The ORIGIN of GRENDEL, the TROLL WIFE, and the FIRE DRAGON

Richard Connolly

October 4, 1991

This report will show the possible origins of Grendel, the Troll Wife, and the Fire Dragon while examining if these species could have been indigenous to earth.

      The two monsters in the epic BEOWULF present an interesting question as to the possibility of beings of this species having ever walked the earth.  Grendel is described as having a huge head and a body much larger than a human being. At the same time he has monstrous claws with "hardened nails and hand spurs". The monsters shape is of a man while the Troll wife has that of a woman. 

     They live in what is basically described as an underground cavern with an underwater entrance. The depth of the entrance can be guessed at 40 to 60 feet below the surface. This estimate comes from the phrases "...swirling pool.� and "Nigh unto day he endured the depths.� This would seem to indicate a being that is capable of living both in and out of water.      

     Grendel and the Troll Wife have some intelligence that indicates a higher order of development approaching man. Beowulf was saved by a corselet of chain mail from a dagger wielded by the Troll Wife. This indicates that the monsters have prior knowledge of weapons and probably other implements such as tools.

      When the Troll Wife avenged the death of Grendel, she displayed the emotions of vengeance and sadness. She also showed that she cared about her honor of Grendel by removing his claw from the castle in Heorot. By avenging Grendels' death, the Troll wife sealed her own fate by filling Beowulf with a terrible resolve to fight her to the death.

     The two monsters are cannibalistic. They eat the freshly killed flesh of their victims. This carnivorous behavior shows up at times in Beowulf. This supports the conclusion that the two monsters do not show any mercy or compassion to their victims or any other animal.

     The Fire Dragon is an animal that has guarded a vast horde of treasure and was to be the death of Beowulf. It is described as being a flying serpent and a fire-breathing dragon. There is a remote possibility of a snake-like animal being capable of flying. The described size "...great worm coiled;" does not show a body that is configured with an ability for taking to flight let alone the problems of lifting its bulk to any good measure of altitude.  

     The Fire Dragon most likely cannot breathe fire at will. The dragon would most probably have had to breathe fire with every breath. The only theories that I have are that the dragon breathes air and it is expelled as fire. The other is that the Fire Dragon has eaten or drunken something, such as rotting plant life, which produces methane, an explosive gas. The only likely comparison to this dragon is the Loch Ness Monster, which has not been proven to exist.