Grendel's Mothers Lair vs. Herot in Beowulf

A Closer Look Into Heorot and Grendel’s Mother’s Lair

In Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf, the city of Heorot and Grendel’s Mothers Lair are completely opposite of each other. Heorot is described as very bright and joyous. The lair on the other hand is said to be very glum and dark, with a close resemblance of hell.
Heorot is an enormous city filled with riches and gold, and it is said to be “the halls of halls” (page 7). Not only was Heorot gigantic, but “it was handsomely structured, a sturdy frame braced with the best of blacksmith's work inside and out" (page 53). It contains “wooden floor-boards” (page 93) and “mead-benches [that are] smashed and sprung off the floor, gold fittings and all” (page 53). The gold everywhere is said to “[shine] in the wall hangings, woven scenes that [attract and hold] the eye’s attention” (page 67), but now that “bright room lay in ruins” (page 67). You can tell that everything is top-notch in Heorot, especially when “the king [orders] eight horses with gold bridals to be brought through the yard into the hall’ (page 69).
Heorot is also where the king lives. The king at the time, King Hrothgar, lives in a “lofty house” (page 9), which contains “his throne-room” (page 7). Heorot is a place where people gather for parties and elaborate celebrations.
Mikaela Harrison (page 2) In complete contrast to Heorot, Grendel’s mother’s lair is very dark. Since her lair is in an underwater cave, you get the idea that she is glum and not in favor of bright and happy things. “The water [is] infested with all kinds of reptiles” (page 99) and there are “writhing sea-dragons and monsters slouching on the slopes by the cliff” (page 99). Grendel’s mother’s lair has a resemblance to hell. You see this as “something uncanny happens: the water burns” (page 95) and also when it says, “the bloodshot water [surges] from underneath” (page 99). When I think of Grendel’s mother’s lair, the first thing that comes to my mind is everything associated with a negative atmosphere. Phrases like “lairs of water monsters” (page 99), “doom the voyage” (page 99), and “demons and ghosts” (page 95) really emphasize the desolate nature being portrayed. When reading the description of the lair, you can almost feel a spirit of turmoil and unrest overtaking your thoughts and feelings. The distinct contrast between Heorot and Grendel’s mother’s lair allows the reader to delve into two very different emotional states. While Heorot evokes feelings of life and positive mental images, the lair conjures up heavy feelings of depression, fear, and distress. While very different in nature, each plays its own important role in the effectiveness of the story.