Beowulfs grendel
Beowulfs grendelThe Continuum of Beowulf
English literature begins with the Anglos and the Saxons. For the first time they expressed their thoughts through the epic poem of Beowulf. In Beowulf, characters play the vital role in every important aspect of the poem. Through literature, they displayed opposing characters and how they affected each other to the maximums of a continuum. When a force in Beowulf acquired joy, the opposing force acquired sorrow.
Whenever there was music in Herot, Grendel was affected. Grendel lived in the marshes, which was a hell on earth, and every time Herot sang and danced with pleasure and joy; Grendel lurked in the marshes with anger. Lines 2-4 explain his anger, “…In the darkness, growled in pain, impatient/ As day after day the music rang/ Loud in that hall…” The epic poem suggests that the population of Herot lived in happiness, and Grendel waited until his time came. Furthermore, as Grendel lived in his hell on earth, Herot was developing their society. One would believe that the music Herot was playing is not what he wanted to listen to during to his life in the marshes. This example shows how Grendel, the opposing force of Herot, could not even stand anything that came from the hall. These two forces were on the opposite sides of their personalities.
In addition to the music, their overall beliefs contributed to Grendel’s complete hatred to the population of Herot. Grendel seemingly believed that pure carnage and destruction was his only way for communicating. Herot and its people expressed their thoughts, feelings, and personalities through music, laughter, and dance. However, Grendel, whom's hatred had known no other, had to express his thoughts in his own way. Lines 29-35 showed how the poet concurred this belief, “…darkness had dropped, Grendel/ Went up to Herot…The monster’s/ Thoughts were as quick as his greed as his claws.” This passage from Beowulf expresses and explains how Grendel shows his thoughts differently then the people of Herot. Sure, it was at complete opposites of the continuum, but crazy enough as it seemed to be, that is the way Grendel expressed himself. When he slaughtered those thirty men in Herot, it gave Grendel great joy. However, next morning when the remaining residents of Herot found their lost friends, they were filled with sorrow.
Furthermore, Grendel’s joy from that one night was not enough. He returned the following night and every night after that. He continued to return until the population of Herot was extinct. The sorrow that filled the lord of Herot mourned for the next twelve years as his city was empty. By Herot being silent and no music would be playing, Grendel would finally have his way. He would finally have his lust quenched. However, when Grendel acquired his joy, the Danes were...
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