Grendel starts the chapter saying that “nothing has changed, everything was changed” by seeing the dragon.
He feels “futility, doom” in the air.
He finds that the dragon has put a spell on him. He is now invincible to any weapon. He can’t be cut.
His heart is now darker, because now that he is invulnerable, he is “solitary” and alone.
It is summer. Harvest season in the first year of his war on Hrothgar.
3 of 13
Summary
He is drawn to the mead hall by the songs of the Shaper, and he has no intention to scare the men.
But it is the songs of the Shaper that fill him with rage.
The songs give the people “blissful, swinish ignorance” and provide them with satisfaction” and “hope.”
They raise their cups to Hrothgar and to God.
Grendel says that “[all] around their bubble of stupidity,” he could feel the dragon’s presence. Not literally.
4 of 13
Summary
Although he is there only to listen, he is attacked by a guard.
With his “dragon-charm,” he is not hurt by the guard’s sword.
He “meant them no harm,, but they’d attacked [him] again.” Others come and attack.
He laughs at their useless weapons.
Holding the guard by his leg above his head, he eats the guard’s head.
5 of 13
Summary
Three nights later, he launches his first raid. He snatches “seven” from their beds and “devours them on the spot.”
He feels “a strange, unearthly joy.”
He says that he now has a purpose. He “was transformed.” He is now Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings.”
He sees men as “damned pompous fools.”
6 of 13
Summary
Grendel still has a fear of man. He says that it is an “idiotic fear.”
Grendel sees all of the killings as a “meaningless smudge in a universe dead as old wind.”
Then suddenly a young Thane called Unferth.
He is youthful and sober. He asks Grendel if he is right with God, because he is about tom die.
And we know now that Grendel doubts God now.
7 of 13
Summary
Grendel talks to Unferth, and this shocks the man.
Unferth tells Grendel that he will make his “reputation” by killing him.
Again Grendel talks to him and Unferth backs up a step. He didn’t expect that.
Grendel sees apples piled high on a table. And an “evil idea” comes to him. This is probably a Biblical Allusion.
8 of 13
Summary
With the smell of the Dragon growing, Grendel mocks Unferth, saying that he has never met a real live hero, only heard about them in poetry.
This pissed Unferth off, and he prepares his sword to attack.
And Grendel throws an apple at him. And another. And another. And another. One hits Unferth in the nose.
And he falls to the floor, slipping on his own blood.
9 of 13
Summary
The apple fight is pretty funny, but not to Unferth. He almost starts crying. Grendel realizes that he is “only a boy, famous hero or not: a poor miserable virgin.”
Grendel decides not to kill him. But he gets pleasure from the apple fight, more than any other battle in his life.
10 of 13
Summary
Three days later, Unferth tracks Grendel to his underground cave.
He is cut and bleeding from the firesnakes. Grendel’s mother also wants to kill him. But Grendel won’t allow it.
Unferth says that people will one day sings songs of his heroism.
He is waiting to die. He expects to die. He is almost crying again.
Grendel says that if Unferth cries, he will kill him.
11 of 13
Summary
Unferth says that poetry is “trash” and he is for real.
He then contradicts his earlier statement that people will sing of his heroism. He says that no one knows that he has come here, so he will die and no one will even know.
He says that he has “inner heroism.” (Is this the philosophy of the chapter?)
Grendel waits for Unferth to get up. “This whole shit-ass scene was his idea.”
Grendel thinks Unferth is an “idiot.”
12 of 13
Summary
Unferth keeps using the word “hero” and it is grating on Grendel.
Unferth also says that a hero realizes that the whole world is meaningless (philosophy).
Grendel then says that he is not going to kill Unferth. He is going to carry him back to King Hrothgar.
Unferth falls asleep and Grendel does carry him back. But he also kills two guards, “so he wouldn’t be misunderstood.”
13 of 13
Summary
Grendel says that Unferth still “lives on, bitter, and feebly challenging” his midnight raids. He is crazy with shame and “jealous of the dead.”
Grendel always lets him live. He just laughs when he sees him.