Throughout history, mankind has developed various ways of dealing with those determined unfit for various social situations. However, one solution that has always existed is exile. Regardless of the reason, excluding one from a community consistently has the same effect. Those exiled feel lonely, angry, and jealous of those that banished them. In both Beowulf and The Wife's Lament, characters are the victims of exile. It is these character's reactions to being exiled that influence both works with feelings of jealousy, anger, depression and loneliness.
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In Beowulf, Grendel, the monster, had "dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters" (line 105). Despite Grendel's existence as a demon, he is still effected by his exile, his emotions eventually leading to uncontrollable anger. "Suddenly the God-Cursed brute was creating havoc" (line 120) by attacking Hrothgar's community. After being banished for several years, Grendel emerged and "waged his lonely war, inflicting constant cruelties on the people" (line 165). He terrorizes the community for years, "numb with grief" (line 134) and jealous of the thanes who are leading normal, happy lives, unlike him, "the Lord's outcast" (line 169). Although Grendel is a demon, it seems that his banishment from society is what really effects his anger and desire to attack the community.
Although she could hardly be considered a monster, the wife in The Wife's Lament is also suffering from the feelings of banishment. She has "endlessly suffered the wretchedness of exile" (pg 102). Though it is never stated why she has been sent away, the introduction to the poem hints at her husband possibly being "forced into exile as a result of a feud", and she now lives alone in the wilderness. Whatever the reason, the wife considers herself a "friendless exile" in search of "a household to shelter me against wretched need" (pg 103). Unlike Grendel, the wife is not angry about her situation, but rather alone and depressed.
