Grendel and his mother’s home in the story of Beowulf is described in great detail. Through literary devices such as symbolism and the use of similes the lair of Grendel and his mother is depicted as a literal Hell. The grove of trees surrounding the lake in which Grendel and his mother reside are symbolic of death. The trees are covered with “a frozen spray” representing winter an archetype for death. Furthermore the roots of the trees wind down “snakelike” into the lake and help keep it dark. The roots are symbolic of Satan and are evil helping keep the lake dark. Mist is also described to come up from the lake only it “Streams like back clouds” the color black being an archetype for evil. Another example of a simile used is when the lake
