‘Beowulf’ – Most Significant Villain

Grendel: 1. Argue why this villain is important
a) Refer to the role of the villain.
b) Do they further the storyline and make Beowulf more heroic
c) Is the villain engaging and complex? 2. Use textual details and language analysis to support your argument. 3. You have 2 minutes to persuade us.

* The role of the villain is a catalyst for Beowulf’s heroic journey. * It is the starting point for Beowulf’s journey which would not happen without the fight.

“In off the moors, down through the mist-bands, God-cursed Grendel came greedily.” Grendel is the most significant villain in the epic ‘Beowulf’ because he is the first monster the hero fights and therefore the catalyst for Beowulf’s heroic journey. His demonic nature and power over mankind is emphasised with alliteration, “God-cursed Grendel came greedily.” Being the first monster Beowulf fights, Grendel’s portrayal accentuates the audience’s appreciation of Beowulf’s mighty strength and courage.

Grendel’s infamy and constant attacks on Heorot, give him enormous psychological power over the inhabitants of the land; he is the “bane of the race of men.” No other monster was seen as deadly and powerful as Grendel, who “would rip limb from limb and devour them, feed on their flesh…”. The poet’s graphic description of Grendel’s gruesome attack uses many strong verbs, “he grabbed and mauled . . . bit into his bone lappings, bolted down his blood and gorged on him”, leaving the