Notes

Lines 12511491
As the warriors sleep in the mead-hall, Grendels mother, a horrible monster in her own right, descends
on Heorot in a frenzy of grief and rage, seeking vengeance for her sons death. When she falls upon and
seizes a sleeping man, the noise wakes the others. The warriors seize their swords and rush toward her.
The monster panics and flees, still carrying her victim, Hrothgars trusted adviser, Aeschere, in her grasp.
Beowulf, having been given other sleeping quarters, is away from Heorot when Grendels mother makes
her raid. By the time he arrives at the hall, she is gone. The warriors discover that she has stolen
Grendels arm as well.

Who was killed by Grendel's mother?

Not only did Grendel's mother kill several men from each tribe, Danes and Geats alike she also stole
Beowulf's trophy, the severed arm of Grendel. When King Hrothgar hears the news, he is grief-stricken
by the death of his retainer, who was his dearest companion.

The first act of revenge is her journey to Herot to retrieve her son's arm which was placed in the rafters
as a sort of trophy after Beowulf ripped it from Grendel's socket. While she was there, she killed and ate
Hrothgar's best friend.
Beowulf, in answer to the death of Hrothgar's closest friend, traveled to the bottom of the bubbling lake
to fight the creature. While Grendel's mother is bent on revenge to avenge her son's death, she
honorably protects Beowulf from other sea creatures and also takes Beowulf to her underground lair
filled with air which puts the two on somewhat equal fighting ground. However, the honor ends there.
She gnashes and tears at his armor, breaks his sword, stretches him out on the floor of the cave, and
fights ruthlessly in order to kill her son's murderer. If it weren't for the magic sword forged by giants
which hung on her cave wall, Beowulf may not have won the battle.
It is with this sword that Beowulf kills Grendel's mother and decapitates Grendel's body in order to haul
the head back to the mead hall for one last hurrah.
Beowulf
Quote 17: "Grendel is no braver, no stronger/ Than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not,/ Easy
as it would be. This fiend is a bold/ And famous fighter, but his claws and teeth.../Beating at my sword
blade, would be helpless. I will meet him/ With my hands empty-unless his heart/ Fails him, seeing a
soldier waiting/ Weaponless, unafraid. Let God in His wisdom/ Extend His hand where He wills, reward/
Whom he chooses!" pg. 44, lines 677-687
Quote 19: "the Danes started/ In new terror, cowering in their beds as the terrible/ Screams of the
Almighty's enemy sang/ In the darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain/ And defeat, the tears torn out of
Grendel's/ Taut throat, hell's captive caught in the arms/ Of him who of all the men on earth/ Was the
strongest." pg. 47-48, lines 783-790