Beowulf's Violence

Beowulf exercises violence for the glory and treasure of the king; his battle with Grendel is one of the most violent scene in the story. Beowulf does not carry any sort of weapon because he feels that doing so provides him with an unfair advantage over the unarmed Grendel. This shows Beowulf’s heroic nature. As all the warriors are asleep, Beowulf waits patiently. He pretends to sleep when Grendel enters the mead-hall. After Grendel devours some of the warriors, he makes a wrong move and goes for Beowulf. As soon as Beowulf grips Grendel’s hand, Grendel realizes the great strength of the opponent. Beowulf does not let go of his deadly grip until victory is his. According to Tokine’s description of the situation, “A grievous hurt of body that