Chapter 4

Grendel notices that the construction of the Hart, Hrothgar’s newest, grandest mead hall, is single handedly influenced by the Shaper’s songs about beautiful halls. Grendel remains deeply conflicted about the Shaper’s songs: on the one hand, they are beautifully captivating, but on the other hand, they are imagined versions of the past. Once on his way to the mead hall to listen to the Shaper, Grendel trips on a dead body. Grendel is able to tell that the person had been robbed just before their death; he picks up the body and continues toward the venue. As the Shaper sings, Grendel uses words such as “peace” and “friend” to let the humans know that he means no harm at all. However, the humans attack him with venom-coated spears. Grendel realizes that he could be killed and returns to the forest agonized.

The Shaper sings a song about the origin of dark and light. The song also has to do with a couple of feuding brothers. Grendel wants to believe the story for the beauty and order it holds, but knows that the Shaper’s version is ultimately a fabricated one. Using the story’s metaphor, he tells himself that he will always be seen as a creature from the dark side, as an evil being. He also feels a presence around him, which he is unable to identify. He then leaves to meet the dragon.

Chapter 5

Grendel meets the dragon who lives in a cave filled with bats. The dragon also sits atop a hoard of treasure, which he is guarding. He claims to be omniscient, that he can read Grendel’s thoughts. Grendel considers giving up his habit of terrorizing humans, but the dragon disagrees and urges Grendel to keep at it. The dragon senses Grendel’s questions about the Shaper and advises him to find a piece of gold and guard it. Dissatisfied with this answer, Grendel seeks clarification, but the dragon is enraged and interrupts him.

The dragon also tries to share complex philosophical knowledge with Grendel, but realizes that Grendel is not yet capable of understanding these thoughts. Grendel finds the dragon’s theory jargon-filled and esoteric. The dragon goes on; he adds that things come and go, that the existence of one person is akin to a small dot in the grandness of reality. The dragon also states that humans may be crafters of theories, but their theories are typically far from the truth. He references the Shaper here. Grendel is advised to continue terrorizing humans; the dragon argues that Grendel’s violence will eventually improve and benefit humans. In particular, the dragon argues that humans, by measuring themselves against the monster, will be able to stimulate and define themselves.

Chapter 6

The dragon has cast charms on Grendel to protect him from weapons. Grendel thus feels invincible, and revisits the mead hall. The humans realize that Grendel has transformed into a formidable, almost undefeatable opponent. This only isolates Grendel further. The dragon’s lecture has also made Grendel feel a sense of futility and doom. One night, as Grendel is on his way back to his cave, a guard tries to attack him. Grendel carries the guard into the forest and eats him. After this incident, Grendel begins raiding human settlements more systematically. Killing and pillaging give him a sense of purpose, though they do not necessarily alleviate his loneliness.

While Grendel pillages the Hart, he feels lost at the realization that he might have gotten too strong for the humans; he could go on killing without any threatening opposition. Nonetheless, he enjoys his fight with Unferth, a tall and particularly strong man who’d attempted to defeat Grendel. When Grendel mocks the townsfolk, Unferth realizes that Grendel can speak.

Though he is injured by the firesnakes, Unferth follows Grendel to his cave. Once there, Unferth emphasizes that he is a true hero and that inner heroism is a real virtue. This angers Grendel. He denies Unferth a hero’s death by carrying him back to the mead hall.

Grendel calls himself the “Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings,” whereas Unferth remains committed to slaying Grendel. In fact, he dons various disguises in his attempts to slay Grendel, but this only amuses Grendel, who constantly mocks and laughs at Unferth.

Analysis of Chapters 4-6

The Shaper’s songs and performance influence changes in the real world. The construction of the Hart is an apt example. While this shows art’s potential to bring about significant changes, even material ones, it must also be recognized that the Shaper mainly deals in fabrications. Humans, due to their limited lifespan and knowledge, completely believe the Shaper and his stories; they see no reason to question his comforting versions. Grendel realizes that he will never be ignorant enough to accept those stories, even though he is moved and captivated by them.

The Shaper’s story about the two brothers is reminiscent of the story of Cain and Abel from The Bible. In Beowulf, Grendel is identified as a descendent of Cain. This is noteworthy because Grendel, though he has human roots, is presented as inherently and irredeemably evil in Beowulf. In contrast, humans can pursue virtues and become civilized. Grendel, being a monster with human roots, is believed to be incapable of attaining virtues and civility. For instance, his efforts to form bonds with humans are always seen as threats by the townsfolk. This makes Grendel’s loneliness and isolation more profound.

The figure of the dragon represents solitude. The dragon seems to argue that there is an interconnectedness between repetition and meaninglessness. He is responsible for Grendel’s decision to remain at war with humans. The dragon casts a charm on Grendel to protect him from weapons. The dragon’s lectures, in particular, motivate Grendel, although they are esoteric and jargon-filled. The dragon’s lectures quite possibly represent opaque philosophizing, the sort that is difficult to grasp and far removed from immediate material reality. The dragon is a proponent of nihilism and selfishness. That the dragon is selfish can also be inferred from the way he guards the wealth and treasure in his cave.

Grendel’s growing anger toward humans and the Shaper is also a result of being deprived of a sense of community, an aspect of life humans seem to take for granted. Grendel kills humans not just for food but also to terrorize them: in fact, throughout the novel, Grendel and humans terrorize each other constantly. When Grendel identifies himself as the destroyer and pillager, he experiences the purposefulness he had always sought; the loneliness, however, still grows. Grendel is not without redeeming qualities. His encounter with Unferth shows that he can be brilliant and lighthearted. His enjoyment of the apple fight and his decision to safely return Unferth back to humans also show his ingenuity and tendency for playfulness.