CHAPTER 1

  1. HE DESCRIBES HIS BATTLE WITH THE DANES AS “IDIOTIC”, AS WELL AS “PAINFUL” AND “STUPID”.
  2. HE GAVE A DEFIANT MIDDLE FINGER TO THE SKY, PROBABLY ADDRESSING GOD, WHOM HE ALSO BLASPHEMES. HE ALSO ADMITS TO HATING HIM (GOD) AS GRENDEL IS BORN OF THE 1ST MURDER AND CAN’T BE GOOD.
  3. GRENDEL NEVER KILLS A DEER BECAUSE IT LACKS SUFFICIENT MEATON ITS BONES, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THERE’S NO REASON FOR THEM TO KILL THEM. ALSO, THE COWS ARE CAGED, THUS EASIER TO EAT.
  4. THE COMMON THREAD BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE SAMENESS AND THE MONOTONY, ESPECIALLY ABOUT CHILDHOOD, WHEN ONE BECOMES JADED AFTER MANY YEARS. SAME IS TRUE ABOUT THE NIGHT. PEACEFUL AND TRANQUIL AT FIRST UNTIL THE COLD SETS IN.
  5. TRAITS: ANGER, INDIGNANCE, VIVID IMAGINATION, BITTERNESS, INDIFFERENCE, CONFIDENCE, BOASTFULNESS, LONELY, FEELS HIS MORTALITY.
  6. GRENDEL KNOWS THAT HE POSSESSES A “MURDEROUS LUST” AND HE “RAGES AGAINST HIS SICKNESS”, SO HE KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING.
  7. HE’S THE BLIND HARPIST WHO REGALES THE DANES WITH EMBELLISHED STORIES ABOUT THEIR PAST THAT SHOW THEM IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. HE TELLS ABOUT THE PAST EXPLOITS OF HEROES IN BATTLE, VICTORIES, GOLD WON, ETC. HE MAY SYMBOLIZE THE BLINDNESS OF MEN TO SEE THE DEEPER MEANING IN OTHERS.
  8. THEY CELEBRATE DEATH, WHICH ANNOYS GRENDEL. THEY SEEM TO BE HAPPIER IN DEATH THE WAY IT’S CELEBRATED THAN WHICH ACTUAL LIFE. ALSO, THE FACT THAT THIS CARRIES ON ANNOYS HIM BECAUSE THERE’S NO END IN SIGHT.

CHAPTER 2

  1. HIS CHILDHOOD WAS ALMOST LIKE OURS IN THE SENSE THAT HE HAD A VIVID IMAGINATION AND MADE UP GAMES TO KEEP HIMSELF INTERESTED; LONELY THOUGH AS HE HAS NO FRIENDS.
  2. HE KNOWS THAT HIS MOTHER LOVED HIM, BUT DUE TO HIS LONELINESS, HE FEELS NEGLECTED. HER LOVE FOR GRENDEL IS MORE OUT OF NECESSITY RATHER THAN THE BASIC UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT OUR MOTHERS EXPRESS TOWARD US.
  3. GRENDEL, WHILE IN THE OVERWORLD, GETS HIS FOOT CAUGHT IN A TREE TRAP AND HE RESPONDS BY SCREAMING ALOUD FOR HIS MOTHER, JUST LIKE A CHILD WOULD DO.
  4. NEXT IS THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE BULL THAT CHARGES HIM INCESSANTLY (OFTEN) UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY DISAPPEARS. EXHIBITS INTELLIGENCE AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN THIS SCENE.
  5. THE FIRST ENOUNTER WITH MEN BY GRENDEL ARE VIKINGS FROM DENMARK, WITH ONE OF THEM BEING KING HROTHGAR. THEY NOTICE SOME KIND OF A FORCE IN THE TREE THAT THEY FIRST THINK IS A FUNGUS, BUT LATER AN OAK TREE SPIRIT THEY HAVE TO GET RID OF. (PIGS)
  6. GRENDEL’S MOTHER COMES IN TO RESCUE HIM.

