Examining_Monsters_In_Beowulf

Examining Monsters In Beowulf Man has always faced hardships to survive. In the early Middle Ages the epic poem Beowulf, personifies the trials of man in the form of three monsters that had to be defeated. These three monsters each represent the impurities of man and of the world. With each battle the monsters become more difficult to battle, and are more powerful than the last. Ultimately Beowulf is defeated. But it is a struggle that becomes important. Grendel is the first monster described in Beowulf. Grendel possesses the mark of Cain. In the Book of Genesis, Cain murdered his brother Abel. Grendel is a descendent of Cain’s hatred. “He had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts” (35, line 104-107). At night Grendel would sneak up to the hall and attack the men. He would wait until they became so drunk and all their inhibitions were gone, that they had no ability to protect themselves. “Grendel set out for the lofty house, to see how the Ring-Danes were settling into it after their drink, and there he came beowulf, grendel, line, dragon, must, man, monsters, battle, strength, monster, king, grendel’s, epic, time, much, mother, final, each, difficult, warriors, three, slay, popular, poem, people, men, kingdom, heroism, great, fight, death, code, beowulf’s, becomes, become