1. What are Havelok's chief virtues as a hero? Which of these virtues link Havelok to the heroic code? Which link him to the chivalric code? Does Havelok have any identifiable weaknesses?

2. What promises are made in the work? Who keeps his or her word and who does not? How does Earl Godric attempt to "keep his promise"?

3. How important is the matter of justice in the work? What are the king's responsibilities in regard to upholding the laws of the land?

4. What aspects of the work contribute to its realism? Which particular scenes seem most realistic?

5. How apparent is the element of magic or the supernatural in the work?

How does this element function?

6. What is the writer's attitude toward ordinary people? What is his attitude toward members of the upper classes?

7. Consider the double or parallel nature of the work's structure. What are...