Misunderstood Grendel (Journal 5)

     Grendel, a character from Beowulf and Grendel, lives a sad existence, wreaking havoc while contemplating the evil within himself, trying to rid himself of his soft, innocent side, and constantly being misunderstood. He has lived in an isolated cave for a majority of his life, until he jumps through a pit of fire-snakes and stumbles upon the outside world.

     At one point in time, while still young and relatively innocent, Grendel’s leg is caught in a tree after dawn. He cannot free himself, and a bull repeatedly charges him, injuring his whole body. Grendel falls to sleep, and when he wakes up, strange creatures slightly resembling his mother are standing around him, staring at him. He is mistaken for part of a tree, an angry tree spirit who is hungry for pig! When he wails for food, crying out in anguish, the humanoid creatures let loose a volley of attacks on him, even though they believe he is a tree spirit.

     Grendel is known as an ugly and bloodthirsty monster to Hrothgar and his people. As he tries to enter Herot while the Shaper is singing and join in their fun, he is misunderstood, attacked, and deemed a savage beast, a creature with God’s curse upon him. The Shaper spins tales of his birthright, that Grendel is a descendent of the evil Cain, who was the first murderer on Earth. These stories bother Grendel, who seeks out the Dragon for advice. After meeting the Dragon, however, Grendel’s heart becomes hard and cold, and he is bestowed with invincibility. Soon after, the Shaper’s poetry angers him, and he attacks Herot, raiding Hrothgar’s kingdom on a nightly basis for twelve years. He becomes feared far and wide, and gains a murderous reputation.

     Once Grendel’s name is well-known, a valiant man, the son of Ecglaf, brings it upon himself to slay Grendel, the beast that torments Hrothgar’s kingdom. Unferth, the self-proclaimed “hero,” bravely battles Grendel with both words and a sword. Grendel, his evil side surfacing after his visit with the Dragon, beings to taunt and mock Unferth by throwing apples as a means of shaming the hero and amusing himself. Grendel leaves Unferth, and he goes back to his isolated cave, hidden beneath a marsh and protected by a pit of fire-snakes. Unferth, the pious fool, follows Grendel back to his home and challenges him to a duel to the death, to which Grendel does not reply. Ecglaf’s son waits for Grendel to slay him, defenseless and anxious to die a hero’s death. Grendel, however, has a change of heart, and carries him back to Herot, setting him at the door and killing the guards so he is not misunderstood. Although vicious and filled with unkempt anger, Grendel finds it in his heart to spare the pitiful man.

     During an angry, frenzied raid, Grendel stumbles upon Wealtheow, Hrothgar’s queen, the woman who stirs his human emotions. Bothered by these emotions, Grendel decides to kill her. He thinks about roasting her over a fire, exposing her “hole” to the flames. However, he decides against it, and he is cured of his feelings towards her and his lonely stirrings.

     All in all, Grendel is a good character who is constantly misunderstood. In fact, it is his being misunderstood that leads him to the Dragon who corrupts his innocence. After meeting the dragon, Grendel’s whole demeanor and way of thinking change. Even after claiming that he does not live to kill humans, Grendel begins to raid Herot often, killing and frightening its inhabitants. However, maybe if Grendel had not been so misunderstood when he was younger, he would not have turned to darker deeds to gain attention from the outside world.