In the epic poem, Beowulf, there are clear distinctions between an epic hero and a monster. Beowulf is the prime example of a epic hero possessing characteristics such as superior strength, courage, and loyalty. On the other hand, Grendel and Grendel’s mother are characteristized as evil and immoral based off of their actions. These characteristics are presented throughout the poem, and monsters are given grotesque, hideous appearances to further prove that they are evil. After Beowulf kills Grendel, Grendel’s mother reaction revealed how the full presentation of a character can allow readers to react differently than before and even sympathized with them. The battle with Grendel’s mother begins under the lake where “serpents” and “sea beasts” …show more content…
Her actions do seem cruel and evil, but she is also a grieving mother that wants to avenge her son. After Grendel’s death, “Grendel’s fierce mother” begins to exhibit human-like characteristics such as her caring and protective nature for her child. This can be shown when she carried “off the claw that Beowulf tore from her child” to demonstrates her anger and grief for her son’s death. While she is characterised to be a “she-wolf,” she is also a “mighty mother” that just wants to protect her child. Her whole purpose of killing Hrothgar’s friend and wreaking in Heorot is was to avenge Grendel’s death. After Grendel’s death, she channeled all that hatred and grief towards the people that harmed her child. Her love for her child lead her to commit these acts. Even though her actions are considered evil, it is natural to feel some sort of pity and sympathy for Grendel’s mother after her loss. Unlike Grendel, Grendel’s mother doesn't kill or destroy randomly. It is clear that she only wanted to take revenge for her son and targeted those that harmed him. Due to this, her situation is more relatable and it is easier to feel pity for her even though she did kill
Equally important, the innocence Grendel had as a child provide an outline for his lack of baneful intentions. One act of innocence that has shown through Grendel’s entire life, from childhood until death, was a tendency to call for his mother when in danger of any kind. Putting this into perspective, shortly before the death of Grendel, on page one-hundred and seventy, he calls for his mother for the final time. “Mama!” he is heard bellowing.
In Beowulf’s case, his supreme ordeal is Grendel’s mother, who has come to seek revenge against the
In addition, Grendel’s mother does the same thing and makes other people feel the way she does. When she finds out that her son died, Grendel’s mother is in agony and so she takes revenge because she wants people to feel the torment she does. In
The people in the story view Grendel as a monster, but why does Hrothgar-Grendel’s father-want Grendel to be killed? Is he full of shame? What would happen if the Geats knew about Hrothgar and Grendel’s Mother’s secret scandal? Grendel’s sadness and loneliness, the courage to protect himself from what is hurting is why he is despised. As a monster, Grendel was trying to protect himself.
A few similarities are prevalent when comparing Ishtar to Grendel’s mother. Both characters are fierce, vengeful worriers who are ill-tempered when they do not get what they desire to have from others. Ishtar is the Goddess of war who has an earnest desire for love. When she feels that she has been rejected, her evil side is portrayed. The other, Grendel’s mother, has killed many men to protect her son.
Grendel had being killing and terrorizing Hrothgar’s people. The news of Grendel had travel to the land of the Geats and Beowulf had come to provide assistance to Hrothgar. One day after Beowulf and Grendel’s fight, where Beowulf tears off the demons’ arm, the monster’s mother came to vengeance her son’s death. She was also defeated and killed by Beowulf, for which he received many gifts and praise by Hrothgar and his wife Wealhtheow.
In the story “Grendel” by John Gardner, the monster Grendel is portrayed as a beast. Grendel is shown as a villainous monster in the epic poem, Beowulf. Throughout the story, Grendel shows characteristics including jealousy and bitterness. These features substitute Grendel's murderous intentions and turns him into an evil creature. Near the end of the novel, Grendel’s villian trends transforms his life into a never ending battle for acceptance.
Both authors paint a grotesque picture of their creations and how they both desire to destroy beauty; Aesthetic Iconoclasm, that is shared between the two figures. However, both authors present their monsters separate to one another in philosophy; with Grendel being a mindless savage and the Monster being more contemplative and questioning the nature of its own creation. ‘Monster’ characters have always been a target of both folk tales and pagan myths since the dawn of humanity, the very concept of a monstrous creature harkens back to the primal fear instinct of facing a dangerous predator that presents a danger to humanity. Grendel from Beowulf is the perfect example of this hysteria and
Beowulf vs Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon all represent a creature from hell and Beowulf is a god-like warrior who ends up slaying evil. “Like a man outlawed/for wickedness, he must await/the mighty judgement of God in majesty” (Beowulf 976 - 978). This quote talks about Grendel and his demonic soul. Beowulf points out that he is an evil creature and no creature ever to exist is powerful enough to smite God. Once Grendel dies, Grendel will be in God’s hands and Grendel will regret ever being evil or committing any evil action to anyone or anything on Earth.
The “Monstrous ogress” was “savage in her grief,” and her actions become even more beastly than her sons (Beowulf 1258-76). Women in this Germanic Warrior society were meek, so the actions of Grendel’s mother greatly contrast with the typical behavior of a woman in this time period. Grendel’s mother’s gruesome actions are beastly in nature, but her emotions of outrage and grief for the murder of her son are human. Once again, Beowulf’s victory of the savage monster shows the overall theme of good winning against evil.
This is due to the fact that we, the audience, are reading the novel from the point of view of Grendel, so we see this new perspective of the characters. This means all the character roles are switched around since the story is told from a morally ambiguous character himself. So with that, we must decide what role this woman plays, “good” or “bad”, because she is the one who raised Grendel into what he is.
Strength, honor, and resilience are all words that captures the essence of Beowulf. During the Anglo-Saxon era, Beowulf is a hero who strikes fear in his enemies and relief in his allies. Beowulf is widely-regarded as the most honorable and ruthless hero in all of the world; he defends villages of people from blood-hungry predators, defeats sea monsters, and defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother in the epic poem Beowulf. However, Beowulf can be an egomaniac at times. For instance, before Beowulf’s epic fight and defeat of the monster Grendel, Beowulf strips nude and fights the monster nude to boast and show off.
Grendel in the novel displays the idea that he is far more superior than mankind. He mentions, "I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bonfire" (Gardner 167-168). Grendel knows that that the people fear him because he is different and he uses that to his advantage. The "Monster", Grendel, seems to be fascinated in attacking Meadhall and is not frightened at all. Although he is brave in the novel, Grendel in the epic poem is described in being scared and weak on the attack at Meadhall.
In the Epic Beowulf, Grendel, the Monster, killed many people. Beowulf ended up killing Grendel by ripping his arm right off and him limping into the wilderness and died slowly. Grendels mother came back for revenge of the killing of her son. While all the warriors are sleeping from the party they celebrated for the killing of Grendel, Grendels Mother attack the Heorot Hall. After she attacks, she ended up running back to her cave where Beowulf finds her there and ends up killing her.
This reinforces the idea that Grendel’s mother is also a monster, since put in the same position as the prior one. The two monsters, Grendel and his mother are also associated with the night as a time for action. This reinforces their animal-like behavior, and the monstrosity of their actions because they are not giving fair warning to the humans. The monstrosity of Grendel is also seen through his savagery when killing the men. He is carnivorous and feeds on human flesh.