CHAPTER 3

  1. GRENDEL WAITS FOR MANY YEARS TO KILL HROTHGAR BECAUSE: 1. HE ISN’ T PHYSICALLY MATURE ENOUGH YET, 2. HE FEELS HROTHGAR MIGHT BE A THREAT TO HIS EXISTENCE.
  2. MEN WERE CONSIDERED BARBARIC; THEY WOULD DRINK, FEAST, REGALE EACH STORIES, THEN KILL OTHER TRIBES AS WELL AS KILLING THEIR OWN MEMBERS WITHIN THEIR TRIBE;
  3. HROTHGAR’S POWER IS SOARING BECAUSE HE’S THE BEST AT ORGANIZING HIS LEGIONS OF MEN; HE KNOWS WHO WILL BEST HELP HIM IN BATTLE AND TAKES THE BEST AND STRONGEST MEN ONLY; THEY ALL PAY HIM TRIBUTES OF GOLD IF THEY WANT HIS PROTECTION.
  4. GRENDEL IS WITNESSING DESTRUCTION OF HIS REALM, WHICH IS FUELING HIS ANGER AND INSTILLING WITHIN HIM THAT “MURDEROUS LUST” BECAUSE HE FEELS MORE THREATENED BY MANKIND’S OPPRESSION UPON HIM.
  5. BARD (SHAPER) WAS A POET OR WRITER WHO VOICED THE MONARCHY’S ACTIVITIES IN SOME WAY. DEROGATORY SLUR FOR A TRAVELING MUSICIAN. THE BARD’S PURPOSE IN THIS STORY SO FAR IS TO TELL STORIES OF THE PAST WHO WOULD EMBELLISH STORIES OF BATTLE TO PROVIDE CONFIDENCE TO THOSE IN THE MEAD HALLS. HE WAS PAID FOR HIS SERVICES AND IS GRENDEL’S MAIN ANTAGONIST IN THE STORY.

CHAPTER 4

  1. THROUGH THE SHAPER’S SONGS, THE DANE’S CONSTRUCT A MAJESTIC MEADHALL THAT WILL BE GOVERNED AND RULED BY KING HROTHGAR.
  2. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT JUNE 21ST OR SO UNTIL JULY 20TH OR SO, WHICH IS THE SIGN OF CANCER, WHICH IS THE CRAB.
  3. GRENDEL SEES THROUGH THE SHAPER’S SONGS AND STORIES; HE’S DRAWN TO THEM, BUT KNOWS THEY’RE NOT ACCURATE. HE ALSO KNOWS THAT THE SHAPER SINGS FOR FAME, FORTUNE, AND FOR HROTHGAR’S RESPECT AND ADMIRATION AND PROTECTION.
  4. THE FOREST IS USUALLY A PLACE OF FOREBODING, (DARK AND DEPRESSING) LIKE IT IS IN THIS STORY, BUT THAT IS NOT A UNIVERSAL MEANING, AS THE MEANING CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVE.
  5. GRENDEL RECEIVES A HARSH WELCOME WHEN HE TRIES TO CONVERSE WITH THE DANES, OR MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO THEM; THEY ATTACK HIM, HE ATTACKS BACK. HE DOES THIS TO TRY TO SHOW THAT HE’S NOT THE EVIL REPRESENTATION THAT THE SHAPER THINKS HE IS; WANTS ACCEPTANCE, TO BE PART OF SOMETHING.
  6. GRENDEL DOESN’T BELIEVE IN THE SHAPER’S VISION OF GOODNESS AND PEACE BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT EVENTUALLY MAN WILL DESTROY IT SOMEHOW, PERHAPS THROUGH GREED, PERHAPS THROUGH VIOLENT MEANS, PERHAPS THROUGH CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT, PERHAPS THROUGH WITNESSING DEATH AND IGNORANCE.

