![]() ![]() When Beowulf finally arrives and defeats Grendel, the novel presents the closest thing to a true hero. By refusing to kill Unferth, Grendel denies him a heroic death and demoralizes him, showing him the emptiness of his ideas of heroism. By refusing to fight Unferth and instead throwing apples at him, he humiliates the hero and turns what should be a noble fight into a kind of pathetic slapstick comedy. Grendel is especially able to mock ideals of heroism through his interactions with Unferth. The Danes’ exploits are simply examples of “violence no more legitimate than a wolf’s.” Hrothgar’s amassing of riches and tribute is perhaps no different from the dragon’s selfish hoarding of treasure. ![]() From Grendel’s perspective, the heroic feats celebrated by the Shaper are all lies. Whereas the epic poem Beowulf builds up the idea of a hero, much of Grendel criticizes and pokes fun at the very idea of heroism. In the background of the novel is perhaps English literature’s most significant text about heroism: Beowulf. ![]()
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