... convinced that the gods have life in them."" Gardener most likely is trying to relay his own view on the lack of dedication to religion, through Grendel. Grendel no longer sees the point in the continuing worship of the gods, when he destroyed the statues of the gods' the people were not even bothered, ... except the priests who cried "on the chance that there might be something- in the belief of the gods. Grendel's observance of the Danes' mundane approach to religion makes him agree with Hrothulf's critique of the Danish religion, that "Religion is sick."" The last main theme ... that...

• Word Count: 958
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... society. Good Anglo Saxon women are peaceful and unassertive, greeting guests and serving drinks to the warriors. Wealhtheow, the queen of the Danes, represents a typical subservient Anglo Saxon woman. Contrastingly, Grendel's mother is a strong and combative monster whom Beowulf must kill. By analyzing these two characters in Beowulf, we can understand the treatment and mistreatment of women in Anglo Saxon society ... degree, despite her limited powers. The author expands her role from that of a traditional Anglo Saxon woman to include gift giver and guardian of the throne. Following B...

• Word Count: 1175
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... women as being trivial than men; described as "war-thirsty" and "kill-greedy" (lines 1497-1499). Through the usage of Grendel's mother's monstrous actions and characteristics, the author portrays how women were perceived as insubstantial, especially compared to men, during the time the novel was written. ... Women during this time also tried extremely hard to get by day to day being treated and seen as the way they were. The author shows this through Grendel's mother's unending commitment to the battle against Beowulf, "Up again quickly, she gave him hand- payment/ with a terrible crush, ...

• Word Count: 1052
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography

... of risk or danger. Beowulf certainly experiences a great deal of risk throughout the battles. For example, Beowulf arrives at the lake preparing to fight Grendel's mother without a clue of any sudden events that may occur: "Beowulf, anxious to take part in battle, leaps into the lake without waiting for ... It could have been a trap just to get Beowulf down there to be killed. But Beowulf took a vast risk and moves down to slaughter Grendel's mother and comes out victorious. Also, proof that classifies Beowulf as a risk taker is when the last battle is accepted. Beowulf receives honors ...

• Word Count: 918
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... enduring fame, and royal responsibility. In the epic poem of Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary and almost superficial skill and courage at the Slaying of Grendel, the Troll-Wife, and the Dragon. Due to the courageous slaying of the unwanted creatures Beowulf also becomes accustomed to the idea of ... enduring fame. Beowulf also must accept the concept of protecting his people as a royal responsibility. The epic poem begins with the slaying of Grendel. In the slaying of the abnormally large creature Beowulf shows portentous skills and courage. Beowulf's shows extraordinary skill and co...

• Word Count: 813
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Beowulf does what he says he will do and so therefore he has a right to brag to others. In this situation when he goes to fight with Grendel, Beowulf asks that he fight the monster alone. He knows that God will decide the outcome, so relying on that, he is loyal to his people ... this point in the battle Beowulf remembers what he had said to Unferth and the others in the mead-hall, and continues to hold on tightly to Grendel's arm. This proves that not only was that situation a test for Beowulf as Feldman argued, but also a constant reminder to him of the loyalty that ... he has to uph...

• Word Count: 1096
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... is felt among the men. For twelve long years Hrothgar's men were murdered. Beowulf put a stop to the madness when he killed Grendel. But no one has thought about Grendel's kin. When Grendel's mother seeks revenge, it is a different story. If it weren't for the fact that there are only two monsters in the ... in her attitude. She goes from nonchalant to down right defensive. When she is first introduced we were just told that she was the mother of Grendel, as well as, a brief description but no real in depth depiction of her. So as her son was defeated by Beowulf we truly began to ... s...

• Word Count: 665
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... enduring fame, and royal responsibility . In the epic poem of Beowulf, Beowulf shows extraordinary and almost superficial skill and courage at the Slaying of Grendel, the Troll-Wife, and the Dragon. Due to the courageous slaying of the unwanted creatures Beowulf also becomes accustomed to the idea of enduring ... fame. Beowulf also must accept the concept of protecting his people as a royal responsibility. The epic poem begins with the slaying of Grendel. In the slaying of the abnormally large creature Beowulf shows portentous skills and courage. Beowulf's shows extraordinary skill and c...