CHAPTER 5

  1. BOTH ARE KINGS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DOMAINS, BOTH ARE TO BE RESPECTED, BOTH ARE TO BE FEARED, BOTH SHOULD BE AVOIDED, BOTH ARE DANGEROUS THE DRAGON APPEARS BRIGHT AND COLORFUL, HIS EYES ARE COLD, NOT FIERY, DARK SCALES, SHARP TUSKS, AND TALONS, HUGE-TAIL COILED, LIMBS SPRAWLED OVER HIS TRESURE HOARD AND HE’S RED-GOLD, AS WELL AS HAVING WINGS.
  2. THE DRAGON LAUGHS AT GRENDEL AND MOCKS HIM BECAUSE THE WAY THAT GRENDEL WAS SITTING, HE LOOKED LIKE A RABBIT; GRENDEL DID NOT LIKE THIS COMPARISON TOO MUCH, AND TRIES TO THROW AN EMERALD STONE TOWARD HIM, BUT IT DOES NOTHING.
  3. GRENDEL SEEMS TO BE INTIMIDAED BY THE DRAGON’S EYE, AS IT “BURST OPEN LIKE A HOLE TO HUSH ME”. HE GOES ON, “THE EYE WAS TERRIBLE, LOWERING TOWARD ME. I FELT AS IF I WERE TUMBLING DOWN INTO IT…”
  4. THE DRAGON UNDERSTANDS, SO HE SAYS, ABOUT HIS PLACE IN THE WORLD, ABOUT THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, AND KNOWS THAT HE DOESN’T CAUSE THINGS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE HE’S A BELIEVER IN FATE, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT CONTROL YOUR OWN DESTINY. HE PUTS THINGS BACK TO MAN AND BLAMES HIM: WE HAVE FREE WILL, SO IT’S OUR DECISION HOW WE CHOOSE TO USE IT.
  5. DRAGON DESPISES THE SHAPER AND HIS WORDS AND HIS MESSAGES BECAUSE HE’S A HYPOCRITE AND IS JUST THE SAME AS THE DANES WHO HE TELLS HIS STORIES TO; HE GIVES THE DANES HOPE, SOMETHING THAT GRENDEL DOESN’T POSSESS, WHICH MAKES HIM HATE THE SHAPER EVEN MORE.
  6. WHAT THE DRAGON WAS SAYING, WAS THAT IF YOU WERE OF THE VEGETABLE VARIETY, YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY SURVIVE BECAUSE YOU COULD STILL LIVE EVEN WITH A FEW LIMBS DETACHED, BUT ON THE CONTRARY, IF YOU WERE OF THE ANIMAL SPECIES, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AS WELL EVEN WITH A LOSS OF ONE LIMB, FOR EXAMPLE.
  7. DRAGON THINKS THAT “THINGS” COME AND GO WITH TIME, AND EVEN HIS EXISTENCE IS FIXED; HE WILL HAVE A DEFINITE END, AS SOMEONE WILL “ABSURDLY” KILL HIM.
  8. GRENDEL’S EXISTENCE GIVES HUMANS THE ARTS: POETRY, ART, MUSIC, PHILOSOPHY, HE’S IMPROVING MAN’S I.Q. LEVEL, THEIR CURIOSITY, THEIR WILL, THEIR STRENGTH THEIR COURAGE, ETC. HE’S ALMOST ENCOURAGING THE EVOLTIONAL THEORY OF SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AND EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF. HE GIVES MAN A PURPOSE. HE GIVES HUMANS A BASIS OF COMPARISON; THEY CAN FEEL BETTER KNOWING THAT HE REPRESENTS EVIL AND THEY REPRESENT GOOD.
  9. DRAGON’S ADVICE FOR GRENDEL IS TO FIND SOME GOLD AND SIT ON IT.

