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Beowulf Reading

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Beowulf Reading 1 Grendel’s motivation is similar to many other monsters that are told in other fictional stories. He was an exiled monster who was misunderstood by the rest of society. Grendel could not stand Heorot Hall because of how the people would proclaim that the earth is such a great place. “It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud banquet every day in the hall, the harp being struck and the clear song of a skilled poet telling with mastery of man’s beginnings, how the Almighty had made the earth a gleaming plain girdled with waters; in His splendor He set the sun and the moon to be earth’s lamplight, lantern for men, and filled the broad lap of the world with branches and leaves; and quickened life in every other thing that moved”(pg. 9 lines 87-98). He is upset that he cannot have fun like the people in Heorot Hall, so he figures he should ruin the fun that the others are having. I feel that Beowulf has more motivation to stop Grendel than Grendel has to cause mayhem. Beowulf’s father knows King Hrothgar, so Beowulf feels it his duty to help out his dad’s friend. I also think that Beowulf wants to defeat Grendel for the glory. He wants to show everyone that he is a strong and vicious warrior, so by defeating Grendel this can happen. Beowulf is well aware that he will also probably be awarded for slaughtering Grendel and protecting the hall.

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