Similarities And Similarities Between Grendel And Beowulf

In the Epic Poem Beowulf, the titular hero, Beowulf, is set upon, or willingly goes out to fight against three great foes. Grendel, a large demon, or debatably a giant or monster. Grendel had been harassing a mead hall for twelve years before Beowulf 's arrival. His second opponent was Grendel’s mother, when Grendel retreats to and pleads for help after his defeat at the hands of his adversary and main protagonist, Beowulf. Then finally his final opponent, the dragon who attacks Beowulf 's people, the Geats. Beowulf and Wiglaf are the only two to stand against the dragon. These fights have a lot of similarities and differences that tie them together as well as the story as a whole. Grendel, a large hairy giant, has been reigning terror down upon the mead hall of Heorot for twelve years unopposed as he has the strength of multiple men and his looks alone scare off some people. Not Beowulf, when Beowulf lands with his men with the intent of facing down the Grendel, he means …show more content…
Beowulf has the strength of thirty men per arm, and that is much more than the strength of the Grendel. Beowulf fights the Grendel with his bear hands eventually tearing the Grendel 's arm from it’s socket. In this fight Beowulf fights to defend, defenceless people from a monster that means them harm, much like how he fights the dragon to prevent it from harming his own people, the geats later on in the book.