The description of the two different battle scenes where Beowulf kills monsters is described in great detail and they are both quite different. Beowulf's battle with Grendel takes place in the Danish king's mead hall, a civilized and comfortable setting, while the battle with Grendel's mother takes place in a much wilder and more dangerous place. The two very different scenes are integral to a deeper understanding of the poem and as such, the poet takes pains to describe them to the reader in detail, while other seemingly more important details (such as the monsters and their battles with Beowulf) are more hasty in their descriptions. The places where the meetings take place are almost as important as the meetings themselves, because while they do not actually contribute to the action, they provide considerable meaning to the social and theological tendencies of the society described. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The scene in which Beowulf fights Grendel takes place in a mead hall. The mead hall was designed by men for the use of men, and as such the penetration of such a place by a most inhuman monster seems even more affronting and its presence more perverse. The mead hall, or Hall Heorot, 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 forever; it would be his hall of the throne and there he would dispense his God-given goods to young and old... And soon there he stood, finished and ready, in full view, the hall of halls was the name he had given it, the expression of which was law. Nor did he deny himself, but dole out rings and torques at the table. The hall towered, its gables broad and high, and awaited a barbarous fire" (Beowulf, lines 69-83). This description illustrates the grandeur of the hall and the grandeur of the man who dreamed of its possibility. It is a clear example of Hrothgar's wealth and position in society, but also of his generosity. He built it for his own pleasure, but with the gifts that Hrothgar bestows, his people also like it. The hall is man-made and 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 a mead hall is for: alcohol intake. In a period riddle describing a cup of wine, the effect of alcohol on a man is described: My dress is silver, glittering grey, spun with a riot of garnets. I drive most men mad: reckless fools, I run on a road of anger, and cage calm and determined men. Why they love me, drawn by the mind, deprived of strength, remains a puzzle. If they still praise my sinuous power, when they lift high the dearest treasure, The will will find through reckless habit, dark troubles in the dregs of pleasure. (Beowulf Longman Cultural Edition, pg. 171, Riddle 9) This describes men, through drink, driven mad, drawn from their minds and deprived of their strength as they engage in reckless actions. actions. The most popular place, indeed, the place 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 feels unsure of its protection. The violation of a place as great and safe as Heorot by something as depraved and evil as Grendel was startling and astonishing. discouraging for the Danish people. He arrived at the Mead Hall at night, bringing withitself chaos and destruction. The Danes failed to defeat him and soon despaired; they "sometimes in pagan sanctuaries... made offerings to idols, swore that the slayer of souls would come to their aid and save the people... that was their... pagan hope... the Lord God ... was unknown to them" (Beowulf, lines 176-183a). The poet of the story is quite demonstrably Christian, and throughout the poem there is a clear allusion to sympathy and condescension towards the pagan Danes. It seems that the Danes are unable to help themselves because they ignore Christianity in their prayers. Once Beowulf (who is Christian) arrives, Grendel is easily defeated, which is a testament to his heroism and strength, but can also be seen as a lesson affirming the righteousness of Christianity among civilized people. The mead hall is a symbol of their civilization, and once Christianity is introduced, evil is quickly driven out. In this battle between Beowulf and Grendel, Grendel realizes that he will never win this battle. Grendel tries to escape capture, but Beowulf is too strong. As Grendel must mount Beowulf, he realizes that Beowulf has more power than anyone he has ever fought: “All the bones in his body loosened and recovered, but he could not escape. He desperately wanted 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 the opportunity to completely tear off his arm. Grendel received a fatal wound after his arm was dropped from his body. This quote shows the importance of the import because it shows how Grendel was defeated. When Grendel's mother decides to continue the murderous rampage that proved to be the downfall of her offspring, she returns to the newly restored mead hall. It attacks at night and once discovered and thwarted it desperately wants to escape. This mirrors his son's mentality 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 the fight between Beowulf and Grendel. The setting of the second match may have affected the closeness of the match, almost like a "home field advantage". The poet spends a lot of time describing the wild land where the monster lives, and the reader can feel the emphasis of man and man-made objects fade away as the Geats delve into the natural world: "A few miles from here a the wood hardened by the frost he waits and watches over a lake; the bank above is a labyrinth of tree roots mirrored in its surface, there at night something disturbing happens: the water burns and the simple bottom has never been explored, children of men . On its bank the step of the heather stops: the deer fleeing from the pursuing hounds will turn towards them rather than dive beneath its surface. That is not a good place when the winds rise and the stormy weather causes running the clouds and skies cry, from its depths a dirty wave rushes towards the sky." The monster's reserve is not man-made, but it is also unnatural. It is a world found in nature, but it has disturbing characteristics that distinguish it from the idyllic and grandiose vision of nature described in Riddle 64: I reach beyond the borders of Middle-earth, I shrink smaller than a hand... worm , become brighter than the moon and run faster than the sun. I cradle oceans, lakes, paths, green plains in my arms. I dive down beneath the road to Hell and rise above the abode of Heaven, arched over the angels. I form.