1. Explain Grendel's nature as it is illustrated by the following items: a. His ancestry
b. His isolation
c. His motives for coming to Hrothgar's mead hall

Answer and Explanation:

Grendel is a character is the epic poem "Beowulf". He is one of the three monsters defeated by the hero and main character of the same name as the poem.

Grendel is described as a man-eating monster void of any feelings. However, if we analyze Grendel's nature, we can see that is not an absolute truth:

a. His ancestry: Grendel is a descendant of Cain. According to the Bible, Cain was the first man to ever commit murder. For that reason, Cain was cursed by God. We can assume anyone who descends from him is also cursed.

b. His isolation: Grendel is seen as a monster. He does not communicate like human beings do. We can assume people do not even try to see beyond his appearance or try to understand him. He lives alone and feels even more isolated every time he hears the Danes loudly celebrating in Herot (the mead hall).

c. His reasons for coming to Hrothgar's mead hall: Grendel is filled with rage and envy when he hears the sounds of celebration. Those are very human emotions. We can see Grendel is angry that he is not a part of a group, a society that embraces and accepts him. That is most likely the reason for him to come to the mead hall.

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