grendel's mother essay

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Essay: Grendel and His Mother

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Published: 27 July 2024*
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Grendel by John Gardner and Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney both rely on the relationship between the characters Grendel and his mother to further the main storyline and plot. Although, they use the same characters, both works of literature shine different lights on these characters and give insights as to why they live like they do. John Gardner’s Grendel and his mother have a distant relationship that pushes Grendel deeper and deeper into the human culture that is in the main world. The outlook on Grendel and his mother are very sympathetic and understanding in Grendel since the reader is told the struggles they go through, especially Grendel. On the other hand, the translation of Beowulf by Seamus Heaney depicts Grendel and his mother as nasty, beastly creatures who use their instincts to defend themselves and get revenge on those who have wronged them. Not once are they thought to have real feelings but rather just use their animalistic behaviors to fend for themselves. The role of “mama bear” is flung onto Grendel’s mother since, from an outsiders point of view, her motives are simply to defend her son. The characters Grendel and his mother are used throughout both Grendel by John Gardner and Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney to give insight as to why the characters act the way they do, how they are viewed to the outside world, and why they so desperately seek revenge. In Grendel, the whole story is from Grendel’s point of view which gives readers a glimpse into his life and how he longs to find his place in the world. Grendel and his mother were descendants of Cain which leads the reader to understand why they both act the way they do. Much like Cain, who was known to have magical powers, be a social outcast, and an overall outsider looking into the human world, Grendel struggled with figuring out the world around him. This fascination with the outside world and his powers began when he discovered that the lake of firesnakes did not affect him. Prior to this discovery, him and his mother spent their days lurking in the shadows at the place they called “home”, completely unbothered by outside forces. This led him to go deeper into the outside world to explore what lived beyond his underground cave. Grendel began to get more and more curious as to what was out there in the human world and began distancing himself further away from home with each adventure. All went well until he got himself stuck in the roots of a strong tree, trapping himself. He then finds himself being brutally attacked by a bull, but quickly figures out how to protect himself by twisting his body after the first initial jab. Eventually men come to see what is wrong with the tree, thinking it was fungus, but agreed it was “tree sprint”. Grendel attempts to talk to the men but they believe that he is angry and attempt to kill Grendel. He shrieks and his mother come to his aid to protect her precious son. Once they return to the cave, Grendel desperately tries to inform his mother about what he saw in the outside world. She blankly looks and her son and ignore what he is telling her. To the reader, this is a very strange family dynamic and shows the discrepancy between mother and son. Although she protects him, she is not interested in what he is telling her or even what he went through. This feeling of disconnect with his mother fuels Grendel and he begins to lash out until he is embraced warmly by his mother. Even when question where they come from and why they are different from others gets, Grendel gets a cold response. “Why are we here?” I used to ask her. “Why do we stand this putrid, stinking hole?” She trembles at my words. Her fat lips shake. “Don’t ask!” her wiggling claws implore. (She never speaks.) “Don’t ask!” It must be some terrible secret, I used to think (Gardner 11).” She just communicates with small twitches and wiggles rather than the verbal communication Grendel so desperately wants from his mother. The true emotional connection Grendel strives for from his mother is not met which throws him deeper into isolation and explains his fascination with the human way of life. In Beowulf, Grendel and his mother were now seen through the eyes of the humans who play up their beastly nature. Grendel is introduced as the beast who has dominated Hrothgar for 12 long years in his mead-hall. His fuel to upset human life stems from his jealousy and envy he feels because he believes that humans are too joyful and happy while he is forced to live in a depressing cave with only his mother for company. He envy’s the humans, and mankind in general, because God seems to only bless the humans and not him. In harmony with Grendel, Beowulf follows the idea that Grendel is a descendant of Cain which is part of the reason he is not blessed and forced to live life as an “evil outcast”. “Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend/Grendel who haunted the moors, the wild/Marshes, and made his home in a hell./Not hell but hell on earth. He was spawned in that slime/Of Cain, murderous creatures banished/ By God, punished forever for the crime/ Of Abel’s death.” (Heaney 26). This furthers the idea that Grendel was an outcast and monster to society. He is known the be a ruthless beast since he is associated with Cain at all and the kingdoms truly believe he is a murderous creature. In a ugly battle, Beowulf, a man brought in from his home in the Geatlands to help Hrothgar save his lands from the mighty beast, defeated Grendel and tore his claw up to his shoulder, killing him. They then hung the claw in the hall for all to see and remember the victorious night. Distraught by the news, Grendel’s mother went out for revenge. His mother was known for not being nearly as strong as he was but in a heated tyrant, she demanded justice for her son. She attempted to murder one of the men from the mead-hall. While the fight seemed to be in her favor, Beowulf defended his man with a magical sword, found in the mother own cave, that ultimately killed her. Since the work was centered around a human victory and seen through the human point of view, Beowulf was a hero who stayed the beast. This paints both Grendel and his mother in a bad light because although she was sticking to her motherly instincts, she just wanted to see justice for her son who was killed and used as a victory trophy. The different depiction of Grendel and his mother in both Grendel and Beowulf greatly affect the plot and how the story continues on. In Grendel, he is depicted as a soul who longs to be accepted and apart of a group. He lives his life in what feels like complete isolation and only communicates in one sided discussions. “When her strange eyes burned into me, it did not seem quite sure. I was intensely aware of where I sat, the volume of darkness I displaced, the shiny-smooth span of packed dirt between us, and the shocking separateness from me in my mama’s eyes. I would feel, all at once, alone and ugly, almost—as if I’d dirtied myself—obscene,” (Gardner 17). This emphasizes Grendel’s feeling that his mother isolates him and she is very cold towards him. This creates a longing feeling for love and acceptance from his mother that every son desires from his own mother. Without this longing feeling, Grendel would have never kept going further and further into the human world thus, would not have gotten himself into the mess he created for himself. His mother, on the other hand, could have stopped the pull of the human world from engulfing Grendel if she was more caring or communicated with her son more. She shut him out which pushed him further away everyday. They lacked the true bond a mother and son should have which ignited many push and pull factors for Grendel such as his mother pushing him away which pulled him more into the human world. These push and pull factors are critical to the continuation of the plot. In Beowulf, Grendel and his mother were seen as merely beasts which helps the plot of mankind being superior to the evil forces that surround them. Beowulf is supposed open the reader’s mind to the idea of an ideal “hero”, which in this case was Beowulf, and undermine the evils in the world. By playing up the part of the hero, it was very easy to dismiss the beasts as just simply beasts who do not stand a chance. This helped further the plot by showing the strength of mankind and how people can fend off from evils. The victory of Beowulf then brought together the two kingdoms in a permanent alliance and will eventually lead to Beowulf ruling his entire home kingdom. Without the battles between Grendel and his mother, Beowulf would have never looked so noble and got to be as high up in power as he did which keeps the story going long after Grendel’s mother was slain. Both Grendel by John Gardner and Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney give insight as to why the characters Grendel and his mother act the way they do, how they are viewed to the outside world, and why they so desperately seek revenge on mankind. Grendel treated Grendel and his mother as creatures who deserve sympathy, especially Grendel, not just heartless monsters. Grendel just wants to feel accepted and to come out of isolation to communicate with others. Beowulf treats Grendel and his mother are heartless beasts who only desire to harm the good world around them because they are descended of the wicked and ruthless Cain. These different views on Grendel and his mother greatly affect the plot of both stories and opens the reader to either why the creatures act they way the do or why mankind treats the creature as a monster while Beowulf is heroic for slaying the beast. 2019-3-13-1552484198

