Final Jeopardy: Literary Characters (9-23-22)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (9/23/2022) in the category “Literary Characters” was:

In a later part of the epic named for him, this character becomes king after his cousin Heardred dies in battle

New champ Michael Menkhus, a data analyst from Kansas City, MO, won $31,201 yesterday. In Game 2, his competitors are: Jenny Dally, a curatorial assistant from San Francisco, CA; and Navid Mehrjou, an attorney from Elmhurst, NY.

Round 1 Categories: Going Home – Take Me to the Pilot – New Harlequin Romances in 2022 – Cutting Back on the Brand – So Gallantly Streaming – Tiny 3-Letter Words

Michael found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Take Me to the Pilot” under the $800 clue on the 4th pick of the round. He was in second place with $400, $200 less than Navid’s lead. Michael bet $1,000 and he was RIGHT.

This wealthy man of many interests designed & flew his own planes, circled Earth in a record 91+ hours in 1938 & owned an airline show

WHO IS HOWARD HUGHES?

Jenny finished in the lead with $4,600. Navid was in second place with $4,200. Michael was last with $3,600. All clues were shown.

Round 2 Categories: American History – Bible Study – It’s Only “A” Country – Infrastructure – Song Snippets – Yiddishisms

Michael found the first Daily Double in “American History” under the $1,200 clue on the 3rd pick of the round. He was in the lead with $5,200, $1,000 more than Navid in second place. Michael bet $2,000 but drew a blank so he was WRONG.

Speaking at the opening of a World’s Fair, he was the first U.S. President to appear on television show

WHO IS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT?

Michael got the last Daily Double in “It’s Only ‘A’ Country” under the $1,200 clue at the halfway mark. In the lead with $9,600, he had $3,800 more than Navid in second place. Michael bet $3,000 and took a last second stab at it with the Maldives, but that was WRONG.

The Tropic of Capricorn passes through this Indian Ocean island nation about 300 mi. south of the capital, Antananarivo show

WHAT IS MADAGASCAR?

Michael finished in the lead with $11,400. Navid was in second place with $8,600 and Jenny was last with $4,600. All clues were shown.

TWO of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS BEOWULF?

In the epic poem “Beowulf”, the title character is the nephew of King Hygelec, who is the father of Heardred. Hygelec’s widow, Queen Hygd, wants to make Beowulf King of the Geats upon her husband’s death because she thinks her son Heardred is too young. Beowulf convinces the Queen that Heardred can do the job. Later, Heardred dies in battle and Beowulf becomes King and rules until his death, 50 years later.

“Beowulf” is one of the oldest pieces of English literature and certainly a continual source of material for the television and movie industry, not to mention books and audiobooks. Ray Winstone, Christopher Lambert and Kieran Bew are among the actors who have portrayed the character. Joseph Fiennes provided Beowulf’s voice in an animated version of the classic. There is a free audiobook of “Beowulf” on YouTube that is almost 3 hours long!

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Jenny thought it was Gilgamesh. She lost her bet $4,001 bet and finished with $599.

Navid got it right. He bet $8,500 and finished with $17,100.

Michael also got it right. He bet $5,801 and won the game with $17,201. Michael’s 2-day total is $48,402.

A triple stumper from each round:

GOING HOME ($400) In 1965 when this American wrote the song “Homeward Bound”, he was really far from home in the north of England

AMERICAN HISTORY ($2000) An early champion of free speech & religious liberty, Anne Hutchinson was put on trial in 1637 & banished from this colony

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “English Poets”

An 1816 poem by him says, “That with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air, that sunny dome!” show

WHO IS SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE?

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