Essay On Grendel's Exile

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The Exile from a Community Is Harmful The banishment of a person from a community can have a long lasting and harmful effect. It teaches the one who is an exile that he or she is unwanted nor cared for. Communities make labels for those they exile and give reasons and beliefs for why that person should not be apart of their society. Normally it's the belief that having that person around would be harmful towards others. Grendel relates to this for he is not welcome within the community and he is thought to be destructful and unsafe. Grendel’s exile affects him as a person by turning him into more of a monster. This can first of all be seen when Beowulf says, “Till the monster stirred, that demon,/ ...Grendel/ ...made his home in a hell./ Not hell but hell on earth. He was spawned in that slime/ Of …show more content…

When people are told something wrong about themselves, they will not always react in the happiest way. This does not even depend on whether or not what is said about them is true. As Grendel’s labels worsen, so do his actions. His labels set expectations for him and they have a lot to say about the type of person he is. Because of this he lives up to and exceeds those expectations set upon him to disrupt, kill, and destroy the society. IN an example, Beowulf compares himself to Grendel by saying, “Grendel is no braver, no stronger/ Than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not,/ Easy as it would be. This fiend is a bold/ And famous fighter, but his claws and teeth.../Beating at my sword blade, would be helpless. I will meet him/ With my hands empty-unless his heart/ Fails him....” (677-683). Beowulf looks at Grendel highly in a positive and negative way. He understands how powerful Grendel is but he also understands how dangerous and threatening he is. This builds up Grendel’s character allowing Grendel to have the upper hand in his battles because the people are afraid of him. His labels are what made him who he

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