Journal 5: Development of Grendel's Language

Throughout the novel, Grendel, Grendel’s language develops as he becomes more familiar and experienced with the outside world. Grendel’s inability to communicate with humans and mother stresses him and makes him feel anguished when finding companionship. In the beginning Grendel’s has a lonely connection with his mother because his mother “sinks into the silence” for having the burden of “ancestral crime” (Gardener 11). Furthermore, Grendel is forced to live in his “putrid stinking hole” by himself. In Grendel, readers see his language developed throughout the novel as he begins to familiarize more with the humans. When Grendel encounters the humans, they misunderstand Grendel’s attempts to reveal his sincerity. This is because Grendel’s vulgar language makes him seem unapproachable and threat-like towards humans. Throughout the novel, readers see Grendel’s language begin to grow as he experiments with the use of lines, verses, and kennings. For example, the author states, “Grendel the truth-teacher, phantasm-tester” (Gardener 110). This quote explains Grendel’s ability to articulate his thoughts through literary elements such as kennings.  Kennings were typical literary devices used in Anglo-Saxon literature. In addition readers see that Grendel begins to speak from his consciousness and learns a better method to articulate his thoughts. For example, the author states, “My enemies define themselves (as the dragon said) on me” (Gardener 91). The author displays Grendel’s inner thoughts by placing them inside of parentheses. Moreover, Grendel’s language grows as he develops a better understanding of the outside world when he seeks for companionship.

Journal 3: Somber tone of Beowulf

The poem, Beowulf, ends in an elegiac tone when he dies an honorable death when fighting a dragon to retrieve treasure. The author states, that once Beowulf “bartered his last breath” the “twelve warriors rode around the tomb” and “[mourned Beowulf’s] death as a man and a king.” This quote portrays the warriors grieving over their leader’s death.  This was because the Anglo-Saxons believed in comatius, loyalty to their lord, and when Beowulf died, the warriors felt distraught and lost without their leader. In Beowulf, the warriors thought Beowulf was “most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame” (Raffal 34). This is significant because Beowulf dies honorably in battle and is mourned because of the great services he provided to his community.   Furthermore, Beowulf’s death greatly impacted society because of the deeds that he executed during his lifetime.  At the end of the poem, the author writes with a somber tone because the Beowulf’s death served as a depressing moment when he died as a great hero.  

Journal 2: Grendel Analysis

Grendel is, by nature, a grotesque and feared monster due to his lineage as Cain’s descendent. In Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed to wreak havoc across the land of Herot, where he is considered as a threat to society. Grendel is constantly hunted and looked down upon by others in society which fuels his strength of embedding fear into people’s mind. The blood-thirsty Grendel intends to slaughter the people he sees during the night in order to satisfy his hunger, boredom, and blood-thirst. Throughout the poem, Grendel embodies death and evil in Anglo-Saxon literature. His wicked actions led him to be killed by the epic hero, Beowulf, and also banished from society. Grendel’s actions, habitat, and personal response to exile reveal his wicked and malevolent nature only to wreak havoc among the society that chose to isolate him.  

Throughout Beowulf, the author uses biblical allusions to the story of Cain and Abel and Adam and Eve as a model to portray Grendel’s the connection between his lineage and malevolent nature. In the poem, Grendel is described to be “conceived by a pair of monsters,” who are viewed as a “murderous creatures, “banished by God,” and “punished forever for the crime of Abel’s death” (Raffel 21). In the story of Cain and Abel, Cain’s jealously caused him to kill Abel. Therefore, at birth, Grendel was automatically by upon society being symbol for malevolence towards others because of his lineage to Adam, Eve, and Cain. Like Adam and Eve, Grendel’s actions reflect those of his sinful ancestors as he continues to spread harm to the rest of the community. For example, Grendel “[slipped] through the door,” “[snatched] up thirty men,” “[smashed] them,” and “[ran] out with their bodies” (Raffel 26). This action proves Grendel’s ability to embed fear into the community for slaughtering those he encounters.

