antonyms: truthful, honest

Nadir (n.) The lowest point Grendel killing so many men in the hall of Herot is definitely the NADIR of King Hrothgars career.

Synonyms: bottom Antonyms: pinnacle, zenith 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 Beowulfs time to die or it isnt. Synonyms: infinite, universal Antonyms: limited, finite

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 Plaintive (adj.)

Expressive of sorrow or woe, melancholy In the movie, Grendels mothers 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 Requite (v.) To make suitable repayment, as for a kindness, service, or favor; to make

retaliation, as for an injury or wrong; to reciprocate Grendels mother (in the movie) decided to requite her sons death by giving birth to another son, which is really pretty twisted. Synonyms: reciprocate, retaliate

Antonyms: dissatisfy, refuse 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