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Need help with Grendel’s Mother (Lines 1251–1407) in Anonymous's Beowulf? Check out our revolutionary side-by-side summary and analysis.
Grendel’s mother, like her son, is a mysterious humanoid creature. She enters the poem as an “avenger” (l.1258), seeking redress for the death of her son at Beowulf’s hands.
Grendel's Mother. Grendel's mother, though often overshadowed by her son, is an equally dangerous and vengeful figure. After Grendel is killed, she emerges from her underwater lair to exact revenge on the Danes. Her actions are motivated by grief and maternal instinct, which sets her apart from Grendel, who is driven by hatred and jealousy.
Grendel’s mother, a swamp-hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her son’s death. She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisers, before slinking away.
Instead of cowering in grief, the mother seeks revenge. Although the Danes have heard that the swamp may harbor two ogres, they seem to believe that the problem is solved when Beowulf defeats Grendel. On the night after that victory, the Scyldings celebrate with a great deal of food and drink.
Grendel’s Mother. An unnamed swamp-hag, Grendel’s mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her terrorization of Heorot is explained by her desire for vengeance—a human motivation. Read an in-depth analysis of Grendel's mother.
Grendel's mother (Old English: Grendles mōdor) is one of three antagonists in the anonymous Old English poem Beowulf (c. 700–1000 AD), the other two being Grendel and the dragon. Each antagonist reflects different negative aspects of both the hero Beowulf and the heroic society in which the poem is set.