• Word Count: 873
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... creatures, giving one example of his great strength. The next example of strength in the epic is when Beowulf proposes to Hrothgar that he will kill the monster Grendel. Beowulf states, "Let me live in greatness and courage, or here in this hall welcome my death!" In this statement Beowulf is simply saying that if he ... the quote "The iron sang its fierce song, sang Beowulf's strength" thus showing how strong he is (Raffel 597-598). After he chops of the head of Grendel, he carries it from the ocean with no hesitation, however it takes four men to lift it and carry it back to mead-hall....

• Word Count: 1097
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... story, Beowulf has a Christ-like behavior in his humility and charity. Beowulf understands the plight of the Danes that are being oppressed by the evil monster Grendel, just as Christ knew of the oppression of the Jewish people. Both set out on a venture to save their people. In order to save them from ... example of this when Hrothgar states, "Our Holy Father has sent [Beowulf] as a sign of His grace, a mark of His favor, to help us defeat Grendel and end that terror. (Line 381)" The idea throughout the poem of living right, of loyalty, and of being a good leader can all be seen as ... ...

• Word Count: 817
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... too familiar with in movies, books, and television. However, Beowulf depicts the accomplishments of a Geatish hero who rids Hrothgar's kingdom of two monsters, Grendel and Grendel's mother. This is a characteristic of a violent society where war and kingship are normal daily parts of life. What kind of person could handle the ... if he opts to fight her he might never come back alive. But this didn"t stop the brave Beowulf; he has the courage to fight Grendel's mother to her death. Lastly, Beowulf has courage to fight a dragon, which is killing the knights in his own kingdom. When Beowul...

• Word Count: 773
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... The Broken Heart). The first representation of the theme of revenge in Beowulf, is shown in the relationship between Grendel and the Danes. The continuous cycle of revenge is begun by the evil beast Grendel. Grendel descends from the biblical Cain, who committed the first murder by killing his brother out of vengeance for not ... being the favored one by God. Grendel holds great despite for the Mead Hall the Danes have built in which ceremonies and parties take place long into the night. He ... greaten his legacy through battle, thus the Danes send him to gain their revenge on the monste...

• Word Count: 756
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... help: "He wept, fearing/ The beginning would not be the end" (48-49). This passage sets the stage for Beowulf's arrival. Hrothgar's mead-hall serves as the perfect buffet for Grendel's appetite. In reference to Grendel, the author says, "That no crime could ever be enough./ No savage assault quench his lust/ For evil" (51-53). This quote explains why ... Grendel repeatedly goes to Herot. Hrothgar's mead-hall quenches Grendel's thirst for blood, which keeps Grendel coming back. Thus the cause of Grendel's terror can be rooted indirectly to Hrothgar. Furthermore, Hrothgar's throne adds fo...

• Word Count: 498
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... against the monsters affirm the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil. In Beowulf's first battle at Herot, he fought Grendel with honor without any armor or weapons. Fate chose Beowulf to overcome Grendel's strength in order for Beowulf to be successful in his battle. Fate is expressed furthermore in the quote, " ... Had he met a man whose hands were harder;"(Beowulf 432-434). Fate allowed Beowulf to overcome Grendel's strength. Beowulf had a much stronger grip then Grendel would ever have. In addition to the previous quote, Grendel realized, "Now he discovered-once the afflictor/ Of me...

• Word Count: 638
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... all of these traits of an epic hero, and more. Analyzing Beowulf's three battles, one can easily see Beowulf's heroic characteristics prevail. The battle with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon display an array of heroism expressed by Beowulf. One characteristic of heroism is that a hero performs outrageous and sometimes superhuman deeds. ... Beowulf is a prime example of this type of hero. He volunteers himself to fight Grendel and when Grendel's mom seeks revenge he goes to the lake and takes on the challenge. He shows the great qualities of strength and power when, after fifty...

• Word Count: 858
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... . Hrothgars pride would have to believe that Beowulf was there "because of past favors" and, therefor allow him to take on the task of slaying Grendel. Hrothgar then takes Beowulf and his 14 Geats to Hereot. This is where most of Grendels strikes have come. As Hrothgar leaves for the night Beowulf ... my daring deed or lay down my life." As the sun began to fall his men began to fall alseep, but Beowulf stayed awake waiting for Grendel. "Grendel swing open the hall's mouth itself" and was in the hall tearing and ripping everything in sight apart. As soon as he finished attacking and kill...

