The two different battle scenes in which Beowulf kills the monsters are described in detail and are both quite different. Beowulf's battle with Grendel takes place in the Danish king's meadhouse, a civilized and comfortable setting, while the battle with Grendel's mother takes place in a much more wild and dangerous place. The two very different scenes are integral to a deeper understanding of the poem, and as such the poet takes care to describe them in detail to the reader, while other seemingly more important details (such as the monsters and their battles with Beowulf) are more hasty in their descriptions. The locations in which the meetings take place are almost as important as the meetings themselves, because even if they do not actually contribute to the action, they provide notable significance to the social and theological trends of the society described. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The scene in which Beowulf confronts Grendel takes place in a mead hall. Mead is designed by men for the use of men, and as such the penetration of such a place by a very inhuman monster seems even more offensive and its presence more evil. The Mead Hall, or Heorot Hall, is erected by King Hrothgar for himself and his people and is described in its glory as “a great mead hall destined to be a wonder of the world for ever; this would be his throne room and there he would distribute the goods that God had given him to the young and the old... And soon he stood there, finished and ready, in full view, the Hall of Heorot Halls was the name that 'he had given him, the utterance of which was the law. He did not give up either, but distributed rings and torques at the table. The hall towered, its gables wide and high and awaiting a barbaric fire" (Beowulf, lines 69-83). This description illustrates the grandeur of the hall and the greatness of the man who dreamed of its possibility. It is an example clear of Hrothgar's wealth and position in society, but also of his generosity He built it for his own pleasure, but thanks to the gifts that Hrothgar gives, he also pleases his people. represents an escape from the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. In this way, mead takes on a protective role in people's minds Further evidence to support this claim can be found by considering what. serves a mead hall: the consumption of alcohol In a period riddle describing a cup of wine, the effect of alcohol on a man is described: My dress is silver, a shimmering gray, spun d. 'a burst of garnets I am mad at most men: reckless fools, I run on a road of rage, and I cage quiet and determined men. Why they love me - drawn from the mind, devoid of strength - remains a riddle. If they still praise my sinuous power when they raise high the dearest treasure, They will find thanks to reckless habit a dark misfortune in the dregs of pleasure. (Beowulf Longman Cultural Edition, p. 171, riddle 9) This describes men, through drinking, driven mad, drawn out of their minds and stripped of their strength while engaging in reckless activities. actions. The most popular place, in fact, the one built for such actions, is the mead hall. It would be unwise for a man to allow himself to suffer the effects of intoxicating spirits wherever he does not feel safe under their protection. The breach of a place as great and safe as Heorot by something as depraved and evil as Grendel wassurprising and discouraging for the Danish people. He came to the mead hall at night, bringing with him chaos and destruction. The Danes could not defeat him and soon became desperate; they "sometimes in pagan shrines...swore offerings to idols, swore that the soul-killer could come to their aid and save the people...this was their...pagan hope...the Lord God ...was unknown to them” (Beowulf, lines 176-183a). The poet of the story is obviously Christian, and there is a clear allusion to sympathy and condescension towards the pagan Danes throughout the poem. seems the Danes are unable to stop themselves because they ignore Christianity in their prayers Once Beowulf (who is a Christian) arrives, Grendel is easily defeated, a testament to his heroism and strength, but can. also be seen as a lesson affirming the righteousness of Christianity among civilized people. Mead is a symbol of their civilization, and once Christianity is introduced, evil is quickly driven out. In this battle between Beowulf and Grendel, Grendel surrenders. realizes that he will never win this battle. Grendel tries to escape capture, but Beowulf is too strong. As Grendel must join Beowulf, he realizes that Beowulf has more power than anyone he has ever fought with: “Every bone in his body loosened and recovered, but he could not escape. He was desperate to escape into his pit and hide in Satan's dung” (Beowulf, lines 752-755). At this point, Grendel loses his temper and begins to panic. Grendel cannot escape, so Beowulf uses this opportunity to completely rip his arm off. Grendel received a mortal wound after his arm was dropped from his body. This quote shows the importance of import because it shows how Grendel was defeated. When Grendel's mother decides to continue the murderous rampage that proved to be her offspring's undoing, she returns to the newly restored mead hall. It attacks at night and once discovered and fought off, it is desperate to escape. This reflects his son's state of mind when he is attacked by Beowulf. It seems that in these battles of good versus evil, the good side always seems to prevail. The outcome of the fight between Grendel's mother and Beowulf is much less obvious than that between Beowulf and Grendel. The setting of the second fight may have had an effect on how close it was, almost like a "home field advantage". The poet spends a lot of time describing the wild lands in which the monster lives and the reader can feel the emphasis on man and man-made objects fading as the Geats delve deeper into the natural world: “A few kilometers from here, the frost-stiffened wood waits and watches above a simple embankment; the overhanging bank is a maze of tree roots reflected in its surface, at night, there, something strange happens: the water burns and the bottom has never been probed by the wires . men. On its bank, the heather stops: the deer, fleeing the dogs that pursue it, will turn towards them rather than diving beneath its surface, when the winds blow and the stormy weather drives away the clouds. the heavens cry, from its depths a filthy wave surges towards the heavens. "The monster is not man-made, but neither is it natural. It is a world that exists in nature, but it has strange characteristics that distinguish it from the idyllic and grandiose vision of the nature described in riddle 64: I extend beyond the limits of Middle-earth, I shrink smaller than a worm's hand, grow brighter than the moon and run faster than the sun. rocks the oceans,.