Grendel's Figurative Language In Beowulf

Beowulf, one of the greatest heroic tales, opens with a historical account of the Danes, followed by the introduction of its first monster, Grendel. This section of verse, from lines 88-144, acquaint us with the demon and his first series of attacks on Heorot. The passage of Grendel’s introduction works within Beowulf by introducing complex themes and a complex antagonist. Other facets of this passage such as context, versification, point of view, figurative language, character, and theme are all important to consider when assessing the purpose of the passage within the poem as a whole. The content and context of this passage...

Grendel’s introduction is the second main passage in the poem. Right after Beowulf opens with a historical account

of the Danes, we are acquainted with the demon and his first series of attacks on Heorot. We learn about Grendel’s character, his ancestry, and his grievances against Heorot. Heorot’s response to Grendel’s attacks is also lightly touched upon in this passage. This depiction of Grendel’s character is sandwiched between the introduction of Hrothgar and the introduction of Beowulf. In this way, Grendel’s opening scene serves to introduce us to the poem’s first antagonist and to establish the conflict at Heorot. While serving its own individual purpose, this passage conforms to the structure and genre of the whole Old English poem.
Grendel’s introductory passage observes the rules and patterns of traditional Anglo Saxon verse.

The passage’s versification includes components such as the caesura, alliteration, and a prominent stress pattern, all of which are consistent throughout the whole of the poem. Each line of verse within Beowulf contains a slight pause about halfway through the line, known as a caesura. This pause splits the line into two parts, each of which contains two stresses. Thus, the poem follows a pattern of four total stresses per line of verse; this pattern is known as tetrameter. Another notable feature of Old English verse, observed in Beowulf, is the use of alliteration. This feature is so prominent that another common name for Old English verse is “alliterative verse.” Usually, the poet repeats a sound in the beginning of words or within the stressed syllable of words. The repetition of this sound traditionally carries over the caesura. For example, when Grendel attacks Heorot for the first time he is “greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men” (122). Here, the caesura is marked with a comma and the repetition of the hard ‘G’ sound continues over the halfway point of the line. Using this same line, the tetrameter stress pattern is apparent. A stress occurs on the words greedy, grim, grabbed, and men—this places two stresses on each side of the caesura. While these features of versification can be employed to emphasize lines or maintain a certain tone, their impact on the meaning of

the text itself is limited.
The poet’s use of narrator and figurative language enhances the story and meaning in Beowulf. is more impacted by the poem’s use of narrator and figurative language
Point of Views

Figurative language

As the passage reveals more about Grendel’s nasty character, evidence points both towards his being purely and unreasonably evil and towards his feeling emotions that cause him to retaliate. Grendel is first described as a “powerful demon” and “a fiend out of hell” (86, 100). These descriptions point towards his inherent malevolence. The poet gives account of Grendel’s evil heritage—he is a “God-cursed” descendant from Cain (121). In this case, Grendel is not only acting evilly, but his entire essence is sinister. He is “malignant by nature” and epitomizes evil itself (137). At the same time, the poet almost sympathetically suggests that Grendel is greatly distressed by the loud activities taking place at Heorot, and “it harrowed him / to hear the din of the loud banquet” (87-88). Grendel also seems to experience a deep loneliness and resents his exclusion from the merry-making civilization. In this way, Grendel is not purely evil or malignant without pretext. Instead, Grendel experiences human emotions like jealousy, loneliness, and anxiety. His violent attacks are not unfounded, but full of resentment and and vengeance. As this passage introduces Grendel’s character, full of ambiguity and duality, to its readers, it also introduces these themes to the entire poem.
While Beowulf explores many themes such as the heroic code, pride, and revenge, Grendel’s introductory passage establishes two themes, both of which are fairly complex. The first theme that emerges is an incredibly Christianized battle between good and evil. Complexity arises through observation of Beowulf’s origins, which have been the focus of many literary scholars’ debates. At the time of its creation, Beowulf, was heavily influenced by Paganism. Yet, as the poem was passed down through oral tradition, the age of Christianity had a residual effect on the story and its themes.