Monstrous Ambition: Qualities of the Beasts of Beowulf

Literature of the early medieval period is full of heroic passion; men itching to secure fame from their valiant exploits and have their tale woven into tapestries of songs and tales for all future generations to hear. To form so great a hero, however, their foe must be a monstrous evil -able cause other warriors to cower on their knees in fear. These monsters are what create a humble man become a man honored among men. Without these enemies our heroes would be simply battling mortal men, and of course there is no great excitement in that! Beowulf contains three of the most noted adversaries of medieval literature: Grendel, Grendel's Mother and the Dragon. These creatures are so evil that the three sections of Beowulf are named after each of his antagonists. They are feared beyond measure, but what makes these foes so formidable? Whether it is of looks or personality, there are many factors that play into the role of an evil monster.

The monsters of literature are all quite gruesome in appearance; no one wants a dandified opponent to battle. They must be ugly and utterly hideous to gaze upon. Often Grendel's hideousness is mentioned by those of Heorot, but his actual physical attributes are left to the reader, allowing our own imaginations to reenact the fiercest of creatures. Subtle glimpses are offered of him, however, such as his murderous laugh and "the fiend's fingers jutting in front, / each nail intact, those terrible talons / like spikes of steel" (862). All three monsters live somewhat reclusively, cutting themselves off and away from mankind. These creatures are primordial beings that have been upon earth for years and years. Grendel "craved no kinship with any" (133) and similarly the dragon lived alone in an unknown cave: "He had long lain in his lofty fastness, / the steep stone-barrow, guarding his gold" (1944). The dragon's location was unknown, except one fateful day when a slave happened upon it and stole a flagon for his master. It is here that the sleeping dragon's fury ignites, quite literally. The dragon has no real idea of humanity; he is no friend of man. When he discovers a precious piece of his treasure is missing he proceeds upon a mission of pain and destruction against mankind, against innocent people that had nothing to do with the actual thief. This quality runs congruent with the persona of Grendel. He has no regret for his actions; he likes to reek death and destruction upon men. This is the complete opposite of our hero figures who defend humanity.

When the actual battle between man and beast ensues, even with the hero's god-like strength, the battle can never be won too easily. If that were so, then any fellow could tromp into a black lake of death and swirling waters filled with demons. When engaging with Grendel's mother, Beowulf encounters many obstacles, such as when he fights Grendel's mother. Beowulf begins to weary during the fight and almost falls prey to her, but he sees a beautiful sword, "the Scyldings' shielder took hold of the hilt / and swung up the sword, though despairing of life. / He struck savagely, hit her hard neck / and broke the bone-strings, cleaving clean through / her fated flesh. She fell to the floor; / the sword sweated; the soldier rejoiced" (1379). The dragon also has a moment of being at the brink of victory before he, too, is felled.

These creatures are primordial beings that have been upon earth for years and years. Grendel was recorded to have been a descendant Cain of the Bible. In Beowulf, by noting that the beast is in some way connected to a Christian evil, it shows that the protagonist must overcome a monster not just for mankind, but now he must kill evil creatures for God's glory. To a society of Christian readers or listeners, the added glory and support of God adds a heavier emphasis on the ancient ideas of Heaven and Hell. Our heroes are Heaven-sent, or blessed by God to defeat Satan's minions. The monsters pitted against our hero, Beowulf, are simply no match for the Christian warrior out to defend mankind and (ironically) spill blood for Jesus. However, their gruesome looks conjured in our imaginations and raging murderous behavior brings a formidable foe to the indomitable Beowulf. But what makes them truly frightening is not just an ugly face, but also the story behind the monster -that Grendel is a descendant of Cain, for example, shows true light to the evilness of his character. These fiends are what make a hero shine out against a bleak world. Without these ogres of atrocity we would have no selfless, noble men fighting for all-mankind instead of fighting for some humanity.

Source:
"Beowulf". The Longman Anthology of British Literature: The Middle Ages. Ed. David Damrosch. 2^nd ed. Vol. 1A. New York: Addison-Wesley, 2003. 32-91.