Analysis of the text: “Beowulf and Grendel: The Fight”

The text is an extract from the epic poem “Beowulf” a superb example of Anglo-Saxon literature.  In the present work a structural analysis of the text will be carried out followed by a linguistic scrutiny of the use of the language mode by the composer in order to find out how literally language conveys the idea of what made a hero in Anglo-Saxon culture. The text communicates the nature of the fight between Beowulf and the monster Grendel. It consists of four component parts having different functions.

The first section immediately sets the atmosphere pervading the setting and right from the start displays the typical features of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Indeed, alliterative verse and the use of caning contribute to help the reader make up a mental image of the fight and, last but not least, to characterize the actors of the fight. From the first line “moors” and “the mist bands” contribute to the idea of a dark environment where finding directions is hard. In addition the repetition of sound “s” seems to invoke silence from the reader as if were in front of a difficult, hard and tragic event. The scenery is suitable to introduce the monster, one that scares human beings because he is, as the caning suggests (l 2), “God cursed”. Not only does the caning great suspense and mystery, it also plays on the level of sound when the intelligent reader can perceive the harsh sound of his name “Grendel” that is in alliteration with “God cursed” in addition the effect is high- by the following adverb “Greeding” that adds to greeding nature  of the first character introduced. It goes without seeing that the phrase “God cursed” hints at the religious code as well as the caning “the bane of the race of men” and just from its very first appearance in the present text the reader cannot create a negative idea of the monster. But what does “the monster” show? His nature is very convened by the semantic choices of the composition. He is “god cursed”, “greeding”, he lopes and he must be hunch, besides he is the bane of a race and definitely is desperately looking for a prey. As a result Grendel is characterized as half-man and half-animal, the narrator tells the reader all he does and the fore Grendel’s characterization is made up through action verbs. He rounds for, he hunts for a prey, he moves in search of a prey, in a few words he shows the same behaver of a predator.

The readers can surely understand that Grendel is been portrayed with words and expressions that belong to the religious code and he or she rightly think the composer of the poem might be a Christian, an example is offered by “straight to the soul”, one more is “demon opponent” and last but not least also the phrase he had conjured hints at supernatural power. But on the same (ll 37-38) the monster’s whole body was in pain. The wound is tremendous and his cinereous split and “ the bone lappings burst “ (l 40). Beowulf’s victory appears to be therefore not only one that highlights strength more it is also the victory of Good over the Evil, according to a manicheam a vision of the world. The composer hands image of the light reinforcing the idea of Grendel’s defeat some that he is “fatally hurt” (l 42) and the use of the adverb “fatally” brings to surface the supernatural nature of the vision of the light. The monster is sent back under “the fen banks” ( l42) and to his “desolate loir”(l 43) the reader’s sensibility brings home the image of Beowulf’s winning glory but the solitude of the monster is well. The monster is alone while the protagonist of the epic deeds is supported by the solidarity of his warriors this explains for the relevance solidarity unity and community in winning the fight, this providing the information about the values of Anglo-Saxon civilization.