Beowulf is an epic from the Anglo-Saxon period about a hero who takes on great challenges and adventures. The character Beowulf embodies the virtues of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. He embodies the traits of Anglo-Saxon society: strength, bravery, honor, and the desire to help the helpless. He takes on three monsters in which he is announced for his heroic deeds defeating two out of the three fights. In the end, Beowulf is the mighty legend that everyone will not forget. The monsters in Beowulf each have different motivations for their actions.
Grendel’s motive is jealousy and loneliness. Grendel was near the mead hall called Heorot, where loud noises appear. When he hears the jubilant parties that take place at Heorot he is filled with intense jealousy because he has never experienced anything happy. This jealousy may also be interpreted as hatred, which seems to present Grendel as pure evil. Grendel wasn’t pleased to hear the men having a good time. He gets angry and enters the Heorot, killing thirty men. Grendel's
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After the celebrations are over in Heorot and everybody is asleep, Grendel's mother appears out of her dwelling place, the swamp. She is holding onto her son’s arm. She enters the hall where the warriors are sleeping and starts attacking in which she kills 12 men. Beowulf hears about it and hunts to find her. As soon as he gets to Grendel’s mom’s lair, she takes him to a battle hall. Before he goes out to slay her, he puts on his armor and gets his sword. He tries to strike her with a sword but no sword can hurt her. He gains a surge of energy and seized her but she fired right back. The poem states that, “They wrestled, she ripped/ And tore and clawed him/ bit holes in his helmet,/ And that too failed him” (481-483). Beowulf struggles against Grendel’s mom. In the end, Beowulf finds a giant sword and kills Grendel’s mom with it. This fight shows Beowulf’s weaknesses and