Analyze the fight between Beowulf and Grendel and write a textual analysis considering:

1. Grendel’s and Beowulf’s characterization

2. language use (with reference to epic poetry and its effect on the listeners of its time, and on the contemporary reader)

3. use of alliteration and kenning

The text I’m going to analyze is an extract from the epic poem Beowulf. It was written in Old English, a Germanic dialect. The passage is organized into three irregular stanzas and rhyming couplets. In particular, it focuses on Beowulf’s fight against Grendel.

The first section is about Grendel’s actions. The narrator draws the listener’s attention on this character by using an inversion in line 738. The listener can also understand some traits of the monster by his actions, as the story goes on. The narrator highlights some aspects resorting to sounds to keep in mind the sentences better: for example, in line 739 he uses alliteration and short verbs to underline his rapidity. In lines 740 – 742 he uses the repetition of sound “b” and some specific words to underline his cruelty, but also to allow the listener to create a mind picture of what is happening. So the narrator wants to point put the danger and the evil represented by Grendel. The character is contrasted by Beowulf. As suggested by the name (it recalls the word “wolf”), the listener can immediately understand that he is a strong and brave warrior; in lines 749 – 752 the narrator underlines his qualities: first he points out Grendel’s surprise, by using the word “discovered”. The listener can understand he is in a tight spot and that he wasn’t prepared to face such a strong enemy. The narrator uses also words like “ever” and “any” to highlight Beowulf’s great strength and power.

The struggle between good and evil continues in the second stanza. It tells a bit about Anglo-Saxon warrior society and its organization: Beowulf’s warriors join the struggle to help their lord, the high number of people fighting (line 798: every side) and their actions (lines 797 – 799: repetition of the sound “st” and “s”) come to life clearly.

The last stanza is about Grendel’s defeat. The narrator uses some of the words of the first stanza (for example: “body” and “bone – lappings”) and alliteration. He wants to recreate the same situation to underline the monster’s huge defeat and Beowulf’s heroism.

The narrator uses less lines to tell about Beowulf’s celebration and glory. The listener can understand that the fight and the values defended by the winner are the most important element in Anglo – Saxon society.