Beowulf and Grendel are the protagonist of the scene which is the object of analysis of the present extract. Apparently they seem to be given the same level of importance, but that’s not true. You can see it even from the number of lines devoted to Grendel: the narrator is carefully showing to the listener all of the monster’s attitude, motions and behaviour. The language used to have the audience follow the threat of the story resorts to different stylistic choices. The first of one is the use of inversion in the ordinary word order. The intention is to put the word “creature” into a central focus so that the listener may well understand the real protagonist of the narration. Creature is an interesting semantic choice that is apparently contradictory with Grendel’s monstrous nature. The effect is paradoxically to involve a certain affection in the listener or reader in the it existence of which epic poetry is a narrative projection, does not simply consist of good but for good to be recognize it must be set against evil. This explain for the narrator to draw the attention mainly on the monster. The qualities or features the narrator focuses the attention on are the typical ones of the predator: the first element the listener comes across in the scene is Grendel’s ability in having immediately reflexes underline and highlighted by alliterative sound “s” in “struck” and “started”. In addition, it must be said that alliteration is a condition sine qua non for the survival of Anglo-Saxon epic poetry: the means through which it can be undid own orally. It goes without saying that alliteration bines words together thus allowing the composer to remember it.

Grendel’s great hesitation is visible and perceptible even from the word order that puts “nor” together with “keep him waiting”. The idea of the immediate instinctive predator voracity is suggested by line 3 where short verbs are used to convey the idea of Grendel’s speeded attack. Not only is the nature of a monster predator suggested on the rational level it is also recreated on the sound level. Alliteration is insisted along the whole extract to reinforce the idea of a faithful creature that has no pitting because he acts on an instinctive principle which is the one of selvage animal. You can see it clearly at line 4 where, once more, alliteration recreates the famelic actions of a monster whose pleasure and fullness depends on the slaughter of the prey. “Blood” and “bone” are symbolic just apposed to visually suggest the result of a human being reduce to pieces.

Punctuation plays a relevant function to a suggestion the typical motion of predator’s attack reinforced by the labial sound of “b” that imply short brakes in the telling. The result is dramatic and significantly . you can see it at line 743 where the differencing line length underlines “utterly lifeless”. Again alliteration of the liquid sound and elliptical sentences bring to surface all the results of Grendel’s violence. Sinedoct of ”hand and food” makes almost visible the result of Grendel’s voracity.

When Grendel was on the way to attack Beowulf, instead, the poet uses punctuation and short sentences to keep suspence alive and to underline then Beowulf’ s quickness in responding to his opponent’s attack. The narrator wants to convey the idea of a man who was always able to find a way to escape, a way to solve problems (in a very short time). In addition, the alliterative sounds “q” and “b” at line 749-750 are helpful to strongly convey the hero’s strength.

In the following lines Beowulf’s uniqueness is reaffirmed with even more emphasis. None was able to damage the monster. The composer gives the most important information always at the end of the period, using a lot of commas to communicate the chaotic atmosphere of the fight.

At the end of the struggle, the narrator uses some alliteration to better transmit Grendel’s pain, making the scene more real, so that the reader is almost close to feel the monster’ s pain. Moreover, using the word “granted” the narrator wants to recall the monster’s name to highlight Beowulf’s power, who had defeated a so strong creature.