Hrothgar's Role In Beowulf

Through out the story, the reader constantly questions Grendel's actions, for one moment he seems like the horrible creature, as he maims and kills innocents, for no apparent reason, however at other times he knows he must do the right thing, and not be that evil monster. Such as when he rushes the meadhall, and goes after the Queen, Wealtheow, the same woman he that he saw throwing himself at her feet. "I decided to kill her. I firmly committed myself to

Grendel is an example of pride in Beowulf. This is because it is his pride that leads to his downfall.When addressing Beowulf, Hrothgar says “Surely the Lord Almighty/ Could stop his madness, smother his lust,”(Raffel). This gives the reader a better view at how desperate Hrothgar is. Grendel can most likely tell how desperate Hrothgar is which would most likely swell his ego.

He is attacked and killed due to Beowulf believing he is a creature that must be killed. In Beowulf it’s harder for the humans to see that Grendel is ‘The innocent’, as they see a creature that “ripped open the mouth of the building, maddening for blood, pacing the length of the patterned floor with his loathsome tread” (49). Demonstrating, that by the views of the warriors in the novel they see a beast that want to destroy everything in its surroundings. That he does not want anything more, than violence and fear. Furthermore, Grendel is seen as ‘the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift” (47) exemplifying that humans see him as a creature that knows what he is doing. That knows that he will fight with the warriors of the Geats and

Beowulf and Hrothgar are both great kings with responsibility to take care their people. Beowulf is a great king because there has been peace and prosperity for fifty years in his village when he became king. Hrothgar is a good king because he created the mead-hall and became successful, also implying that he had wealth. They both have experiences in combat. Hrothgar has responsibility for his people, while beowulf just worried about the glory and fame.

Grendel, because of his lineage from Cain, was exiled from the human world. This causes Grendel to not be able to fully think through his actions. He kills the Danes and fights Beowulf because of the deep emotion of loneliness that overcomes him. If the reader looks only at Grendel as a monster or demon, he will be considered evil and therefore Beowulf is honored as a great hero. By seeing Grendel more humanely the reader can see him more as a human rather than a monster. The circumstances that Grendel has grown up in has caused him to act out with evil tendencies. “I tried to tell her all that had happened, all that I’d come to understand: the meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness. She only stared, troubled at my noise. She’d forgotten all language long ago, or maybe had never known any.” (Gardner 28) This quote shows how little communication Grendel had with anyone in the outside world. He was not able to express any of his thoughts due to the fact that his mother was incompetent and did not speak. “Why can’t I have someone to talk to? I said. The stars said nothing, but I pretended to ignore the rudeness.” (Gardner 53) Those who believe Grendel is evil do not acknowledge the whole reason that there is a hateful relationship between Grendel and the Humans. The failure to communicate lead to confusion and fear which lead to the attacks made by Grendel or the humans. If Grendel was not as isolated in his

He struggles with the thought of being denied and offbeat. He uses violence as a way to wrestle with his feelings. The violence starts when Grendel goes to the Meadhall and kills thirty men on the first night. He says, “I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings! But also, as never before, I was alone” (Gardner 80). His main goal was to destroy the Meadhall and all of King Hrothgar’s people. Grendel now feels like he has power and this helps him feel better, but he also hints at the fact that he is still feeling lonely and hopeless. Therefore, he decided to cause more havoc and kill more people to help him deal with the pain. When Grendel hears some men who seem to be happy and having fun, he wishes that he was able to be happy like them. He wants to fill a void of emptiness. This motivates him to keep performing numerous attacks on the Meadhall. The violence and problems he causes lasts for twelve years until Beowulf rips his arm off. Grendel just wants to be able to communicate with someone and feel accepted. He says, "Why can't I have someone to talk to? The Shaper has people to talk to, I said. I wrung my fingers. Hrothgar has people to talk to” (Gardner 53). If he had someone who accepted him and was able to understand him, he may not have felt that he needed to perform his attacks as a way to try to lessen his pain. There would not have been twelve years of

King Hrothgar was known both as a great king but also one who started the situation with Grendel and his mother. He introduced the terror of these monsters to his people. “Sad lays were sung about the beset king the visitors raid and ravages of Grendel” (154). King Hrothgar allowed Grendel to keep terrorizing the people for 12 years. He did not take a stand to try to fight Grendel instead, he had others try. Although the terrorism of Grendel was put to an end by Beowulf under King Hrothgar's rule people were thankful for their King. “yet there was no laying of blame on their lord, the noble Hrothgar; he was a good king” (860). Hrothgar cared for his people and gave his thanks to Beowulf and his warriors with treasure for the defeat of