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Beowulf — The Role of Grendel’s Mother in Beowulf

The Role of Grendel’s Mother in Beowulf

Categories: Beowulf Grendel

About this sample

Words: 2392 |

Pages: 5.5 |

12 min read

Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 2392 | Pages: 5.5 | 12 min read

he attempts to overpower her with strength alone, as he defeated her son.
this also failing, he notices a sword among the treasures in the cave, and it is only with this sword that he succeeds in killing his foe.

References:

‘ðá se gist onfand/ þæt se beadoléoma bítan nolde/ aldre sceþðan ac séo ecg geswác / ðéodne æt þearfe’ (Beowulf 1522:1525).
‘strenge getrúwode/ mundgripe mægenes’ (Beowulf 1533:34).

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

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After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

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Beowulf: Grendel’s Mother Viewpoint Essay

Beowulf is a unique title of a famous and old epic poem, which has more than three thousand alliterative lines. It forms part of the important works of ancient Anglo-Saxon literature.

Beowulf is a long and detailed narrative poem, which is rich in literature and other aspects, thus coming in handy in the study of language. The poem narrates on serious and great subjects who have a unique and elevated relationship. It centers on a quasi-divine or heroic figure namely Beowulf, described as an important person whose actions determine the fate of a nation, tribe, or the human race.

This poem establishes genre of stories and epic poems. In addition, it shows work from old English literature and exemplifies the unique way of traditional culture. The poem describes how Beowulf fought against water monster Grendel together with Grendel’s mother. This essay demonstrates the linguistic, thematic, and cultural importance of Beowulf from the eyes of Grendel’s mother, an antagonist in the novel.

John Gardner’s novel Grendel expounds the cultural importance of Beowulf through a character named Grendel’s mother who was a monster that lived in a cave located under water together with her son Grendel. Though she was a monster, she played important role in expounding the traditional culture in this novel.

Gardner reveals major practices practiced in this culture. First, the role played by women in this culture was rather minimal, as the book presents them as confined to performing the tasks of playing stewards and or action-seeking warriors or men (Gardner 17). On the other hand, the author depicts women as peacemakers describing them as bestowing honors and gifts, which were important aspects in this culture.

Men in this culture played roles of warriors and breadwinners to their families. The poem also reveals how the culture believed in supernatural being and in God. For instance, Grendel’s mother says that, “The humans believe that their God can prevent occurrence of accidents and help them win battles” (Gardner 43). Based on the entire piece, Beowulf manifests some crucial cultural values like bravery, respect, and relationship.

