Journal 5: Analysis of Grendel

Grendel, a monster from the poem “Beowulf”, is a self-indulging menace whose bloodlust leads him to his death. Grendel terrorizes a group of Danes, killing them in their sleep. He placed a spell on their weapons which rendered them practically defenseless. Their only option was to flee. Their once-joyful mead-hall was now deserted. Grendel is an inherently evil creature. He makes his home in the moors, a dank and slimy place which is representative of his character. He is driven by his greed to kill the warriors of Herot. He is so bloodthirsty that there is no end in sight. There is no way to quench his desire. He simply continued to wage war on the Danes, causing destruction and death.
Grendel was so fierce and relentless that everyone who heard of his ravages feared him. He caused dread and panic in those in the area. The warriors who saw the destruction caused in the mead-hall fled to survive. Hrothgar, their king, was distraught and sorrowful for the twelve years that Herot stood empty. The situation seemed to be hopeless. Grendel was impossibly strong and seemingly undefeatable. Those who acted in courage were slaughtered mercilessly, until Beowulf heard of the predicament and decided to go to battle Grendel. He was still aware of the danger, and made arrangements in case he should not survive. There were doubts that he would be able to defeat such a mighty foe. Even some of the Geats fell victim to Grendel’s initial attack. It was not until Grendel attacked Beowulf that his warpath was slowed.
In the poem “Beowulf”, Grendel represents evil. He is a picture of a demon, and his mother is representative of Satan. In the beginning of the poem Grendel is described as having been “conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God.” This refers to the belief that all evil things are offspring of Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Grendel terrorizes the joyful Danes, as a demon would threaten mankind. The poem repeatedly refers to Grendel as a demon, among other things, with the first reference being “So Hrothgar’s men lived happy in his hall, Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel…”. Before Grendel’s attacks, the Danes did not seem to be troubled, but after he begins his terror, they are downcast and fearful. Grendel is not bound by any moral code, and seems to answer only to his lust, and perhaps his mother.