Unnatural Humans: The Misbegotten Monsters of Beowulf
Abstract
This essay claims that the medieval Anglo-Saxon epic poem, Beowulf, is centrally concerned with the problem of the unnatural and the monstrous as a perversion of nature – most visible in the killings and destructive behavior of monsters like Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Such creatures are characterized as enemies of God and threats to both the natural world and human society. The unnatural in Beowulf, however, is not limited to these monsters. The inspiration of the poet is profoundly biblical and critical of ancient and medieval Germanic values and ways of life, namely, violence and intemperance, battles and weapons, looting and pillaging, ...
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