CHAPTER 6

  1. GRENDEL DISCOVERS THAT THE DRAGON PUT A SPELL ON HIM (PAGANISITIC IDEA) AND THAT HE COULD NOT BE HARMED BY THE DANES’ WEAPONS; THOUGHT IT WAS AN ADVANTAGE AT FIRST.
  2. THESE TWO PAGES GET INTO A VERY VIVID DESCRITPTIOIN OF HOW GRENDEL DOES AWAY WITH ONE OF THE GUARDS PROTECTING HROTHGAR’S MEAD HALL; RIPS OFF THE HEAD AND DRINKS THE GEYWER-SPWEING BLOOD AND GOES BACK TO THE WOODS WITH GLEE.
  3. GRENDEL LOSES HIS “INNOCENCE” (THUS, THE VIRGIN BEING REPRESENTED HERE) BY ATTACKING HROTHGAR’S MEAD HALL FOR THE 1ST TIME, BUT HE ALSO DECISIVELY ISOLATES AND DISCONNECTS HIMSELF FROM HUMANKIND FOREVER.
  4. UNFERTH’S PHYSICAL TRAITS: TALLER THAN THE OTHERS, NOSE WAS POROUS AND DARK, LIGHT BEARD GREW IN PATCHES, YOUTHFUL (INNOCENCE), INTENSE, AND COLD SOBER (THE ONLY ONE PROBABLY)
  5. GRENDEL AND UNFERTH GET INTO AN APPLE FIGHT, WHICH IS MOST LIKELY SURPRISING, SINCE WE KNOW FROM THE PAST THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF GRENDEL’S OPPONENTS SUFFER THE WORST KIND OF FATE (DEATH); UNFERTH, HOWEVER, WILL NOT, AND DOES NOT.
  6. GRENDEL CALLS UNFERTH A “NEW KIND OF SCYLDING” BECAUSE UNFERTH ACTUALLY SEEKS GRENDEL OUT TO TRY AND KILL HIM OR BE KILLED, AND THAT, TO THE DANES, WOULD BY AN HONORABLE DEATH, WHICH UNFERTH WISHES, BUT GRENDEL WON’T GRANT.
  7. UNFERTH WANTS TO DIE A NOBLE DEATH; GRENDEL LAUGHS AT HIS EFFORTS, TORMENTING HIM EVEN MORE.

CHAPTER 7

  1. HIS THOUGHTS ARE BECOMING MORE ADVANCED AS GRENDEL ADVANCES IN AGE; HE’S SEEING THINGS ALMOST AS THE SHAPER WOULD SEE THEM, WHICH IS IRONIC, AS HE HATES THE SHAPER; ALSO
  2. THE OTHER THREAT TO GRENDEL AND HROTHGAR COMES IN THE FORM OF ANOTHER YOUNG KING, HYGMOD, WHO IS JUST AS AMBITIOUS AS OLD HROTHGAR USED TO BE.
  3. HYGMOD, AFTER BEING CALLED OUT AND SURROUNDED BY HROTHGAR’S ARMY, FINDS THAT HE HAS NOTHING TO OFFER TO SAVE HIMSELF AND HIS WARRIORS, SO HE OFFERS UP THE NEXT BEST THING, HIS SISTER, OF WHOM HROTHGAR ACCEPTS AND TAKES AS HIS WIFE.
  4. GRENDEL IS TORN BECAUSE NOW HE’S TEMPTED AGAIN WITH HOPE THAT MAYBE HUMANITY CAN BE SAVED WITH A WOMAN’S INFLUENCE; SHE MAKES HIM POSSIBLY BUY INTO THE FACT THAT HE MIGHT NOT WANT TO BELIEVE THE DRAGON’S INSIGHTS ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN.
  5. GRENDEL BELIEVES THAT ALL WOMEN HAVE THE TENDENCY TO LOVE, NURTURE, COMFORT, AND SQUASH ANY KIND OF VIOLENT TENDENICIES OF MAN, BUT IN THE END, THEY ARE ALL THE SAME AND WILL BETRAY HIM, JUST AS THE SHAPER HAS DONE.
  6. SHE PLAYS THE ROLE OF A MEDIATOR, IN THAT SHE BALANCES OUT THE DRUNKEN ANTICS THAT OCCUR IN THE MEAD HALL; IF THERE IS A VIOLENT EPISODE ABOUT TO OCCUR, SHE CAN STOP IT WITH JUST HER PRESENCE, OR A SIMPLE SENTENCE.
  7. GRENDEL CAN’T KILL WEALTHEOW, WHICH MEANS THAT THE MEAD HALL WILL STILL MAINTAIN BALANCE; IF HE LISTENS TO THE DRAGON, HE’D KILL HER, BUT IT HASN’T COME TO THAT YET. HE’S TEMPTED BY HER BEAUTY, BY THE FACT THAT SHE’S A QUEEN (MIGHT GRENDEL WANT ONE TOO?)
  8. GRENDEL THINKS IT WOULD BE MEANINGLESS BECAUSE FIRST, THIS IS THE DRAGON’S BIDDING, NOT GRENDEL’S, AS WELL AS HIM KILLING ALL HOPE IF HE KILLS WEALTHEOW. FURHTER EVIDENCE OF THE CONFLICT WITHIN GRENDEL’S HEAD OF FOLLOWING THE DRAGON OR HIS OWN FREE WILL.

