Symbolism In Beowulf

Beowulf is an epic poem, which tells the fictional story of a Scandinavian hero for which the poem is named. It is written in the Anglo-Saxon language and is thought to be the oldest surviving long poem in history. Its author is unknown and although the tale itself is fictional, the poem holds many historical, pagan and Christian elements.

In this close reading of lines 702-836, Grendel, the terrifying, man-eating monster, pays a visit to Heorot with the intention of attacking and feasting on the men, having a strong dislike for their happiness and celebrations. However, his attempt is futile once he approaches the hero Beowulf, the only man unafraid of the beast. During their fight, the hall is nearly demolished, but Beowulf defeats Grendel
The verbs used throughout the passage were consistently powerful and were extremely effective is evoking vivid imagery. Grendel’s rage and blood lust is captured dramatically with the use of such energetic verbs, ‘Then is rage boiled over, he ripped open/the mouth of the building, maddening for blood,’ (Heaney, 723-724). The descriptions of the setting in this passage are also important in adding to the visual quality and the imagery. The mead-hall, Heorot, is described in magnificent detail, ‘...a sheer keep of fortified gold,’ ‘It was handsomely structured, a sturdy frame/Braced with the best of blacksmith’s work,’ (Heaney, Beowulf, 715-716,
Overall, the pace is very fast, which helps the reader understand and visualize the intensity and the fervor of the battle that is taking place. Although the pace itself is overall quite rapid, there are many interruptions and digressions that correlate with the actions taking place within the poem itself. At the beginning of this passage, brisk movement is detected in the alliteration of the words, ‘shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift,’ (Heaney, Beowulf, 703). The pace continues to speed up at Grendel’s gruesome imaginings of what he will do to the men he dislikes. Finally, the pace comes to its climax when Beowulf lunges at Grendel’s arm and holds it with a vice-like grip, ‘Fingers were bursting, /The monster back-tracking, /The man overpowering.’ (Heaney, Beowulf, 759-760). The active verbs and the repetition of the –ing ending both add to the sudden burst in speed for the pace. This pace continues to the end of the passage, the catastrophic descriptions adding to the intensity. It happens almost all of a sudden that Grendel is defeated and Beowulf is victorious. However, the pace is slow and solemn in the final lines, ‘His days were numbered, /The end of his life was coming over him, /He knew it for certain.’ (Heaney, Beowulf, 820-822). The many drawn out vowels in these lines slow down that pace and it appears that although Grendel is fatally wounded, he will have a