What are common aspects of Beowulf's battles with Grendel, his mother, and the dragon?
In all three battles in Beowulf, which include Grendel, Grendel's dam (mother) and the dragon, several elements are present in each.
Beowulf faces seemingly insurmountable adversaries in each battle. Grendel has enormous strength. The first time he attacks the Hall of Hart, he grabs up thirty men and makes...
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off with them, killing and eating them. Grendel's dam has great strength also, but the narrator notes that her power is less than her son's because she is a female. The dragon is able to fly and attack with fire and poison. While Beowulf has clearly proven himself on the battlefield, each of these adversaries is supernatural—beyond the realm of what occurs in the natural world. Suspense is created as he faces each enemy because none of them are human. Regardless of the odds against him, Beowulf is prepared to die bravely if he is not able to defeat these creatures.
Another thing that is present with each battle is that Beowulf fights without equipment that can destroy his enemies, unlike what he usually does. With Grendel, there is a spell on the creature that will not allow metal (swords) to harm him. Even though he is unaware of this, Beowulf decides not to use a sword because Grendel will not be using one—he plans to fight the beast on a level playing field.
...we both, this night,
shall spurn the sword, if he seek me here,
unweaponed, for war
The only reason Beowulf defeats the monster is because his bare hands become his weapons.
When Beowulf attacks Grendel's dam, her blood dissolves the metal of the sword he has carried into battle.
Then sang on her head that seemly blade
its war-song wild. But the warrior found
the light-of-battle was loath to bite,
to harm the heart: its hard edge failed...
An ancient sword he finds in the dam's swampy lair allows him to defeat the creature.
In fighting the dragon, Beowulf's shield and sword fail him, and Wiglaf must come to his aid.
Beowulf shows his bravery in each battle though each enemy exists outside the natural world. Additionally, traditional weapons do not work for Beowulf as they would on an human enemy.
How do Beowulf's fights with the dragon, Grendel, and Grendel's mother in Beowulf differ?
The final battle with the dragon is different for several reasons. First, the motivations for fighting the dragon are different from that fo Grendel and his mother. The original reason for Beowulf to fight Grendel and mother was to provide service to Hrothgar, because Grendel kept attacking his people and being a nuisance.
Beowulf fights the dragon for different reasons. Instead of doing it as a service for someone else or to protect people from danger, Beowulf elects to battle the dragon for selfish reasons, telling his men:
"This is not your fight, nor is it fitting for any but me alone to test my might against this monster here and achieve heroism. I shall win that wealth mightily." (XXXV)
Another factor that influences Beowulf's defeat that did not occur in the fight with Grendel and his mother is the abandonment of Beowulf by his men. All "ran off to the woods to save their lives..but one" (XXXV) When he fights Grendel's mother in the lake, Beowulf is alone, but his men stayed on the shore and "stared at the waves; sick at heart, they wished and yet did not expect to see their winsome lord again" (XXIII)
Moreover, Beowulf's noble sword, Naegling, "was splintered; Beowulf's blade, though ancient and gray, was broken in battle" (XXXVI). The dragon's fire had already burned the shield "down to the boss," so when the dragon assaults Beowulf again, he is without a weapon to defend himself.