Two Sides to Every Story

After completing Beowulf and reading a partial section of Grendel, my opinion for both characters have changed. I say this because Beowulf showed Grendel as a vicious enemy who has always been an evil wicked monster. But in Grendel it portrays Grendel how he truly is and the reasons for his actions. 

I believe there is a reason for every action that someone commits. Although that does not mean that the action is justified. In Beowulf, Grendel terrorizes the Danes in a violent manner, by murdering many of their men. Beowulf in turn, kills Grendel to stop his actions. If you were only to read Beowulf  you would think that Grendel was a wicked monster who had no feelings for others and solly cared for himself. But Grendel says otherwise.

In the short part of Grendel that I can read it completely changed my view of Grendel himself. Grendel views the Danes as monsters because they kill for no reason, not even for consumption. They would kill animals and pike them up to let them rot. They would kill each other. They were wasteful people and this confused Grendel greatly. Grendel then when to the mead hall, but was attacked. In Grendel it says all he wanted was someone to talk to. 

I think it is important always to hear two sides of the story. Even though Grendel was still in the wrong for murdering all of those men, there was innocence and good in him. He was denied from the Danes, he wasn't excepted in their society, so he felt the only way out for him was to become a figure of fear. This could of been prevented if only he was excepted. But we even see this today in our society, people who feel they are different sometimes become angry at others and will commit rationalized actions in reaction to not being excepted. It is important to not judge someone until you hear the truth behind it all.