A lot of us make decisions based on the things we want. Humans are, and will always be the most selfish animals to exist. However, there are certain situations that deal with emotions and self-esteem that sometimes take control of you. More often than not, this motivates you to do more harm than good. These similar thoughts can be identically felt in the mystical creature Grendel in the epic of Beowulf. Grendel wasn't treated properly and was always frowned upon. He suffers grinding loneliness and the burden of being hated and cursed, and all for nothing. This leads to him causing chaos and being cold-hearted when he witnesses happiness. "For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. " (Proverbs 6:34) .
Grendel displays the most primitive human qualities. He's intelligent, capable of rational thought, and feels emotions. "The monster of evil Greedy and cruel " (Beowulf, line 5, 2nd story) Grendel's childhood is spent innocently exploring the confined world. He discovers the mystical lake, and learns of its realm beyond it. It introduces a larger world; one full of danger and promises. He observes humans throughout his life which fascinates him. However one day discovers a dragon which is expecting him. The dragon gives him advice and tells him that humans make generalizations with little to no evidence. Soon after when he's watching a celebration at mead hall, a guard sneaks up and strikes him with a sword. Grendel didn't feel it though. He slowly realizes that the dragon laid a charm upon him to resist weapons. Plus, the guard just assumed he was evil and attacked him. This frustrates Grendel, and he takes out a group of Danes attacking him. This causes him to launch a 12 year raid on the Danes. He's filled with joy but strangely feels lonelier than ever. Grendel terrorized the Danes consistently for twelve long years. A good amount of his attacks were epic, with him slashing thirty men in a single event.
