The Symbolism Of Grendel's Monster In Beowulf

Finally, the last women role in Beowulf’s poem is the Grendel's mother monster. The poet describes her as an evil, dangerous, scary, masculine, and the monstrous woman in the mead-hall. “She is also referred to using a term always used in reference to female humans, never animals, and usually reserved for noble women: ides. The use of this term indicates that Grendel's mother, though she is in some way cursed by God, and monstrous, is nevertheless a human.” (Porter) Meanwhile, the poet uses the monster represented the symbolism of sin, dangerous, evil, and inhuman in society and life. “For instance, Grendel’s mother is a powerful woman. She is very independent and lives in her house alone to protect herself.” (Porter) After that, she realizes that she has to

The poem say, “The iron blade with its ill-bolding patterns had been tempered in blood. It had never failed the hand of anyone who hefted it in battle, anyone who had fought and faced the worst in the gap of danger. This was not the first time it had been called to perform heroic feats.” (Heaney 1459-1464) This statement shows that Beowulf wants to use his legendary sword to fight and face with the best monster ever in life. It is a great time that Beowulf has faced with the big women monster in the battle during his young age as a courageous hero by cutting her head and grip the neck of Grendel’s mother. Moreover, Grendel’s mother also has brought to her life with a new insight with the roles of women figures, and her family in Beowulf’s poem. “Thus, she can be interpreted from two points of view: under the influence of the second-wave feminism of the 1970s, her monstrous aspects were interpreted as a reflection of dark feminine archetypes or as a symbol of feminine deity.”