Beowulf

Throughout the story of Beowulf, Beowulf must endure many battles against monsters who terrorize different kingdoms. The first monster he fights is Grendel, a monster from hell who is terrorizing the kingdom of his neighboring country, Denmark. Next, he fights Grendel’s mother who is the same type of hell demon who is mad because he kills her son. Finally, he has to slay a dragon that is wreaking havoc throughout his own kingdom. With each of these battles he seems to take something away, not a physical boon, but something more important. With each battle Beowulf fights, he achieves a clearer understanding of himself as a warrior, and his role in the rest of society.
In the beginning of the story, Beowulf is in Geatland and goes to fight Grendel in Denmark when he learns that he has been destroying their kingdom for twelve years. While it might at first seem that Beowulf’s motives for helping Denmark are altruistic, he goes to fulfill the need to prove himself. Beowulf has ...