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Grendel

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Grendel

Grendel is the monster in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, feared by all save Beowulf himself.

It is never directly stated in the poem whether Grendel is man or a monster such as a troll or a demon; the story does however relate that Grendel is a descendant of the biblical Cain, the first murderer. If Grendel is indeed a man, he is also a cannibal since he kills men and eats them. Grendel, however, is invulnerable to human weapons, so from this we can at least adduce that he isn't entirely human.

Related Works

  • Kennings for Grendel in the poem include "powerful monster", "herdsman of evil" and "guardian of crime".
  • John Gardner[?]'s Grendel is Beowulf story from Grendel's point of view.
  • Marillion have an early epic song named Grendel, which, according to then-singer Fish, was influenced by Gardner's book.

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