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Question:

britanymadra
britanymadra
Student

In "Beowulf", why is Grendel's mother feared?

How does Grendel's mother die?

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Posted by britanymadra on Monday November 19, 2007 at 5:50 PM and tagged with beowulf, characters, fear, grendels mom.

Answers:


  1. sullymonster Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    Grendel is a fierce animal, a monster of surpassing strength.  However, his mother possesses both an intelligence  he lacks, and supernatural abilities.  She lives at the bottom of a lake and can control both the water and the animals.  People fear her because she is a cunning and intelligent witch with powers they don't understand.

    Beowulf is unable to kill her with his own sword.  She is too protected by her magic.  However, he spies in her lair the sword that was made giants, and kills her with a slice to the throat.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/beowulf/

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    Posted by sullymonster on Monday November 19, 2007 at 6:41 PM

  2. rabinos
    rabinos

    eNotes Editor

    Grendel's mother is feared because she is a parent, griefstricken and angry at the death of her child. Unlike Grendel, his mother is able to use magicto aid in the defeat of her enemies. In order to do battle with Grendel's mother, Beowulf must go to her lair under the lake and find a way to overcome her because she has enchanted his sword, making it dull and powerless. Beowulf was nearly defeated when he discovered an unenchanted sword made by giants and he used that sword to decapitate her.

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    Posted by rabinos on Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 8:06 PM