Comparing Beowulf And Grendel's Mother

Beowulf is a perfect example of an epic hero. What is an epic hero, you may ask? An epic hero is one who is determined to show their strength, bravery, and honor by heroic and dangerous actions. In the epic, Beowulf, the main character himself shows many qualities that defines him as an epic hero. Beowulf’s many battles are examples of how he is an epic hero. On numerous accounts, Beowulf involved himself in many challenges such battling Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Dragon to prove himself as a hero.

In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.

In the poem Beowulf, there is a contrast between good and evil. This distinction is presented through the monsters Grendel and his mother, in parallel to the hero Beowulf. The themes of evil and monstrosity are therefore used in the story, as a way to create the notion of Grendel and his mother as monsters. Beowulf therefore appears as a character representing good. Although Beowulf shows traits of abnormal power, like Grendel and his mother, his motifs are interpreted differently.

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.

Evil Outline Thesis: Grendel is evil because was he isolated by society, neglected by his mother, and had no identity or purpose. Neglect The fact that Grendel’s mother does not show affection towards him is directly linked to why he has developed into an evil being. “‘Why are we here?’

More than a Monster In Beowulf, it showed us Grendel dying by Beowulf’s hand, when his mother finds out about his death she goes straight to Heoret to get revenge. She grabbed Aeschere, killed him, and this lead to Beowulf seeking her out to get rid of her as he did with Grendel. Beowulf was successful, after an underwater fight in her lake he took her down. Grendel’s mother is considered a monster by the pagans yet her motives, her human qualities, and her comparison to other characters prove that she is not as heartless or monstrous as she is perceived. A mother grieves when her children are harmed and Grendel’s mother is just that, a mother.

Most women during the early middle ages were not treated properly. They were treated as housekeepers ready to serve every single one of their husband’s needs. According to society women who were not submissive to their husband where all evil. These ideas influenced many of the stories written during the early middle ages; stories such as, Beowulf, Marie de France’s Lanval, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wife of Bath. In all of these stories women were given a negative image because of the standards set for women by society. Women were not respected and often thought of sex objects that are there to make great men fall; this becomes very evident in the literature written during this time.

While Beowulf’s behavior was defensive, the conflict with Grendel 's mother came out of culturally appropriate revenge. We see this primarily when Grendel’s Mother seeks vengeance for her son’s death. Instead of a bloodthirsty troll slaughtering everyone in sight, we see a methodical sorceress who merely wishes for the suffering of one man. The concept of revenge is far more complicated then murderous rage or self-defense. An eye for an eye means taking just as much from the person who stole from you.

Beowulf states that Grendel's mom will not be able ti hide from his wrath. Beowulf assures that Grendel's mom will be eliminated. After Beowulf gets to be ruler in Geatland, he demonstrates his awesome unselfishness yet again by promising to execute the flame mythical serpent. Beowulf is said to have sworn to murder the mythical serpent, which has brought on an unsettling influence among his kingdom. These brave acts offered by Beowulf shows a great part of his integrity.

When Grendel dies from the power of Beowulf, this does not leave Grendel’s Mother amused. Grendel’s Mother is attacking Herot and “she’d killed a glorious soldier,cut a noble life short. No Geat could have stopped her”(Beowulf 416-417). As seen in the quote, Grendel’s mother is very upset about what happened to her son. By killing a soldier and terrorizing Herot, she is getting revenge for the death of her son.

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. For example, she would do anything for her son. This portrays human values that make literature much more interesting to the reader. When readers can relate to the values and experiences in the literature, they are more interested. Ishtar wants the hero’s love and will stop at nothing to get it, while Grendel’s mother will stop at nothing to

Heroism of Beowulf Throughout the poem of Beowulf he shows heroism in different way, He is someone who has superhuman qualities who embodies the value of his society and who is larger than life. And also someone who defeats something that is bigger than him. To start off, Beowulf meets with the Danes to discuss about this evil monster name Grendel. He is a powerful creature who live in the darkness.

Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/

Grendel in both stories is described as a vicious "Monster", but is viewed differently. The character of Grendel, in the novel by John Gardner, portrays a different visualization than that of Grendel in the epic poem Beowulf. In the novel the story is told in first person point of view which gives Grendel human qualities while Grendel in Beowulf is told in third person point of view not giving Grendel his standpoint.

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