QUOTATION ANALYSIS

 

•  "Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell. Not hell but hell on earth. He spawned in that slime, conceived of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Abel's death." (16-23) 

This quote is said in the beginning of the epic, Beowulf, and is used to create an image and personality for the demonic character of the story, Grendel. The point is that this quote gives the reader a better understanding of the type of character Grendel is going to be in the epic early in the story so that we can better understand why he does certain murderous crimes in the epic. There is some biblican context within this quote, which is that Grendel is a relative of Cain, who is the first murderer in history, as stated in the Old Testament. 

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• "Lound in that hall, the harp's rejoicing call and the poet's clear songs, sung of the ancient beginning of us all, recalling the almighty making the earth, shaping these beautiful plains marked off by oceans, then proudly setting the sun and moon to glow across the land and light it." (4- 10)

This quote describes the near opposite of how Grendel's hellish home is, and describes the beauty of Herot, The Mead Hall where the Danes gather to celebrate life. The Mead Hall is a place of celebration and happiness from the wonderful creations made by god, rather than by demons who make up Grendel's home. 

 

• "They have seen my strength for themselves, have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies' blood. I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one." (151- 158) 

This is what Beowulf first says to Hrothgar when he enters Herot. He states this because it mentions all of the victories in which he has fought in, and won. He wants Hrothgar and the people of the Danes to have faith in him that he can defeat Grendel, since he has done so many accomplishments already. 

 

• ​"My days, have gone as fate willed. As I knew how, swearing no unholy oaths, seeking no lying wars. I can leave this life happy; I can die here, knowing the Lord of all life has never watched me wash my sword in blood. Born of my own family." (745)

This quote is stated by Beowulf and directly explains how he feels about dying. What he is saying is that his time is now up, however he is satisfied for all the good deeds he has done in his life. He does not feel that he wasted hi life at all, in fact he feels that it is in fate's hand that it is time for him to go. He feels he has done all that he could do to help others, and he dies as a hero.