CHAPTER 8

  1. GRENDEL IS ALLOWED TO SEE INTO OTHER CHARACTERS’ THOUGHTS BECAUSE HE IS FURTHER DEVELOPING AND MATURING AT A RAPID PACE; HIS INSIGHTS AND REASONS FOR THINGS HAPPENING ARE BECOMING MORE ADULT RATHER THAN CHILD-LIKE. (POWER GIVEN TO HIM BY THE DRAGON?)
  2. HROTHULF IS “HALGA THE GOOD’S” SON, WHICH MAKES HIM HROTHGAR’S NEPHEW, WHO WILL EVENTUALLY USURP HROTHGAR’S POWER IN THE POEM WE READ. HE’S GOING TO REPRESENT THE POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF A NEW ERA OF REIGNING KINGS.
  3. HROTHGAR RULES BY INSTILLING FEAR AND THE SUBJECTS FOLLOW HIS DECREES IF THEY DON’T WANT TO DIE; THEY ARE TREATED AS OBJECTS AS THEIR DIGINITY IS GONE; ALL THEY DO IS WORK TO MAKE THE KING RICHER AND FATTER; THAT’S WHY HROTHULF STEPS IN, TO REVOLUTIONIZE THIS FORMER ORDER.
  4. THE NUT TREE IS HROTHGAR RULING OVER EVERYONE BECAUSE HE IS THE DESTROYER OF ALL THAT IS GOOD, WHILE THE SQUIRRELS AND THE BIRDS ARE THE SUBJECTS THAT GRENDEL IS DESTROYING.
  5. WEALTHEOW IS CONCERNED THAT THE SONS WILL BE SOMEHOW INJURED AT THE FACT THAT HROTHULF IS GOING TO USURP EVEN THEIR LINE TO THE THRONE; IF THEY DO GET TO THE THRONE, HIS JEALOUSY WILL COME INTO PLAY WHEN SOMETHING DIRE COULD HAPPEN AS A RESULT.
  6. RED HORSE IS AN OLD, DEAF SERF WHO SERVES AS A MENTOR FOR HROTHULF. HE CAN BE COMPARED TO THE DRAGON AND HROTHULF CAN BE COMPARED TO GRENDEL IN THIS CASE.
  7. RED HORSE BELIEVES THAT THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN LEGITIMATE OR ILLEGITIMATE VIOLENCE, THAT IT’S ALL THE SAME; “REVOLUTION, MY DEAR PRINCE…ENSLAVEMENT OF THE REST.
  8. HROTHGAR FEARS HROTHULF, HE FEARS GRENDEL, HE FEARS HYGMOD, HE FEARS INGELD, HIS TREASURE HOARD AND HOW IT CAN BE STOLEN BY MARAUDERS, HE FEARS WEALTHEOW.