• Word Count: 617
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... epic battle between monster and warrior. The imagery between darkness and light gives the reader a glimpse into the foretell of Beowulf's upcoming battle with Grendel's Mother. "The Weather-Geat prince/dived into the Mere/the waves closed over the daring man/it was a day's space before he ... could glimpse the ground at the bottom." (1491-95) As Beowulf dives into the darkened depths of Grendel's mothers' lair, beneath a motionless lake of bloodstained water, it is seen that this scene represents the darkened imagery of the uncertain dangers lurking ... in this treacherous expedition. A...

• Word Count: 821
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... They departed from Ahmed's homeland at the request of the same tortured king from the story, Hrothgar. Beowulf's nemesis, Grendel, is a lone fiend who, thanks to the Catholic influences on the original tale, acts as a surrogate for Satan. This is apparent in Beowulf and ... Grendel's apocalyptic battle. Similarly, Beowulf acted as God's surrogate. In "The Wrath of Grendel", the hero and his foe square off in a bare fisted brawl. Beowulf mortally wounds the creature by relieving ... of the legend. Both groups of adventurers were told the key to halting the attacks once and for all. Beow...

• Word Count: 746
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... to one of superhuman abilities or a superhero. Depicted as superhuman, Beowulf obligates himself to kill Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon. During his battles with Grendel, he opts out of utilizing weapons. He approaches Grendel barehanded, and remains victorious. When facing Grendel's mother, the pagan attributes of super-heroism and magic were eminent. "Then he saw, ... 's entrance to Herot is described as, "Our Holy Father has sent him as a sign of His grace, a mark of His favor, to help us defeat Grendel and end that terror" (35). Beowulf is God's gift to humanity, as Christ ...

• Word Count: 564
• Approx Pages: 2

... strongest among the strong. Physical strength was very much envied by the Anglo-saxon culture. Beowulf could slay the greatest monster of all, Grendell. Beowulf killed Grendel; Grendel had never come to such a match among a stronger person "That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime knew at once that nowhere on earth had he ... I hid behind some broad linden shield: my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster." Beowulf jumped in the water to fight Grendel's mourning mother, he did not know where he was going yet, he went for glory and fame showing no fear.   ...

• Word Count: 665
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... strength. He fought in many battles and returned victorious from all but his last. Beowulf's strength is put on display, as he is able to kill Grendel with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. The author describes by saying, "hell's captive caught in the arms Of him who of all the ... men on earth Was the strongest." (363-365). Later when Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on Beowulf for the death of her son, he is able to slay the horrible beast by slicing off her head with the ... that possesses an eminence amount of strength. After chopping off the she-bea...

• Word Count: 639
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting ... his peoples welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats, so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of the evil Grendel. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes the dangers, but fears nothing for his own life. After Beowulf had ... must! (18)" He is aware...

• Word Count: 719
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... of an epic hero, because he demonstrates all three of these qualities. Beowulf shows his bravery when ascends into the lake of fire; he demonstrates his strength when he fights Grendel and his mother; Beowulf demonstrates his leadership qualities when he makes sure, that if he dies, his men will be sent back to Geatland. Beowulf demonstrates his bravery when de ... is bravery because he is the only person willing to risk their life on this dangerous feat. Beowulf demonstrates his physical strength when he fights Grendel and his mother. During Beowulf's battle with Grendel, his grip on G...

• Word Count: 619
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... fatal death. Determination is the firmness of purpose. Beowulf shows examples of his strong determination over and over. For example, when Beowulf "heard how Grendel filled the nights with horror"(197) he becomes determined to go and set sail to meet the king to gain glory and fame. "Would sail ... determination. Beowulf volunteers willingly and quickly, calls for a boat to meet the king as soon as possible in order to go after Grendel. Without any hesitations, Beowulf did not expect any dangers, let alone death, but rather glory and fame. This attribute of willpower is seen ... suddenl...

• Word Count: 1088
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... that has been killing strong honorable soldiers for such a long time. Not only would he defeat it, but he would do it with no weapons or armor. Beowulf soon confronts Grendel as planned and using his bare hands, defeats the beast, taking his arm for a trophy. Finally ridding the great Danes king of this problem his actions impose a new problem on ... them. Now Grendel's mother seeks revenge. The fight between Grendel's' mother is an important turning point in the story, because this is when Beowulf's "super-human" strength begins to wane. We now are introduced to ... no ordinary man co...

• Word Count: 852
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School