GRENDEL IS A HUMAN OR A MONSTER
The issue of Grendel being a human or a monster is viewed from different perspectives. By classification, Grendel is viewed as a monster due to his physical appearance and the strength that form part of his monstrosity. His ability to carry a large number of thirty warriors at a go further complicates things. His grotesques form and his greed act towards human flesh contribute to the twist. Grendel as an antagonist does not have a clear distinction from a normal human being. This is based on his relationships and characteristics (Stitt, 1).
Grendel’s is a human who has gone wild. His emotions play a great part. He is a pitiful monster who is guided by human whims and emotions. This shows that he has the characteristics of human beings. He is seen to have a great aggression due to loneliness and jealousy (Stitt, 1). In his life, Grendel is seen to crave for human acceptance because he felt like one and wanted to live in the society of human beings. He wanted to find the joy and the love that he found in Heorot. Grendel grew up in the world monsters hate, evil and violence the reason as to why he was looking for joy and love. This shows that he has the feelings of a normal person. He was different and due to this he led an attack on the festive hall because he did not get the love and the acceptance he wanted. He was ragging with madness because of the way he was being treated as an outcast and a monster in human society. This shows that he had feelings of a human being (Beowulf, 1).
The tie between Grendel’s and his mother which demonstrates human pride outlines them as human beings. He is seized with terror when he learns that Beowulf is a stronger man than any other man he knew. This was ingrained in his brain that portrays him as a human being (Beowulf, 1). Another instance is when Grendel was asked to pay some money to the town people. This was in accordance with the law. Grendel could not have been told to pay the money if he was not a human. He was also expected to abide by the law that was governing the people of the town if he was not thought to be a human (Stitt, 1).
Grendel is a human considering that he had hair. Monsters and animals are to have wool and fur and not hair. This indicates Grendel as a human. He had normal human body parts as well his mother. In war times, Grendel, his mother, and siblings have used weapons during war times to conquer their enemies. Normal humans use their intelligence to use weapons during wartime rather than teeth, claws and instincts. This is a clear indication that Grendel is a human. Grendel’s mother had a neck and smashed vertebrae do correspond with that of a human being. They had footprints, blood, a thumb, and flesh supports Grendel as a human being (Stitt, 1).
When Beowulf paid Grendel a visit he described the Grendel’s situation by saying that he was lying in a death bed. It is only in a human form that indicates death-bed. This is because it is only human beings lie on beds. Such a visit is only done by humans who show concern to others. Human beings take care of each other when sick and do make efforts to see one well. They sympathize along with each other and work towards a certain direction (Stitt, 1).
Grendel’s ancestors have emotions, bonds and the physical trait that clearly proves that he is human. When Grendel dies his mother goes o a revenge ahead to avenge his son death. This shows that they were humans with emotions and they were aware of what they were doing. Grendel was descendent of Cain who was a human. By logic, Grendel would also be human (Beowulf, 1). Basically, spirits are plagued into humans and not animals. Grendel father was once begotten by a very mysterious spirit presumably an evil spirit. This describes Grendel father as a human which also make his son a human being. Grendel’s lineage and ancestry prove that he is a human (Stitt, 1).
In conclusion, Grendel characters are different some may appear as animals, others as humans and others as creatures. The narrator of the story uses human body parts to describe Grendel physical appearance. His intelligence into using weapons instead of claws, instincts as well as teeth clearly states that he was human. He is also seen with one who has emotions like greed, love, and fear which is found in humans. He has close relations with the town people and with his mother and this is evident in humans. In his ancestry lineage, his mother in her emotions to avenge her son’s death shows that she is human while his father was a human who was plagued by an evil spirit. This, therefore, proves that he was a human as his lineage shows of their humanity. Grendel is a human.
Work cited
Stitt Michael J; Grendel as a human or monster; retrieved from https://faculty.unlv.edu/jmstitt/Eng477/papers1/monsters.html
Beowulf translation by Seamus Heaney; retrieved from
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E_kdJ4Qd0lkCh5p7U0lCJ05- 7oFf8R1HfasQX7T0ofI/edit?pref=2&pli=1
Hub pages; Grendel as a Human or Not. 14th February 2013; retrieved from http://hubpages.com/literature/grendelishuman
