Anastasia Deriy

Mr. Suarez

English IV Honors

16 September 2020

Grendel: The Embodiment of Social Rejection

In the Old English epic poem Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed as a gleeful monster with hands
capable of killing thirty men single-handed. An anarchy driven outcast who dwelt in misery in a mere
shallow moor brimming with monsters. “A powerful monster, living down / In the darkness, growled in
pain, impatient” (Beowulf 1-2). Throughout this tale, he gave an impression as a symbol of a divide
between merits and shortcomings. Grendel had isolated himself from humanity due to his humorous
attitude about mankind. Although, the appearance of Grendel’s indistinct human emotions guiding him,
he was never described as human nor would ever be accepted as one but as a wicked villain of this
composition.

The environment Grendel grew up in was bound to be reflected in his mindset as an antagonist
in Beowulf. Grendel, as far as one can see, may have lived in the darkness by his lonesome. The
reoccurring theme of familial ties exclude Grendel, Hrothgar’s family tree has four generations to give
characters an identity based on their association to each other. Even so, Grendel suffers a life in
solitude; although, he has a mother portrayed as a vengeful monster dwelling in the dark lake with her
son. The narrative describes the home stating “They live in secret places, windy / Cliffs, wolf-dens where
water pours” (Beowulf 425-426). Grendel may have a mother, yet he outwardly seems like a void
without connections to friends and family. As a result, his jealously prompts his terrorizing attacks at the
mead hall and swiftly left a trail of manslaughter. After Grendel’s attack on society, the poem describes
his peculiar walk back to his dwelling “The blood dripping behind him, back / To his lair, delighted with
his night’s slaughter.” (Beowulf 39-40). In this story, those who kill another was expect to pay
reparations to restore peace. However, the death price is another law Grendel ignores as he belongs to
no community or society. He seems to kill for fun which is unlike the other characters of this
composition.

An intriguing appeal about Grendel’s sentence to a life of suffering was descended from the
biblical Cain, the fratricidal son of Adam and Eve, who became the first man to commit murder. Cain was
cast out by God owing to slaying of his brother Abel out of envy. “Of Cain, murderous creatures
banished/ By God, punished forever for the crime / of Abel’s death.” (Beowulf 21-23). Grendel makes a
show of being cursed as an evil monster to wander the world in torment. He mocks humankinds
religious and political practices and has a twisted moral of heathenism. The monster whose eyes gleam
in the darkness and fears the sight of Beowulf exceeds the expectations as an antagonist in this story.