How is "A Simple Act" structured Compare and Contrast
Main Idea and Details
Sequential Order
Chronological Order

Beowulf and Grendel are antipodes - completely opposite characters. Neither of them is immortal, so they can fight each other. While Beowulf is a fearless warrior who came to save King Hrothgar's realm from menace, Grendel is a monstrous, bloodthirsty villain who enjoys killing and eating people. Grendel comes, "bearing God's wrath" because he is a descendant of Biblical Cain, who killed his brother. Even though he has a human shape, he is irrational like a monster:

"The monster had no thoughts of delay,
But swiftly seized the chance given,
Grabbed a sleeper, and tore him apart,
Bit to the bone, drank the heart’s blood,
Swallowing swathes; soon he’d eaten
That dead man, consumed him utterly,
Head to foot."

But Beowulf has another defining quality of a hero - enormous physical strength, so he rips Grendel's arm off, which will cause the latter's death.