The last sentence of this quote highlights the fact that Beowulf has been posed with a creature more powerful than he is used to. This entire passage shows how for the first and last time, Beowulf comes close to being defeated by his opponent. For the first time in the poem, the reader witnesses the hero struggle to defeat the unwanted creatures. However, Beowulf being the honorable warrior he is, manages to become even stronger and smarter and eventually defeats Grendel’s mother with her own weapon:
