Beowulf: Rescuing the Danes from Grendel's Grasp - Essay Sample

The Danes were continuously attacked by Grendel who struck grief among them and could not be defeated. Tidings of Grendel's attack reached the proven hero Beowulf who set out to rescue the Danes from their foe. When my men and I arrived in Danish land, we were challenged by a coastguard who inquired what warriors we were to sail our great ship along the ocean paths. To this, I answered: "We are Hygelac's hearth-companions, of the Geatish kin. As the son of a noble prince, I have come to serve the king of Danes. My men and I intend to help Hrothgar overcome the secret destroyer." (ACreative, 49)

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We were welcomed in Danes, and that night my kinsmen-in-arms and I kept watch in the great hall. I took off my chainmail and helmet and gave my sword to a thane for safekeeping while trusting in my own strength, and the lords favour to help me overcome Grendel the secret destroyer. It was evident that my soldiers were sure they would not see their country again. Everyone fell asleep while I watched and waited without blinking knowing that under the mist, the monster crept towards Heorot. Grendel drew near from the hillsides gliding like a long shadow, and his hairy hands ripped the hall door off its hinges even though the door was secured with fire-hardened bands. Grendel walks into the door and sees many sleeping soldiers which makes his heart joyful and a horrible light glow freely from his eyes. Grendel sees a fine feast and must start right away. I waited, watching to see how this monster would attack. Suddenly Grendel grabs the soldier sleeping near him and snaps his bones while tearing him to pieces with claws and teeth. He continues to drink his blood and devour his corpse by stuffing the dead man into his mouth and in no time, he has eaten him all, even the feet and hands (ACreative, 18).

The monster moves while stepping nearer to me, he puts out his hand to seize me, but I raise my hand towards him, and as our hands meet, I grasped his hand firmly in a strong grip. I took hold of Grendel's hand with such a strong grip that he was taken aback; this monster of evil had never encountered such human strength. As my grip cracked his finger joints, he hesitated, wanting to run back to the moors from where he came. He could not run back and hide in the mist because I pinned his arm down. We started wrestling fiercely, and I stood on my feet, bending Grendel's arm backwards and, in the process, pushing him back bit by bit. As Grendel's fingers finally burst and bled, we wrestled madly making the hall echo with the sound of the ongoing battle. The struggle tore the benches, crashing them to the ground.

Soon my warriors came to help, drawing their swords and striking the monster, but they soon realized that no iron weapon could wound Grendel. The din of the fight was dreadful to hear because of the shrieks of the monster and the shouts of men all around the hall. As Grendel tried desperately to shake my grip off, I remembered the words that were spoken the previous night and held on even more tightly. A gaping wound appeared on the monster's shoulder as his muscles burst apart letting me tear his arm away (Al-Ibia, Salim Eflih, 68). Mortally wounded Grendel fled away with a scream leaving behind his arm in the hall. I got all the glory for my struggle because finally, the Danes were free from their fear as promised. The great grabbing arm of Grendel remained with me, and I threw it down as a token of my victory to be hanged above the doorway of Heorot as a sign to all who see it. The monster faced a fate of imminent death.

Works Cited

ACreative, PSYCHOLOGICAL COMMENTARY. "CHAPTER THREE BEOWULF: ACreative, PSYCHOLOGICAL COMMENTARY KENNETH SILVESTRO." Literature and Psychology (2018): 49.

Al-Ibia, Salim Eflih. "A Comparative Study of Three Modern Translations of the Old English Lines (675-702) of Beowulf." Journal of Arts and Humanities 7.2 (2018): 66-72.