Grendel’s habitat reflected his exile from society as he is forced to live in the swamplands because the “Almighty drove [demons] out” (Author 21). Grendel was forced to live far from people because he was shunned and looked down upon as a monstrous threat to the well being of everyone. Grendel would haunt the mead hall, a place where Anglo-Saxon warriors feasted and gathered because his exile forced him to trespass rather than to be welcomed. Forced out of Herot, Grendel made his “home in a hell,” where haunted the “moors [and] wild marshes.” Grendel’s habitat was described more of like a “hell [and] not an earth” (Raffel 21). This is revealed because Grendel’s home gives an eerie and intimidating mood as no one usually came out alive. Grendel put enchantment over the weapons of trespassers that tried to hunt him; therefore it made him nearly undefeatable and unapproachable to regular commoners. Throughout the poem, Grendel’s environment revealed his dark and evil characteristics reflected in his home because the surroundings made Grendel unapproachable and feared in the community.

In Anglo-Saxon literature, Grendel’s personal response from society reveals the culture of the Anglo-Saxons as they banish him from society because anything other than service to the community was unaccepted. In the poem, Grendel is seen as a “murderous creature banished by God” because he is one of the monsters that was spawned from Cain (Raffel 21). As a result he is driven to isolation and exile from the community due to his ancestry. Grendel is described as the living embodiment of evil and death because he wreaks havoc uncontrollably throughout the community. Grendel’s grotesque image strengthens the appearance of a horrific monster. In addition, Grendel’s gruesome nature causes him to be outcast as he presents his uncontrollable desire for human slaughter. For example, Grendel “ripped him apart, cut his body to bits with powerful jaws, drank him down [from his hands and feet], and “kills him” (Raffel 32). This scene reveals Grendel’s barbaric character as he does not have mercy for those that he kills and consumes. Anglo-Saxons believed that honor came from the servicing one’s community. Grendel represented those who did not follow those beliefs. Throughout the poem, banishment from society was caused by his actions, lineage, and appearance that all drive him to be exiled and feared by the common folk.

In Beowulf, Grendel is viewed as the source of evil due to his criticisms from others, habitat, and malevolence. In Anglo-Saxon literature Grendel is described to be the monster that spreads evil across the land because of he is descended from Cain. Grendel’s lineage to a past sinner permanently confirms his position in society as a beastly outcast. In addition, Grendel’s residence adds to the intimidating feel people have for him because Grendel has embedded fear among others due to his appearance and immortality. His actions reflect those of his ancestors; moreover, Grendel wreaks havoc throughout the community and only seeks to harm and destroy.

In conclusion, Grendel’s barbaric nature leads to his exclusion from society and his habitat gives further support to his fearsome and grotesque image as an Anglo-Saxon monster.

Journal 1: Modern Heroes and Beowulf Connection

Beowulf, an epic hero portrayed in the poem, Beowulf, goes out on quests to defeat the “powerful monster” Grendel, in order to protect a threatened community. Throughout his journey, Beowulf uses his super human strength to kill Grendel and his mother in order to defend the community and to gain recognition for his heroic service.  During this time, Anglo-Saxons believed in the earthy virtues of loyalty, generosity, bravery, and friendship; Beowulf was the perfect embodiment of these virtues. Beowulf’s actions resemble that of Superman, as they both have intentions to rescue those in need of their service. With the help of their strong and valiant qualities, both heroes go on quests to defeat those who pose as a threat to their community. Beowulf and Superman share hero-like attributes such as, bravery and super human strength, and serve as heroes for their community during their time.

In many Anglo-Saxon epics, super human strength is displayed as a main feature that helps heroes defeat their foes. Beowulf possessed this strength and displays it when he finishes off Grendel’s head “with a single swift blow.”  In addition, Beowulf used the “strength in his fingers” to finish off Grendel’s mother once he found out that “no sword could slice her evil.”  Grendel was a worthy adversary as many heroes before Beowulf were incapable of defeating Grendel. Quests are taken by both Beowulf and Superman when facing their enemies and engaging in battle. In comparison, Superman uses his super human strength to protect his city in its time of need. His super human abilities make Superman remarkable as he possessed the superior physical strength needed to protect those from other planets, making him nearly impossible to defeat. Both Beowulf and Superman, are brave enough to face the evils that come their way, and use their super physical strength to defeat those who harm the threatened community.

In Anglo-Saxon literature, heroism requires bravery and extreme physical strength in order to successfully complete a quest of conquering their enemies. Superman and Beowulf both were brave and exceedingly strong when fighting against their enemies in order to rescue those in need. Along with their brute strength and courageousness, Beowulf and Superman perform heroic deeds as a service to their community because of the honor and benevolence they had as heroic servicemen. In conclusion, both heroes shared super human strength and fearlessness and used them to protect their communities by defeating the evils that come their way.