Beowulf Part One

1
Beowulf Part One

• The Coming of Grendel

2
Hrothgar as King/ Anglo-Saxon Qualities

• Protector
• Expands his territory
• Fair
• Loyal subjects
• Powerful
• Mourns the loss of his men
• Theme of loyalty
• Herot- symbolic of

3
FORESHADOWING

• He wept, fearing/ The beginning might not be
  the end (48-49)

4
Grendel

• Words associated with Grendel
• Characterization of Grendel
• Lust for evil
• Hate had triumphed
• Kenning- Shadow of Death
• Opposite of Herot the Danes
• Portrays Grendel as evil

5
Mood/ Atmosphere
Hrothgar / Herot
Grendel
Celebration, happiness all that is good-
indicates unity of the kingdom- theme of
loyalty
Hatred
Death, Destruction And sorrow
Grendel has none of this
6
GRENDELS HISTORY

• Made his home in a hell/ Not hell but earth
  (18-19)
• Parents were offspring of Cain
• Biblical character
• Son of Adam and Eve
• Killed his brother Able
• Cursed by God
• Sired a family of monsters who opposed Gods will

7
GRENDELS ACTIONS

• Kills thirty sleeping men at Herot
• Comes back every night and kills more men
• Grendel dominated Herot for twelve years
• Imagery
• twelve winters (62)
• Winter death

8
GRENDELS ACTIONS

• Grendel never dared to kill Hrothgar
• Hrothgar was protected by God
• Grendel is powerless against God
• Good over evil

9
Symbolism of Grendel

• An evil aspect of Danish society
• Descendent of Cain
• Old Testement God punished Cain by cursing him
  to forever wander the Earth
• Grendel is the Danes curse for their murder
  greed
• No weapons can hurt Grendel- the curse is
  personal conflict
• Good vs. Evil

10
Christianity
Paganism
Hrothgars throne (84)
Sacrificed to the old stone gods (90)
Grant me, then,/ Lord and protector (161-162)
The omens where good (118)
God must decide/ Who will be given to
deaths cold grip (174-175)