Beowulf Grendel Research Paper

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Imagine a monster in a sandbox. Some of you might have thought of a giant ogre or a hairy beast. Maybe you even thought of the classic witches and vampires. The point is that everyone has their own idea of what a monster is. But what makes a monster? Is a monster inherently evil? Or does the society that rejects and neglects the creatures force them to become monsters? That leads me to wonder, are monsters created when they don't fit in with a society’s standards or expectations? As a teenage girl living in the 21st century, society has a huge impact on me. Especially when it comes to appearances. Social media creates expectations and beauty standards that I frequently compare myself to. These unrealistic standards can lead me to feel isolated, …show more content…
These feelings of isolation and rejection can lead to envy, which in many cases, results in negative behavior. This behavior or reaction can be perceived as monstrous. But is this monstrous behavior inherent? Beowulf Grendel in the poem “Beowulf” is introduced as a terrifying creature that is tormenting the Danes. On page 13 lines 164-166 it says, “So Grendel waged his lonely war, inflicting constant cruelties on the people, atrocious hurt.” At first glance, Grendel can be seen as a bloodthirsty monster who is terrorizing the poor people in Heorot. However, that's not exactly the full truth. On page 9 lines 89-91 the narrator says, “Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud banquet every day in the hall, the harp being struck and the clear song of a skilled poet telling with mastery of man’s beginnings.” Grendel’s attacks were violent, yet provoked by his jealousy of the joy and happiness of the Danes. Keep in mind, Grendel was labeled as an outcast for simply being a descendant of Cain who was cursed by God. Grendel himself never did anything previously wrong to earn this …show more content…
The sounds of music and laughter from Heorot serve as constant reminders to Grendel of what he cannot have. Out of anger and jealousy, he lashes out to get back at the Danes for banishing him to eternal isolation. His attacks hurt the Danes physically in response to his own emotional pain. His violence is a reaction to how society treats him. If the Danes hadn’t excluded Grendel from the beginning, this whole situation could have been avoided. Society’s negligence contributed and forced Grendel into becoming the monster they had already labeled him as. This goes back to how societal pressures and standards can quite literally shape one into the monstrous
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