Combat and Superhuman Strength
Beowulf
The epic poem, Beowulf, was written by an unknown author. The poem consists of three gruesome battles fought between Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, and Beowulf and a dragon. Grendel is described as being a horrible demon that lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel frightens the Danes every night, killing and injuring them. Beowulf goes into his battles with superhuman strength. The last battle, between Beowulf and the dragon, does not show Beowulf’s superhuman strength. Beowulf goes into this battle as an old man with a sword and a shield. Beowulf fights the dragon without fear. Unlike the other two battles, Beowulf is aided with help from “Wiglaf…a good solider” (line 697-98). Wiglaf and Beowulf defeat the dragon; however, Beowulf injures himself during the battle and dies minutes after deafeating the dragon. Unlike the last battle, the first two battles illustrate Beowulf’s superhuman strength. Grendel is described as being absurdly fierce and powerful. Grendel kills people with ease. In the first battle between Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf goes up to the demon with neither a shield nor sword. Beowulf simply rips off Grendel’s arm with his bare hands. Grendel is forced to flee knowing he could not win this battle. “Grendel escaped…for the end” (line 341-44). In the second battle, between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf once again proves his superhuman strength. Apposed to Beowulf’s first battle, Beowulf now has a sword and armor. Beowulf begins the fight using only his bare hands, once again, and overpowers her. “He tossed his sword aside” (line 487). Beowulf’s “weapons were useless” (line 488) against the powerful demon. Beowulf demonstrates his superhuman strength when he “threw her to the floor” (line 494). Beowulf fights the mother with a Viking sword, taken from a wall, and kills her with the sword. The epic poem, Beowulf, shows that Beowulf goes into the first two battles
The epic poem, Beowulf, was written by an unknown author. The poem consists of three gruesome battles fought between Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, and Beowulf and a dragon. Grendel is described as being a horrible demon that lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel frightens the Danes every night, killing and injuring them. Beowulf goes into his battles with superhuman strength. The last battle, between Beowulf and the dragon, does not show Beowulf’s superhuman strength. Beowulf goes into this battle as an old man with a sword and a shield. Beowulf fights the dragon without fear. Unlike the other two battles, Beowulf is aided with help from “Wiglaf…a good solider” (line 697-98). Wiglaf and Beowulf defeat the dragon; however, Beowulf injures himself during the battle and dies minutes after deafeating the dragon. Unlike the last battle, the first two battles illustrate Beowulf’s superhuman strength. Grendel is described as being absurdly fierce and powerful. Grendel kills people with ease. In the first battle between Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf goes up to the demon with neither a shield nor sword. Beowulf simply rips off Grendel’s arm with his bare hands. Grendel is forced to flee knowing he could not win this battle. “Grendel escaped…for the end” (line 341-44). In the second battle, between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf once again proves his superhuman strength. Apposed to Beowulf’s first battle, Beowulf now has a sword and armor. Beowulf begins the fight using only his bare hands, once again, and overpowers her. “He tossed his sword aside” (line 487). Beowulf’s “weapons were useless” (line 488) against the powerful demon. Beowulf demonstrates his superhuman strength when he “threw her to the floor” (line 494). Beowulf fights the mother with a Viking sword, taken from a wall, and kills her with the sword. The epic poem, Beowulf, shows that Beowulf goes into the first two battles