CHAPTER 9

  1. THE SCYLDINGS ARE PRAYING TO MANY STONE OR WOODEN CARVED GODS, AND THEY ALSO MAKE A SACRIFICE TO THEM, WHICH SHOWS THE CHRISTIAN VS. PAGAN CONFLICT IN THE BOOK. THEY WANT THE “DESTROYER” TO SPECIFICALLY DEFEND THE PEOPLE OF SCYLD AND TO RID THEM OF THEIR ENEMY (GRENDEL).
  2. HE ASKS WHO THE KING OF THE GODS IS; PRIEST SAYS FIRST THAT IT IS “AN ULTIMATE LIMITATION”, THEN HE SAYS “HE’S NOT CONCRETE”, THEN HE’S “AN ACTUAL ENTITY IN VIRTUE”. PRIEST POSSESSES BLIND FAITH WHICH MAKES HIM BELIEVE IN THE DESTROYER, NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS OR BELIEVES.
  3. TIME IS PERPETUAL PERISHING COULD MEAN THAT AS SOON AS YOUR BORN, TIME MOVES FORWARD AND CAN NEVER GET IT BACK AND LIFE IS FLEETING AND TEMPORARY (PERHAPS GRENDEL’S?) BEING ACTUAL INVOLVES ELIMINATION IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS SAYING ABOUT TIME FLEETING.
  4. THE OTHER PRIESTS THINK THAT ORK IS CRAZY, PERHAPS SENILE, HE’S RANTING AND RAVING ABOUT THE DESTROYER; HE’S OUT AT MIDNIGHT.
  5. THE 4TH PRIEST SEEMS TO SYMPATHIZE WITH ORK AS HE BOWS DOWN AND SHOWS HIS LOYALTY TO ORK; HOWEVER, THE 4TH PRIESTS SYMPATHY TOWARD ORK IS HEIGHTENED BY THE MEAD HE DRANK EARLIER; THE TONE IS ONE OF MOCKERY, HOWEVER, AND THIS 4TH PRIEST MAY NOT BE AS SINCERE AS FIRST THOUGHT.
  6. GRENDEL THINKS THAT IT WOULD BE MORE SENSIBLE TO HUNT IN SPRING BECAUSE IN WINTER HE CAN’T SMELL THE BLOOD, IT’S TOO COLD, AND HE WANTS TO HIBERNATE.

CHAPTER 10

  1. SIMILAR BECAUSE HE YELLS AT BOTH OF THEM, BOTH IGNORE HIM; WITH THE RAM GRENDEL THREW A BOULDER BUT IT DID NOTHING AND DIDN’T KILL HIM AND WAS NOT AS BOLD, BUT WITH THE GOAT, HE THROWS MANY THINGS AND EVENTUALLY KILLS THE GOAT; GRENDEL BUYING INTO WHO HE IS? IS HE THE DRAGON NOW?
  2. GRENDEL’S DEATH IS BEING FORESHADOWED COUNTLESS TIMES, INCLUDING THE OLD WOMAN WHO ALLUDES TO “A GIANT CROSSING THE SEAS WITH THE STRENGTH OF THIRTY DANES” (BEOWULF). GRENDEL CAN PERHAPS FEEL SOMETHING OMINOUS ABOUT HIS FUTURE, BUT CAN’T “SEE” IT (HIS DEATH ALLUDED IN TERMS OF GRAY)
  3. THE SHAPER TRIES TO TELL OF ONE FINAL VISION HE HAD ABOUT THE DANES BUT DIES BEFORE THAT CAN HAPPEN. WITH THE OLD WOMAN AND THE SHAPER, IT CAN BE INFERRED THAT HE LOVED HER OR HAD AN AFFAIR WITH HER PERHAPS?
  4. GRENDEL AND SHAPER WERE RIVALS AND GRENDEL IS UPSET THAT HE GAVE THE SHAPER A CHANCE TO DIE WITH RESPECT; WISHES HE COULD HAVE PROVIDED MORE OF A DIRECT CAUSE TO SHAPER’S DEATH, AS THE SHAPER CAUSED GRENDEL MUCH HAPPINESS, BUT MUCH MISERY AS WELL. PART OF GRENDEL DIES WHEN THE SHAPER DIES.
  5. POINT BEHIND THE RANTS IS FORESHADOWING IMPENDING DOOM OF GRENDEL. PROVEN BY WAKING UP OUT OF SLEEP WITH A START, PROVEN BY GRENDEL’S MOTHER’S ASSERTION ABOUT BEOWULF (BEING A FISH-CHRIST-LIKE), ALL SIGNS OF GRENDEL’S DOOM. MOTHER IS RESTLESS AND ANXIOUS MORESO THAN EVER AS WELL.