These cultural values are of great essence as they reflect a unique culture that is rich in morals and honor. Families of Anglo-Saxon society are described as of great importance as they were the sources of identification. For instance, warriors and other people were mentioned not by their deeds, but by who their parents or brothers are. This emphasizes on the value of families in this culture.

Beowulf has a lot of linguistic importance, as described by Gardner through his use of a character named Grendel’s mother. This poem is worth of analysis and study, as it contains many language intricacies, which are important in understanding the complex nature of traditional literature.

The alliteration used in this poem makes it unique and memorable. With unique alliteration, lines used in this poem were easier o repeat and remember. For instance, alliteration stands out when Gardner reckons that, “the dearest companion of Beowulf was now dead and gone due to fierce battle with the monster” (46).The poem also employs other linguistic features such as satire.

One can clearly see the thematic importance of Beowulf as an epic poem after an extensive study of it. The poem uses many themes as the story unfolds. These themes help to unfold a unique story of evil versus good. The poem describes Min characters’ weapons and clothes using detailed descriptions, which help the learner to form a clear picture of how the attire looked like. John Gardener through use of Grendel’s mother portrays Grendel as a unique creature with strong feelings rather the being a savage beast.

The poem has paramount themes, which include themes such as the heroic deeds that reflect on individual glory. In addition, there was personification of deadly raw emotions such as greed, envy, and pride through the characters especially Grendel’s mother. It also uses symbols. For instance, the necklace given to Beowulf by Wealhtheow is a unique symbol of the loyalty bond existing between the Wealhtheow’s people and Beowulf. Diverse themes used in this book expound on the thematic essence of this novel.

Gardner, John. Grendel . New York: Vintage Books, 1971.

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COMMENTS

Grendel's Heroic Mother
This is a slightly revised electronic version of an essay that first appeared in In Geardagum 6 (1984), 13-33 (revised 2010). The ... his deadly life-foe so that she fell to the floor" 1539-42.) Grendel's mother, however, knew more of the manly arts than her lumbering son: Heo him eft hraþe handlean forgeald grimman grapum ...
Essay: Grendel and His Mother
The outlook on Grendel and his mother are very sympathetic and understanding in Grendel since the reader is told the struggles they go through, especially Grendel. On the other hand, the translation of Beowulf by Seamus Heaney depicts Grendel and his mother as nasty, beastly creatures who use their instincts to defend themselves and get revenge ...
Beowulf: Grendel's Mother (Lines 1251-1407) Summary & Analysis
Beowulf, who had slept in a private chamber that night, is brought to Heorot. Hrothgar tells him that Grendel grabbed Aeschere, Hrothgar's adviser and companion in battle. Hrothgar adds that he has heard of two huge creatures walking on the moors and wastelands. One of these creatures looked like a woman, the other looked like a man. These two monsters dwell in the dark, in a lake so deep it ...
Analyzing Grendel's Mother: The Mysterious Beast
This essay aims to delve into the enigmatic nature of Grendel's mother by examining her physical attributes, exploring her role in the narrative, and analyzing the implications of her actions. By shedding light on this mysterious figure, we gain a deeper understanding of the complex themes and symbolism within Beowulf.
Grendel's mother
Grendel's mother (Old English: Grendles mōdor) is one of three antagonists in the anonymous Old English poem Beowulf (c. 700-1000 AD), ... [27] and Taylor [28] (who argues in his 1994 essay that the term Ides indicates that "Grendel's mother is a woman of inherently noble status."). [29]
The Role of Grendel's Mother in Beowulf
Introduction: When one considers the criticism of Beowulf, from the beginnings to more recent writings the early lack of interest in Grendel's mother is very apparent. Background: In 1936 J. R. R. Tolkien dismissed her as a secondary figure to her son. Major feminist criticism also seemed to avoid her until the 1980s when Jane Chance focused on the female monster, discussing the structural ...
The Role of Grendel's Mother in Beowulf
This essay about Grendel's mother in "Beowulf" reevaluates her role beyond the traditional view of a mere antagonist, portraying her as a complex character driven by maternal instincts and a quest for vengeance. It discusses how her actions resonate with universal themes of familial duty and justice, contrasting her motivations with the ...
Beowulf: Grendel's Mother Viewpoint
This essay demonstrates the linguistic, thematic, and cultural importance of Beowulf from the eyes of Grendel's mother, an antagonist in the novel. John Gardner's novel Grendel expounds the cultural importance of Beowulf through a character named Grendel's mother who was a monster that lived in a cave located under water together with her ...
Analysis of Grendel's Mother in Beowulf
Summary: In Beowulf, Grendel's mother is depicted as a flat character, primarily driven by maternal instincts to avenge her son's death.She is described as a monstrous, demonic figure living in an ...
Grendel's Mother Character Analysis
Beowulf Essay: The Roles Of Grendel's Mother. Mary Dockray-Miller describes Grendel's mother when she states: "The violent queen illustrates the performance nature of the gender of power and shows that action, rather than biological sex, it is the determinant of that gender" (Dockray-Miller 1). Grendel's mother is different because she ...