Grendel Essay

impossible to overlook. Grendel lacked any actual description of his physical appearance. This is because Grendel represents horror and corruption and the audience are supposed to visualize him as an enormous, scary, monster (enormous because the epic stated that he was carrying 30 men in his arms). He also represents everything that goes against the Anglo-Saxons culture so that the audience also sees him as a foreigner (The audience, at the time, were Anglo-Saxons). The traits, Grendel contains, that makes

The Anglo-Saxons had a rough go of it in the beginning, coming from the far north they were not able to grow crops in the desolate wastelands that the harsh winters created. This meant that they had to travel and search for more fertile land to survive. In these desperate times of survival some rose above all ordinary men, these were Anglo-Saxon heroes. The history of Anglo-Saxon heroism is widespread through art and literature. The characteristics that it embodies are courage, a fervent belief

different role in shaping Beowulf more into a hero than he already is; Grendel, his mother, and the dragon edge him on to show a certain characteristic that furthers his ability in his heroic abilities. Not only do these monsters pertain to Beowulf but to Christianity as well, the creation of monsters and their backstory that pertains to the author(s) beliefs on life and the overall lifestyle of the Anglo-Saxon era. Grendel is the most feared in the Anglo-Saxon society and is described in the beginning

jealousy, Unferth calls him out for his loss in the thrashing waves, yet Beowulf shows no embarrassment and even exploits Unferth for his lack of braveness as he claims, “The fact is, Unferth, if you were truly as keen and courageous as you claim to be, Grendel would never have gotten away with such unchecked atrocity, attacks on your king, havoc in Heorot and horror everywhere” (Heaney 590-594). He makes it clear that no one can deteriorate or match the courage that he beholds. While he the battle is brought

and completed the duty with confidence and honor. Throughout the epic, responsibility of Beowulf is seen often. From the beginning of the epic, he decided to defeat Grendel on his own terms and no one had stopped or helped him. Beowulf went to the Dane’s alone and told the king and people that he, himself, would defeat Grendel and so he did. He held a heap of responsibility in this situation because the people of that kingdom

of the Hero’s Quest. The first step of the Departure is The Call to Adventure. This is the point in the character’s life when he realizes he is going to have to go on the Hero Quest. Beowulf experienced The Call to Adventure when he realized what Grendel was doing to Heorot, and he felt obligated to help King Hrothgar because he is his father’s friend. The second step of the Departure is the Refusal of the Call. The Refusal of the Call is when the hero first refuses the call because of fear, insecurity

it? Some people act without thinking. They have no purpose nor reason while others never make a choice without having a reason behind it. In the epic poem Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel, Beowulf is known as the hero who defeats the monstrous Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. One of the more notable things about Beowulf’s actions is that he is from a different country and travels from home of the Geats to Denmark to defeat these monsters. Beowulf was motivated by three factors; he believed

to visit Hrothgar to help defeat Grendel. Grendel was an evil demon. He was a murderer. Beowulf was a hero who helped is people, whenever they needed his help. Beowulf was the strongest of the Gates. Beowulf went out of his way, and put his life in danger for the people who needed his help. He was a hero willing to sacrifice his life for someone. Beowulf fought for what he believed in. Beowulf goes underwater and fights with Grendel’s mother in a cave. After Grendel mother killed Hrothgar bestfriend

They portrayed him as a man that was capable of withstanding all most anything that was put in front of him. In the passage, he makes landfall and meets the king and they talk about Grendel, Beowulf said that “ he shall bear neither a sword nor a shield, that all he would have is his own grip to face the fiend of Grendel.” Throughout the night, that’s what he does, he takes on the beast of a monster, with only his own two hands. He ends up “defeating” the monster that night by ripping Grendel’s shoulder

helpless. In the battle with Grendel approaches Heorot and tears open the door.Grendel reaches for Beowulf, but Beowulf grabs Grendel's arm with a grip stronger than any Grendel has felt before. Grendel gets frightened, but Beowulf's hold is too strong for Grendel to escape. Grendel's fierce cries and the sounds the struggle wake the warriors. Heorot shakes with the force of their fight. The men grab their weapons to help, not knowing that a spell protects Grendel from all swords.Finally, Beowulf