The Similarities Between 'Grendel And Beowulf'

Both in the novel Grendel, and the poem Beowulf, there are substantial differences between characters, and how they are depicted in each of the writings. The interpretation of a hero is always created and altered by the society in which the hero resides. In both writings, Grendel and Beowulf share distinct similarities in description in their individual literature, yet each character is portrayed differently in the same writing.

Throughout Beowulf there is the idea of good vs evil; Beowulf being the good and Grendel the evil. Grendel is a monster of the embodiment of evil and only seeks to destroy and kill. He kills thirty men without mercy or hesitation whatsoever, “He slipped through the door and there in the silence snathced upthirty men,

smashed them” (lines 36-37). The Danes are filled with fear because of Grendel, and with good reason. He haunts and attacks the people and warriors of Herot while they are sleeping. “Seeing how Grendel hunted when they slept.” (line 66). Grendel is savage who is carnivorous, which he feasts on human flesh and drinks human blood. Grendel is not even conscious or affected by the pain and suffering he causes to others. He attacks them constantly for twelve years straight, “Twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar” (line 62). Grendel is filled with hatred and attacks the people of Herot just to quench himself, “No savage assault quench his lust for evil.” (lines 63-64). He terrorizes Herot completely until Beowulf comes to help the Danes. Beowulf is the good throughout the story and is seen as a hero. Beowulf goes out of his way to come to Herot just to fight a monster in another land. He goes out of his way just to fight a monster that does not affect him at all. “Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat fitted out, proclaiming that he’d go to that famous king, would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, now when help was needed.” (lines 113-117). He easily is doing it for the fame, but he could do many other things to find fame other than to fight a creature that could possibly kill him. Beowulf can easily be seen as the defender of good and the destroyer of evil in a sense. He is constantly found that he is destroying monsters and other evil throughout his boasts. Beowulf later then proceeds to kill Grendel gaining fame which he is looking for, but also he is destroying that of pure evil and he is the good that negates and destroys evil.
During Beowulf there are presentations of cowardliness and bravery.

Grendel is presented as a coward throughout the story. Even though Grendel is large in size and even has the strength of many, he is still seen as a coward. Grendel only attacks the people of Herot at night when they’re sleeping and when the guards of the mead hall are sleeping as well. Grendel pulls a very cowardly move doing so. “He found them sprawled in sleep, suspecting nothing, their dreams undisturbed. The monster’s thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws; he slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies” (lines 33-38). He specifically attacks the mead hall under the cover of the night to avoid any type of harm or physical abuse that would might happen to him if he attacked during the day. Grendel is afraid of any conflicts and fights, though Beowulf does fight him and succeeds. “That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder; his mind was flooded with fear-but nothing could take his talons and himself from that tight hand grip. Grendel’s one though was to run from Beowulf, flee back to his marsh and hide there” (lines 326-342). Beowulf is the opposite of Grendel and is an extremely brave warrior. Beowulf is clearly a brave man from his great feats and what could be overheard from his boasts. “I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned.” (lines 249-255). He is brave enough to take on a monster much larger than him, Grendel, and that could easily kill him as well. He slaughters Grendel without much trouble proving that bravery easily overpowers someone who is a coward. He was the only man in twelve years who was even willing to take on Grendel,

which even proves the point on how brave he is. Overall there is a gran difference between the bravery and cowardliness of Grendel and Beowulf.
Another concept throughout the story would be that Beowulf shows care for people, while Grendel is only capable of destruction and devastation.