Grendel Essay

Beowulf by the Anglo-Saxon, is a poem about a hero who saved the Danish people from an evil monster named Grendel. The time was about 1,000 A.D. The setting is Denmark and southern Sweden. Grendel was controlling the Mead hall, Heorot, when Grendel was slinged by Beowulf. When Beowulf tore his arm off, Grendel returned to his swamp home to die. Then Grendel's mother came to Heorot and killed one of the advisers to get revenge on Grendel's death. Beowulf goes and dives down to the bottom of swamp

days by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness we have heard of the heroic campaign”. The Spear-Danes bravery/heroism was celebrated. Beowulf’s fight with Grendel shows off his true strength. During the battle Beowulf was considered one of the strongest because he didn’t use any armor or weapons against Grendel. “He was overwhelmed, manacled tight

life including the killing of Grendel and his mother, he did what many were not willing to take on. Beowulf takes on a Hero’s Journey by having encounters in the Ordinary World, Special World, and back into his Ordinary World. The Hero’s Journey is prevalent in anybody’s life you don’t

John Gardner’s Grendel is the retelling of the heroic epic poem Beowulf; however, the viewpoint has shifted. Grendel is told from the viewpoint of one of Beowulf’s antagonists and the titular character of Gardner’s work—Grendel. In Grendel, Gardner humanizes Grendel by emphasizing parallels between Grendel’s life and human life. Through Gardner’s reflection of human feelings, human development, and human flaws in Grendel, this seemingly antagonistic, monstrous character becomes understood and

other at that time. Grendel was a monster who lived in the swamps of Herrot. Grendel was angry at the people of Herrot, so he came at night while they were sleeping and killed them. Beowulf was a Geatish warrior who lived across the ocean and he heard about Grendel and he and his men came to offer their assistance. Beowulf and his men slept in the mess hall that night and waited for Grendel to arrive. When Grendel arrived Beowulf grabbed him by his arm and ripped it off. Grendel scared ran back to

assistance, wanting an end to the torment Grendel has inflicted. “Twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar, king/of the Danes, sorrow heaped at his door/by hell-forged hands. His misery leaped/the seas, was told, and sung in all/Men’s ears,” (Beowulf 62-66). When Beowulf arrives to assist Hrothgar with the occurring murders in Heorot, Hrothgar explains what has happened in his kingdom, “My tongue grows heavy,/and my heart, when I try to tell you what Grendel/has brought us, the damage he’s done, here/

will fight Grendel, the evil that has been lurking them for a long time. Nevertheless, Beowulf says he will fight with his bare hands instead of using weapons (Lines 400-490). This shows how he is brave enough to challenge Grendel with a single combat with only hands and in the end, he wins. Another example is when Beowulf boasts, Unferth interrupts him and insults him. Therefore, Beowulf replies, “The fact is, Unferth, if you were truly as keen and courageous as you claim to be Grendel would never

where the people turned in order to be safe. Grendel is described as, “conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Abel’s death” (Wrath of Grendel pg.1). This shows that the people of Denmark believed the monsters came from God of whom they believed

consistent throughout the entire story. Therefore, Beowulf manages to stay a static character throughout the heroic poem, that is, a character whose traits and characteristics remain the same throughout the entirety of a story. During the battle of Grendel, we see a confident and proud Beowulf, who boasts about his power and might before the battle. For example, Beowulf’s confidence is clarified when he says "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore

“Beowulf” author, “inside Heorot there was nothing but friendship” (1016). The Hall was a special place for celebration. Moreover, it serves as a place to rest and feast, and it is a symbol of the ends of intense and brutal warfares. By preventing Grendel from causing destruction to such an inspiring and meaningful piece of architecture, Beowulf is indeed labeled a hero, not just for saving the lives of the Danes, but also for keeping the mead-hall from being in Grendel’s path of destruction. Beowulf’s