What are truly monsters? In the society that we live in today a monster can be seen as someone who is different from the rest of society. However, there might be a greater purpose to describe what is a monster, and in the Epic poem Beowulf, the author gives us two characters that are judged by society in totally different ways. What readers don't get is that the author has shown us two characters that the old culture has judged as monsters and heros, but he wants us to determine what both of them really are based on their actions and characteristics. The unknown author does a great job using Beowulf and Grendel to help describe two different archetypes, and have the audience left with the question what really makes up your character? A monster
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In terms of his actions we can say that he can be considered as some sort of a monster in a way. A monster is someone or something that does horrible things for no reason or explanation most of the time and they are all full of themselves, Beowulf is a character that embodies the idea of a monster in today's society, because of the ways that he gets rid of the so called “monsters” in their society. The way that Beowulf handled Grendel was a bit too extra and more on the savage rescue than the hero one. When Beowulf fought Grendel, the so called monster, “an extraordinary wail arose,and bewildered fear came over the danes everyone felt it who heard it as it echoed off the walls… keeping his wound…”(781-787). These actions to kill Grendel that Beowulf have taken do not describe him as hero, the gruesome and horrifying torture and pain that he gave Grendel was unacceptable. Not only did he kill Grendel in the bloodiest way that he could have but he also celebrates after to make sure that everyone knows that he had done it. A true hero does not celebrate the death of societies disgrace, they get rid of it and never mention it again. Also, not only did Beowulf kill Grendel in a savage way but he also got rid of Grendel's mother by cutting off her head and dragging it into the mead hall as a token or trophy of his success(1497-1812). Everything that he does he wants it to be recognized by society, the only reason …show more content…
In the Oxford English Dictionary for instance, the word monster is ‘any imaginary creature that is large, ugly and frightening’, earlier definitions are vaguer and less negative. Also there is ‘originally a mythical creature which is part animal, part human or is of great strength, size and appearance’. However in Latin the word ‘monster’ can mean wonder, and I believe that the character of Beowulf may have been created as a figurative or supernatural kind of monster, rather than the dictionary definition of something horrific. One thing to focus on will be Beowulf's supernatural or miraculous abilities that any other regular human is not able to do. Also, his strength itself is described as ‘God-sent’ (2182). Even if he has the abilities of a monster, he is clearly represented as ‘good’, one to whom God has granted these supernatural powers to, however the way that he is using his powers is creating him to be this monster that he has to constantly fight with himself to be able to accomplish his goals. Although, Grendel is characterised in great contrast to Beowulf; he is a ‘powerful demon’ (89), one can say that Beowulf is not that much different from Grendel only in the way that people. Finally, not only is
In terms of his actions we can say that he can be considered as some sort of a monster in a way. A monster is someone or something that does horrible things for no reason or explanation most of the time and they are all full of themselves, Beowulf is a character that embodies the idea of a monster in today's society, because of the ways that he gets rid of the so called “monsters” in their society. The way that Beowulf handled Grendel was a bit too extra and more on the savage rescue than the hero one. When Beowulf fought Grendel, the so called monster, “an extraordinary wail arose,and bewildered fear came over the danes everyone felt it who heard it as it echoed off the walls… keeping his wound…”(781-787). These actions to kill Grendel that Beowulf have taken do not describe him as hero, the gruesome and horrifying torture and pain that he gave Grendel was unacceptable. Not only did he kill Grendel in the bloodiest way that he could have but he also celebrates after to make sure that everyone knows that he had done it. A true hero does not celebrate the death of societies disgrace, they get rid of it and never mention it again. Also, not only did Beowulf kill Grendel in a savage way but he also got rid of Grendel's mother by cutting off her head and dragging it into the mead hall as a token or trophy of his success(1497-1812). Everything that he does he wants it to be recognized by society, the only reason …show more content…
In the Oxford English Dictionary for instance, the word monster is ‘any imaginary creature that is large, ugly and frightening’, earlier definitions are vaguer and less negative. Also there is ‘originally a mythical creature which is part animal, part human or is of great strength, size and appearance’. However in Latin the word ‘monster’ can mean wonder, and I believe that the character of Beowulf may have been created as a figurative or supernatural kind of monster, rather than the dictionary definition of something horrific. One thing to focus on will be Beowulf's supernatural or miraculous abilities that any other regular human is not able to do. Also, his strength itself is described as ‘God-sent’ (2182). Even if he has the abilities of a monster, he is clearly represented as ‘good’, one to whom God has granted these supernatural powers to, however the way that he is using his powers is creating him to be this monster that he has to constantly fight with himself to be able to accomplish his goals. Although, Grendel is characterised in great contrast to Beowulf; he is a ‘powerful demon’ (89), one can say that Beowulf is not that much different from Grendel only in the way that people. Finally, not only is