Monsters In Anglo-Saxon Culture

He never found companionship with his mother, so when he did not receive acceptance from the humans, he became very angry. Grendel began to attack the humans, and his reign of terror against them lasted for 12 winters. Grendel desired friendship with the humans, but his outrage led to the war against them. Grendel describes himself and says, “I’m a machine, like you. Like all of you. Blood-lust and rage are my character (chapter 8, p. 123).” Grendel terrorizes the humans by feasting on their flesh and bones, and he declares that his killing is in his character, and it cannot be

Beowulf is an old Anglo-Saxon story of a terrifying monster Grendel, Grendel travels to the Danes mead hall Heorot and while the danes expect it least he attacks killing countless men purely for the joys of doing so. Hrothgar king of the Danes calls for a warrior to fight this unruly beast. After 12 long years of grendel attacking Hrothgar's calls are answered and the great warrior Beowulf comes to kill Grendel. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes from across the seas and in the first night he kills Grendel. Sadly for Beowulf Grendel has a mother that now seeks revenge for her son's death and Beowulf is asked to kill Grendel’s mother as well. Beowulf goes to where Grendel’s mother is staying and battled her to the death , Beowulf wins

Monsters play a big role in the poem of Beowulf. Without them, there would not be much of a story, and there is a purpose for each of them. They are there to represent the forces that go against the grain, trying to stop others from prevailing. Describing Grendel, “bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came hoping to kill” (Beowulf 33). They take pride in doing so and do not want to be associated with anyone. Later on, the author describes the dragon as “anxious to find the man who had robbed it of silver”(Beowulf 95). The monsters have many ways of heroic code by taking pride with what they do and going against what seems evil to them. It is what they believe in and are unique to themselves. They decide to be and act differently than everyone

As a “bloodthirsty fiend,” Grendel was the first of the foes Beowulf battles. (line 407) He is “a powerful monster,” who “was spawned in... slime.” (lines 1, 19) He is a descendant of Cain, and chose to sacrifice the Danes to no one but himself. Grendel is “set on murder.”(49-50) Nothing can “quench his thirst for evil. (lines 52-53) Grendel stalked Herot and set his wrath loose on all who came to the hall. His mother, the “she-wolf” lived in an underwater cavern. (line 572) She is the “water witch,” one that no one’s “sword could slice her evil skin.” (lines 493, 496-497) Both characters are demons living only to hate, and cause terror in the hearts of those who know of them. The third villain comes much later than the first two. The dragon is Beowulf’s last enemy, and last battle. The beast poured out fire and smoke, and was one who “coiled and uncoiled” at the sight of a human. (line 673) The dragon menaces Beowulf’s kingdom and as an old man he is forced to fight the beast. The antagonists are evil and uncaring of human life, each choosing to end it when they please. They are bad and it shows.

The novel Grendel, by John Gardner, gives the reader an inside look on the “monster… demon… [and] fiend” (Beowulf, 99) who, in Beowulf (translated by Burton Raffel), seems only capable of destruction, sneaking around in the night and killing soldiers off by the dozen. Grendel is a non-human entity who possesses human characteristics; no one truly knows who or what he is. He is monstrously huge, absurdly strong, and insatiable (he has been murdering for approximately twelve years). He is a “[monster] born of Cain, [a] murderous [creature]” (Beowulf, 105-106). He lives with his mother in a swampy marsh that is secluded by a “pool of firesnakes” who guard “the sunken door” to the strange world of humans (Grendel, 16). Beowulf does not provide any information of where he came from or any history about him, except that he is a pre-cursed, wicked being with no conscience. This seems like a biased assumption because the story

In the epic of Beowulf, one of the warrior’s biggest adversaries is a creature from the swamp named Grendel. Although the character of Grendel is present for only a short portion in the story of Beowulf, Grendel signifies one of the important messages in the text about humanity. In Beowulf, Grendel is called a ‘monster’. However, if observed closely, analyzing the meaning behind the story, it is easy to see that Grendel is not a typical monster, in fact, it doesn’t seem like he is a monster at all. There is much evidence within the short period of the text where Grendel is present, which indicates he is

Grendel was a powerful monster who brought death and destruction. Grendel attacked the Danes in the movie and the book. He was a monster full of pain and darkness. After Grendel attacked the Danes, Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm off, and then the monster of Grendel went to avenge Beowulf for what had happened to her son. Grendel was not fun to get along with.

Beowulf spent his life killing and torturing innocent men. Grendel did not like when the men would would be cheerful and happy, so he put an end to all happiness in the land that he roamed and lived in. Grendel is easily perceived as the monster, because of thall the terror and horror he causes in the eyes of the warriors and townspeople.

Throughout Beowulf one theme that remains present during this composition is the idea of a monster being the central conflict. As the story goes on each part creates a new conflict, which takes the form of a monster. The functional use of monsters takes place by both displaying religious values from how monsters were created and that consequences that followed them and the repentantly introducing the ideals from the Anglo-Saxon era. Each monster plays a 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.

Until he is later killed by Beowulf. A different side of this story is told in Grendel, by John Gardner which is a more recent piece of literature written in 1971. In this story Grendel is described as being the outsider that has be outcast by the whole village. His appearance doesn’t

The Old English epic Beowulf is the earliest recorded poem in Old English. The story is set in Scandinavia with the antagonist Grendel. Gendel is a monster and an insensitive character. Grendel was born into a monster and was cursed his entire life. Although Grendel was strong he wasn’t very brave because he only attacks at night when the guards are asleep. He has many characteristics that a monster would have. First and foremost, he was raised to be evil, and never had the chance to be good. Also whenever he would hear joy, he would be filled with anger and hatred. Grendel likes killing people he doesn’t feel any remorse after killing people. An example from the story that shows this is “Snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and out with their bodies (Genesis,pg 4).”Talking about Grendel ties in with our next evil antagonist known as Cain. Cain is the son of Adam and Eve. He was a farmer who was jealous of his brother who was accepted by God and when Cain was rejected he decided to kill his brother Abel. Unlike Grendel Cain believed in god he just didn’t

Grendel was initially curious by nature, not cruel or vicious. He sought to explore and understand his world and the creatures in it, including the humans. Grendel

Beowulf tells of Grendel’s spontaneous attacks on the meadhall where he would kill and devour sleeping thanes until his thirst for blood was quenched. This description of Grendel shows his nature as an animal simply responding to his jealousy over human fellowship. As an animal Grendel’s natural enemy is man, and mankind’s natural enemy is the animal, Grendel. This epic poem tells of a monster that goes on killing sprees to overcome his envy of mankind. However Grendel portrays a monster that is innocent by nature. At first, Grendel kills as a sport, for fun. Then as time passes and Grendel’s feelings toward mankind develop more fully he kills out of contempt. In the end, Grendel begins killing to protect himself from his own personal

The narrator of “Beowulf” introduces us to the monster that is Grendel in the very first lines of the poem. The speaker describes “a fiend from hell” and speaks of “a cursed creature” whom God has condemned as he is “the kin of Cain”. Grendel’s description immediately aligns him with sin and the darkness of human nature found in the old biblical tale. As the poem goes on Grendel attacks Hrothgar’s hall because of the singing of praise to God. Grendel cannot bear to hear the praise as he is said to “live in the land of monsters since the Creator cast them out” (pg. 39).

Beowulf is seen as a christian figure sent in to rid the land of the evil monsters such as grendel who is seen to have a lucifer features. After grendel attacks the Herot killing 30 men,