CHAPTER 11

  1. GRENDEL FEELS THEM COMING OVER THE SHORES. YES, GREDEL’S VISION COMES TRUE WHEN BEOWULF AND HIS COMRADES ARRIVE. GRENDEL CAN ALMOST SEE HIS FUTURE THE SAME WAY THE DRAGON SEES HIS.
  2. SEE BOTTOM OF P. 153 TO TOP OF P. 154 FOR COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF BEOWULF.
  3. NOT ONLY IS GRENDEL INTIMIDATED BY THE STRANGER’S SIZE AND STATURE BUT HE BEGINS TO LACK CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF, ACKNOWLEDGING HOW DANGEROUS THE MAN IS, AND GETS AN UNEASY FEELING WHEN HE NOTICES WHAT MAKES THE MAN SO DANGEROUS. THE STANGER’S ABILITY TO CONCEAL HIS TRUE POWER INTIMIDATES GRENDEL AND FILLS HIM WITH THE FEAR OF NOT KNOWING WHAT TERRIBLE FATE THE MAN BRINGS WITH HIM.
  4. GRENDEL IS FILLED WITH CONFUSION AS HE RETURNS TO HIS CAVE AFTER HE SEES THE GEATS ARRIVE ON THE SHORE. HE ISN’T SURE IF THE RISING FEELING IN HIS CHEST IS FEAR OR EXCITEMENT. (PG. 156) HE WANTS TO BREAK THE BOREDOM OF NOT RAIDING ALL WINTER HOWEVER. HE FEELS HALF AWAKE AND HALF ASLEEP; HE SAYS HE FEELS LIKE THE CAVE WITH HIS THOUGHTS COURSING DOWNWARD THROUGH HIS OWN STRANGE HOLLOW. (PG. 156) IT’S AS IF HE IS THE CAVE ITSELF, FILLED WITH A LARGE VOID, A HOLE OF NOTHINGNESS. (PG. 156) HE HAS OLD IMPULSES OLDER THAN THE MINDLESS MECHANICS OF A BEAR (PG. 156) HE IS UNSURE OF VICTORY (PG. 158)
  5. THE DANES WERE NOT PLEASED THAT THE GEATS HAD COME TO SAVE THEM. HONOR IS VERY BIG WITH THE DANES AND THEY’D RATHER BE EATEN ALIVE THEN BE BAILED OUT BY STRANGERS. THE DANISH PRIESTS WEREN’T HAPPY EITHER BECAUSE OF “FOREIGNER UPSTARTS UNMASKING RELIGION”. SOME OF THE DANES WERE EAGER TO FIGHT THE GEATS IN THE MEADHALL.
  6. UNFERTH SAYS THAT BRECA BEAT BEOWULF IN A SWIMMING COMPETITION, BUT BEOWULF SAYS THAT NOT TRUE. HE SAYS THAT HE AND BRECA HAD A RACE IN THE WATER; THEY HAD TO FIGHT OFF WHALES. THEY SWAM FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS, THEN A STORM CAME, LURING THE SEA MONSTERS OUT WHO ATTACKED BEOWULF AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE BOTTOM, “WHERE THE WEIGHT OF THE OCEAN CRUSHES ANY OTHER MAN”(PG.161). BEOWULF FIGHTS OFF NINE MONSTERS, THE NEXT MORNING THEY WERE BACK ON SHORE SWORD-RIPPED.
  7. WHEN HROTHGAR TELLS BEOWULF THAT HE IS LIKE A SON TO HIM WEALTHEOW SAYS “YOU ALREADY HAVE MORE SONS THAN YOU NEED”(PG. 164) SHE SAYS THIS BECAUSE SHES REMINDING HROTHGAR THAT HE ALREADY HAS TWO SONS AND A NEPHEW PATIENTLY WAITING TO PROVE THEMSELVES TO HROTHGAR. HROTHGAR IS TOO DRAWN IN BY BEOWULF AND DEFEATING GRENDEL, THAT HE IS LESS FOCUSED ON HIS SONS.

CHAPTER 12