ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by the monster Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel’s mother attacks the hall and is then defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and becomes king of the Geats.

Detailed explanation-2: -Beowulf learns that there were actually two monsters plaguing Denmark, Grendel and his mother. He and his men follow the blood-trail to a boiling and glowing lake.

Detailed explanation-3: -As previously mentioned, in Beowulf we see the hero involved in a series of fights against monsters, namely Grendel, Grendel’s mother and a Dragon.

Detailed explanation-4: -Even though he is not alone in the fight, he is given superhuman strength by God to put him against the monster. The subject is only Beowulf in the scene, and he actually defeats the monster by the power. The superhuman strength must be one of the reasons that he chooses to fight alone with monsters.

Detailed explanation-5: -Beowulf wants to fight Grendel in order to win treasure and, more importantly, fame (which he calls a warrior’s “best bulwark” [l. 1389]). Under the ancient Northern European warrior code, a warrior should seek out the most challenging opponents he can find, in order to enhance his own reputation.