hem. Grendel "breaks up their wooden gods like kindling and topples their gods of stone"(Gardner 128). It is this type of "blind courage" that Grendel believes saves his life in battle. "Fate will often spare a man if his courage holds"(Gardner 162). Beowulf, on the other hand, is foolish in his approach to battle. He goes to fight an immortal opponent, the dragon, and is killed because of his pride. "His very valor, wisdom, and magnanimity, expended unstindtly, lead only to a hero's grave in a land soon to be conquered"(Brodeur 105). Grendel's "blind courage" is far superior to the "blind stupidity" of Beowulf. Just as society's heroes fight foolishly, their opinions are made by prejudice and reflect the ignorance of humankind. Both monsters are seen as the minions of evil, and even of Satan himself. "Grendel is placed in a Biblical lineage of evil reaching back to the first murder"(Hamilton 105). Even the author of the poem alludes to "the descent of the race of Grendel from Cain"(Donaldson 1688). Frankenstein is proposed to be of "accursed origin"(Milton 130). However, neither of the two can be properly defined as Satanic, especially on the information known to the rest of society. Continuing, this belief causes extended prejudice of the monsters even in our society today. Through the predetermined opinions of society, Grendel is seen as an evil come to destroy all of mankind. Grendel is a victim of society, he was not born inherently evil. "Woe to him who is compelled, through cruel persecution, to thrust his soul into the embrace of fire, to hope for no solace"(Kennedy 9). Society unduly restrains Grendel to heinous stereotypes that he does not fit. For example, another character more closely fits the description of Cain than Grendel. "The only one of the personages of the poem who is clearly said to be destined to suffer in hell is Unferth, who, in his responsibility for the death of his brothe...
