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Why does Grendel’s mother take back Grendel’s arm?

Category: Literature
Explanation:

Grendel's mother takes back Grendel's arm as an act of revenge and mourning. In the epic poem Beowulf, Grendel is a monstrous creature who terrorizes Heorot, the mead hall of the Danes. When Beowulf, a renowned hero, mortally wounds Grendel, the creature retreats to its underwater lair, where Grendel's mother resides. Grendel's mother, driven by anguish and fury upon discovering her son's death, seeks retribution by infiltrating Heorot and taking Grendel's arm, a grotesque reminder of the loss she has suffered. This act serves as a symbolic gesture, demonstrating her ferocity, her maternal instinct to protect her offspring, and her desire to retaliate against those responsible for her son's demise.

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Why does Grendel’s mother take back Grendel’s arm?. (2023, Jul 24). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/qa/literature/why-does-grendel-s-mother-take-back-grendel-s-arm

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