So, now we're two-thirds of the way through Beowulf, and I'm not quite sure how I'm feeling? A little... off, I guess? Unlike a lot of people in this class, this is my first time reading Beowulf, so now I have a taste of the confusion people have been feeling for the past few weeks.
I have to say I expected the story to end after Beowulf defeated Grendel's mother - and isn't that, in and of itself, so interesting? Beowulf's toughest foe is a woman, a mother, who is avenging her son. It's such an interesting comment, and it can be taken (at least) two ways - on one hand, Grendel's mother is powerful and her vengeance has "legitimate" motivations; she's not killing for funsies or because some jocks were mean and loud and annoying. Beowulf killed her son and desecrated his body (although Grendel's mother is dead when that happens, but I digress). If you killed my son and chopped the head off his corpse, I'd be coming after you too.
On the other hand, Grendel's mother is a monster. Presumably this translates to her physical appearance - her unnatural strength and invulnerability is certainly abnormal. There's a weird interplay and conflict between the ideals of femininity and monstrosity, where Grendel's mother's, well... motherhood is her most feminine trait, and is contrasted with her physical strength, bloodlust, and desire for vengeance, all of which are/were considered traditionally unfeminine. So the sharp divide between what actions are/were considered acceptable for women to perform and what Grendel's mother actually does would certainly make her a monster to the Scyldings and Geats (she falls on the "wrong" side of the line); to us, I think, she's a little more understandable.
(There's also the unspoken question of how her Cain-ancestry inherently damns her, but we won't talk about that now.)
What's also interesting is how the idea of vengeance is gendered in Beowulf. Beowulf himself is fighting on Hrothgar's behalf; he's obtaining Hrothgar's vengeance for him - but something that struck me was how Beowulf's hatred of Grendel also felt strangely personal. I feel like there's this subtextual idea that Beowulf's vengeance is somehow more legitimate, or more acceptable, than Grendel's mother's - whether it's because he's doing it on behalf of someone else (but is he?) makes it inherently unselfish, or if it's because he's a man fighting a monster, I'm not sure. Is the vengeance of Grendel's mother considered more monstrous, or less legitimate, because she is a woman? Does her revenge make her monstrous, or does her monstrosity make her vengeful? Could it be both?
The last point I want to bring up are the parallels I saw between Grendel and Grendel's mother in Beowulf, and Caliban and Sycorax in The Tempest. Despite the audience never seeing Sycorax, her influence in the play is pervasive, and she and her son are both considered monsters by Prospero, who I consider (loosely and without much basis) roughly analogous to Beowulf. Beowulf is an old story, and it has many archetypal traits that have filtered down through the ages, to Shakespeare's time and beyond.
I think you have some really interesting and cool points! I would comment on the idea that Beowulf's biggest feat is his fight against Grendel's mom but... don't want to spoil anything! I also can't remember if anyone else did so I sure am not going to be the first. I think its really interesting that you highlight how Grendel's mother is only feminine because she is a mother. You characterize physical strength, bloodlust, and vengeance as "un-feminine", which I don't disagree with, but I also don't entirely agree with. Monstrous women all throughout myth display these three traits. Some of the most terrifying and ferocious monsters throughout ancient cultures were females. One of the most dangerous Egyptian gods was Sahkmet, a blood thirsty lioness who couldn't be controlled until the other gods tricked her into drinking a pond full of blood and beer (looooong story). The Amazons in Ancient Greece were strong and capable female warriors who are consistently depicted in art fighting and sometimes killing Greeks. So I don't think we can make a statement that Grendel's moms actions are inherently un-feminine. I could give soooo many examples of crazy blood thirsty women who murdered their husbands, started wars, etc. I think you're right that only monstrous women can be blood thirsty but there are plenty of female characters, who aren't evil, that are strong and avenge wrongs done against them. Its the blood thirst that makes them monsters, her and Grendel both. I would argue that Beowulf isn't blood thirsty as he is trying to stop the slaughter of his kinsmen. He's not the one who's murdering sleeping men left and right after all.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to comment on your point about the legitimacy of vengeance when comparing Beowulf to Grendel’s mother. I, personally, did not think about the fact that Beowulf is simply a mercenary; killing is his job. After hearing this (somewhat obvious) point in class, it made it clear to me that Grendel’s mother’s vengeance is more legitimate to me than Beowulf’s. Sure, Grendel and his mother are physically “monstrous” and Grendel’s actions (like eating people) are definitely monstrous, but his mother is simply seeking to avenge her son’s death. If she looked like a regular woman, would people be more susceptible to side with her? Probably, which is kind of sad. I don’t think Grendel’s mother’s actions are monstrous at all when compared to Beowulf killing someone solely for a job, and yet, she is considered the monster.
ReplyDeleteI really like the point you made about Grendel's mother and her reasons for being monstrous. No mother in her right mind would let another person rip their child apart in complete humiliation without going down with a fight. I am not sure why I feel this way but the reader, at least myself, felt a great amount of sympathy for both Grendel and his mother. This might be because of Beowulf is put on such a godly position in their society and he just mutilated a creature. Even though Grendel eats people, I still feel bad for him and therefore his mother as well. I do not think his mother is consider a monster under her circumstances.
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