Read the passage about Grendel from Beowulf . For no cause whatever would the earlmen’s defender Leave in life-joys the loathsome newcomer, He deemed his existence utterly useless To men under heaven. Now, read the passage about Hrothgar from Grendel . Meanwhile, those who paid tribute to him were forced to strike at more distant halls to gather the gold they paid to Hrothgar—and a little on the side for themselves. His power overran the world, from the foot of my cliff to the northern sea to the impenetrable forests south and east. They hacked down trees in widening rings around their central halls and blistered the land with peasant huts and pigpen fences till the forest looked like an old dog dying of mange. Which is the most accurate comparison of the two passages?
Answer
A
From Beowulf’s perspective, the Danes are helpless innocents, but from Grendel’s perspective, Grendel is the helpless innocent.
B
From Beowulf’s perspective, Grendel is a villain, but from Grendel’s perspective, Hrothgar and the Danes are the villains.
C
Both Beowulf and Grendel think they are acting according to the will of the gods.
D
Both Beowulf and Grendel think they are acting to save the environment from further destruction.
Explanation
In the Beowulf passage, Grendel is described as loathsome and useless to humanity, so he is presented as a villain. In the Grendel passage, Hrothgar’s rule is shown as destructive: the Danes cut down forests and spread settlements across the land. This supports the comparison that each story portrays the other side as villainous: C.
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