How is Grendel associated with evil in 'Beowulf'?

You must remember that this story was recorded by christian monks and as such it is “polluted” by what is ethically evil and good. But it is also one of the few pagan stories where the late author put aside his christian ego and tried just to record honestly. read more

Grendel likely represents a particular kind of evil; the evil of uncontrolled aggression in a warrior. Grendel is angered simply by the merriment and singing coming from Heorot, so he sets about to kill and eat thegns of the king night after night. read more

Grendel is a man-eating demon (never a good sign) that lives in the land of the Spear-Danes and attacks King Hrothgar's mead-hall, Heorot, every evening. The narrator of Beowulf claims that Grendel's motivation is hearing Hrothgar's bard sing songs about God's creation of the world, which rubs his demonic nature the wrong way. read more

Grendel seeks vengeance on good rather than evil mainly because of his family history. In Beowulf, Grendel was portrayed as “insensible to pain and human sorrows, “or incompetent of any mental feeling. Grendel is unconscious and unaffected by the pain and suffering he causes others. read more