Grendel

GRENDEL is an “eoten” (the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of the Norse “jötunn”, a giant from Germanic mythology), that appears in the epic poem “Beowulf”, probably written around the 7th or 8th centuries in Anglo-Saxon England. The poem is one of the oldest texts written in Old English, but the story takes place in Denmark during the 6th century, and its protagonist, Beowulf, is a young Geatish warrior from southern Sweden (so he would have lived during what’s known as the Vendel Period in Swedish archaeology, preceding the Viking Age). Grendel is the first of three antagonists of the hero Beowulf, the second one being Grendel’s mother (a creature of unknown nature, believed to have the appearance of a maiden by some, and a monster by others), and the third one being a dragon that Beowulf kills at an old age, many years after returning to Scandinavia. The poem also suggests that Beowulf has previous experience slaying monsters before Grendel, as he has an encounter with sea monsters during a swimming or rowing race against his childhood friend.

Every winter night for 12 years, the mead hall of Heorot, built by the Danish king Hrothgar, was attacked by Grendel, harrowed by the sound of singing that comes from the hall, killing and devouring its inhabitants, and then carrying the remains of his victims back to his cave inside a bag made of dragon skins. The news of Grendel’s attacks against Heorot reach Scandinavia, and Beowulf sails to Denmark to kill the monster. One night, Beowulf and his Geatish warriors wait for Grendel to attack inside the mead hall. When the monster finally arrives, he kills one of Beowulf’s men and then grabs Beowulf to devour him next, but the Geatish warrior starts fighting the beast, and ends up tearing off one of Grendel’s arms, forcing the mortally wounded creature to flee, and later die in his cave. Beowulf then goes to the monster’s cave, where he fights and kills Grendel’s mother with a sword he finds there, and finally cuts Grendel’s head as a trophy and returns victorious to Heorot, where he is received as a hero.