The Dragon Stone

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon poem, set in the Scandinavian region. The poet is unknown, but was most probably a Christian. There are a number of Christian themes and references in the poem, even though Scandinavia was not Christian at the time the poem is set. The theory of Grendel and his mother as dragons was popularised by Peter Dickinson in his book 'The Flight of Dragons'. This essay critiques this theory as well as discussing the role of the monsters.

Grendel

Descriptions of Grendel are rather vague. At one point before the battle, Beowulf mentions that Grendel refuses to use weapons. This would not be an issue unless Grendel was capable of holding weapons, so a generally humanoid form is most likely. He is also a descendent of a human (Cain), which again supports a humanoid. He is classically believed to be a giant or troll, though there have been some claims that he was a dragon.

There are some points that could be used to support Grendel as a dragon. In the story of Sigurd, Fafnir¹ began life as a dwarf, but gradually transformed into a dragon due to his greed. In the same way, Grendel may have transformed from a giant into a dragon due to his evil nature. After Grendel has been slain, the story of Sigurd is told at the celebrations. A parallel is being drawn by the poet between the two heros. It is possible that this parrallel also extends to the two monsters. However, there seems to be little need for Grendel to undergo any such transformation. As a descendent of Cain he would already be associated with evil.

When Beowulf retells the story of Grendel to his uncle, he mentions a new feature. He describes a glove that Grendel carried as being made of dragon skin. This glove is used to store items in. Peter Dickinson claims this glove may be the remains of Grendel's severed arm, and would appear to be made of dragon skin because it was from a dragon (Grendel). As Beowulf clearly states it was attached to Grendel's side, and not pulled from Grendel's arm/hand, it seems rather doubtful that it was ever part of him.

Another problem with Grendel as a dragon is the lack of humanoid dragons in the mythology of the time. It is not unheard of for dragons to appear in a human form, but this is a theme which is more common in Oriental stories than in Anglo-Saxon mythology. The dragons that do appear as humans tend to do so in order to walk amoung humans, rather than to go on the rampage.

Is Grendel a dragon? If there was nothing draconic about Grendel at all, the draconic connections included by the poet would seem out of place. At the same time Grendel appears to be humanoid, and lacks common dragon traits of the area such as a connection to venom or fire. It could well be that rather than showing Grendel as a dragon, the poet aimed to show that Grendel had some dragon characteristics. This would help to emphasise the evil and demonic nature of Grendel, using the Christian symbol of the dragon as the Devil.

Grendel's Mother

Venomous is a repeated description of Grendel's mother. She is so venomous that her blood dissolves the sword used to slay her. Venomous blood does appear in some dragon myths². Other than this, there are no other hints of anything draconic about Grendel's mother. Though she is not described in detail, it is mentioned that she looks a bit like a woman. She draws a dagger at one point, so appears to be as humanoid as Grendel.

Grendel's Lair

The entrance to Grendel's Lair is a lake filled with various monsters, including water dragons. Most of them sink out of view, but one is killed with spears and dragged out of the water. The ease at which this was done would imply it was not very big. Lake dragons are a common idea thoughtout the world³, so it is not really a surprise that such a supernatural lake would have dragons.

The Fire-Drake

The last creature faced by Beowulf is clearly refered to as a dragon, and is described in a fair amount of detail. The dragon is winged, fire-breathing, and approximately 50 paces long. Various references are made to the dragon's serpentine nature.

The story is that the dragon finds a hidden barrow, filled with treasure, which it takes as its own. A slave who has run away from his master find the hoard, and steals a cup. When the dragon awakes, he realises the cup is missing. He searches around until he sees the footprints of the culprit. Realising that humans took the cup, he ravages the local area with fire in revenge. This is set many years after the fight with Grendel, when Beowulf is King of the Geats. Accompanied by various nobles, he sets out to fight to dragon.

The dragon's motivation is an interesting difference to the story of Grendel. Grendel was considered to have no reason for wanting to cause harm, other than a lust for destruction. In contrast, the dragon has a reason clearly explained. In many ways, the dragon is inflicting justice for the theft of the cup. Beowulf states soon after the dragon comes that he feels it is punishment from God for his wrongdoing. The viper as a bringer of justice is a theme found in the Bible⁴, and it is perhaps apt that this dragon has a venomous bite. Beowulf is bitten during the battle and dies from the poison. The dragon also dies. Its body is desposed of by pushing it over the edge of the sea cliff.

Further Reading in The Dragon Stone

1 - European Dragons - Fafnir
2 - European Dragons - Wilser Dragon
3 - World Dragon Mythology - Dragon of the Lake; Hydra (African); Knucker; Lernaean Hydra; O Goncho; Peke-Haua
4 - Dragons and Serpents in the Bible

Other References

Crossley-Holland, Kevin (translator): Beowulf, Oxford University Press, 1999
Dickinson, Peter: The Flight of Dragons, Collins & Brown Ltd., 1998