"The sky says nothing, predictably. I make a face, uplift a defiant middle finger, and give an obscene little kick. The sky ignores me, forever unimpressed. Him too I hate, the same as I hate these brainless budding trees, these brattling birds (Gardner 6)." He also developed a hatred toward humans after getting stuck in the tree. On that dark night, he learned that humans were dangerous because they tried to hurt him instead of helping him. "It wasn't because he threw that battle-ax that I turned on Hrothgar. That was mere midnight foolishness... It wasn't until later, when I was full-grown and Hrothgar was an old, old man, that I settled my soul on destroying him—slowly and cruelly (Gardner 30).” The humans were not as innocent as the Shaper perceived them to be. Grendel lurked in the darkness and watched them as they battled and destroyed their own kind. Ultimately, the dragon with the dark scales made an immense impact on Grendel’s character. Grendel was not sure of his purpose in life, and the dragon confirmed that he should be evil by killing the humans. At first, Grendel resisted. However, hatred led to Grendel’s determination to punish mankind.

From all of this, the only real explanation for his war on the Danes is this: Grendel is pure evil. “So Hrothgar 's men lived happy in his hall till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors” (Beowulf 1: Line 15). Hrothgar 's men, firstly, provoked Grendel simply by being happy. Any demon such as Grendel hates happiness and wants nothing but to steal, kill, and destroy that happiness in someone 's life. Throughout Beowulf, Grendel is called many names, and demon, monster, and fiend are the most frequent. It is no wonder he loved killing. Grendel was born into evil, said to be a descendant of Cain, the world 's first murderer. Grendel 's mother was evil herself, being a sea serpent who did not stray from indulging in evil either. One the fact of Grendel being evil, one piece of evidence stands above them all. “Killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty, and horrible. Though he lived in Herot, when the night hid him, he never dared to touch King Hrothgar 's glorious throne; protected by God” (Beowulf 2: Line 80). God is good, and He will always triumph. Grendel knew he could not match the power of God, who loved Hrothgar 's throne. If Grendel were to

In the fantasy world found within the story of Beowulf; Hrothgar, the wise king of the Danes, offers Beowulf some important lessons of leadership. Hrothgar, recognizing Beowulf’s nobility and strength, talks to him about how he should act to be a good ruler when he becomes king. The characteristics of good leadership that Hrothgar mentions still hold true today, through people like politicians, and business executives. Hrothgar’s sermon not only provides an insight into what leaders like these should do, it aims to bring to light what leaders should not do.

Grendel is a powerful beast that can not be stop. Grendel in the Grendel never been stop everybody they try to kill with their swords but it never work. When Beowulf came to the see Grendel their where other people trying to kill him. When Beowulf so the other people getting toning apart heads bitten off arms and their body be torn apart. Beowulf told Grendel that I am going to fight you with my hands he keep hitting him with chandelier greened started to run away from him. When Grendel tried to get away Beowulf but he had his arm lock around a chain so that he was trying to go back to his cave but Beowulf would not let him but he end up taking Grendel head off. When Beowulf brought Grendel head to the people he said the Grendel had been killed.

In Beowulf, both Hrothgar, king of the Spear-Danes, and Beowulf, the Geatish hero are attributed in their society as kings. These two characters’ role in their society is a major focus. Both Beowulf and Hrothgar have ruled as king effectively. Beowulf and Hrothgar’s job performances and understanding of their duties, responsibilities, and privileges differ. Hrothgar, a legendary Danish king, clearly comprehends his responsibility to protect his country and its people. Beowulf, a previous Geatish hero who has recently been inaugurated as king, is unsure of what his duties are.

By this point we pick up that Grendel is really the son of Hrothgar, we see the relief in Hrothgar when Beowulf tell him that he has slain the

Grendel’s mother was upset by the death of her son. “The right after Grendel’s defeat, his mother … goes to Herot to revenge her son’s death. She kills Hrothgar closet friend” (Beowulf, p. 60, ll. Intro). Since the king had her son killed she decided to kill someone who his close to him.

I felt pity when I saw the condition of Grendel and how he catch by beuwolf and other warriors.Attacking the land of Hrothgar is not only a fault of Grendel but also Hrothgar and his follower.