Throughout his life, Beowulf has fought with many fearsome creatures. His most notable opponents include Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon; all of whom perished in their bouts against Beowulf. The reason Beowulf fought and the fight’s results correlate, but the monster’s motivation significantly varied. Before each encounter, Beowulf would be provoked in some way. When Grendel’s gorging became too frequent, Beowulf went to fight the beast. When Grendel’s mother stole back her son’s arm, Beowulf chased her down and slew her as well. When the dragon rampaged through his kingdom, burning countless homes, Beowulf hunted it down. Even during the battles, Beowulf never struck first. Not against Grendel, nor against his mother. Every battle
