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Beowulf : The Comparison Of Hamlet And Grendel's Mother

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Hamlet and Beowulf : The Comparison of Hamlet and Grendel’s Mother
After the immoral loss of a beloved family member, friend, or leader, one’s ideas on how to overcome the situation may be questionable. Dealing with the death of a loved one can leave an enormous toll on the well-being and psychological state of a person. In some cases, it may direct them towards taking the path of extreme measures in order to restore their mental balance. In the literary works Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Beowulf by R.M. Liuzza, the death amongst loved ones ultimately leads to similar repercussions. When compared side by side, it is evident that both Hamlet and Grendel’s mother are parallels of one another. They both experience the pain and …show more content…

As a matter of fact, she goes through the uttermost trouble of risking her own life by trespassing into Heorot hall seeking revenge upon her son's murderer. However, right as the men awaken, “hard-honed swords [are] grabbed from the bench…/the hell-dam [is] in panic, desperate to get out.” (Beowulf ll.1288…1292). Since Grendel’s mother knows she is outnumbered, her initial reaction goes into a flight response. This proves the fact that she is indeed a coward, especially since she decides to attack the hall during a time in which the soldiers are asleep. Contradictory to that Grendel’s mother does in fact risk her life; however, her inability to make a decision and stick to it fails her greatly. It is obvious Hamlet and Grendel’s mother are similar in a way that they both are unable to make a decision and stay true to themselves at this given point. It is here that both of the characters first reaction following the death of their loves ones is to risk their own lives, even though nothing good would come to them from it. Especially since neither of them are able to come face to face with their enemy at this point.
One day, a spirit shows up in front of Hamlet in the form of his father and orders him to kill his uncle Claudius. At first, Hamlet is hesitant to believe the ghost because he is unsure whether or not he should believe him, or even if he believes in ghosts. However, after collecting a little bit of evidence, he foolishly decides that it is enough

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