rs strength is never emphasized as Grendels was, but Beowulf decides he needs a weapon against her. This seems strange unless you realize he has not talked about the backing of God in this fight. It is like he realizes this is a human decision, not a defense against an enemy of God. He, too, is seeking revenge.It is interesting to note that the human weapon he takes with him into battle is of no use. He ends up killing Grendels mother with a supernatural sword made by giants. It is almost a sign that weapons of the physical world are worthless in these fights.The third battle is very different from the first two. This time Beowulf is defending his own Kingdom against the rage of a dragon. But the dragon is like Grendels mother in that he is not unprovoked. Some of the treasure he hoards has been stolen from under his nose. He is furious and looking for vengeance. As a result, Beowulf feels he has to kill the dragon to keep his people safe. Once again a somewhat noble cause, but more for the hero reasons than the Christian reasons. When Beowulf goes into this battle, he is armed fully and has the help of a friend. Even with all these physical assists, he does not fare well. While he does kill the dragon, the dragon also kills him. It is very interesting to note the differences and similarities in these three fights. All of Beowulfs conflicts are with creatures of the night. But Grendel is the only one that appears to be a true enemy of God. In the battle with Grendel, Beowulf does seem to be a servant of God. He is stopping a true evil, a descendant of the race of Cain. He knows he can trust in the power of God to help him in this battle.On the other hand, Grendels mother and the dragon have valid reasons for their attacks. Beowulf changes his strategy to depend on things of this world. While he is successful in both cases, neither is as cut and dried as the battle with Grendel. The earthly swords he uses in both ba...
