What does Grendel do at night?

Answer 1

The singing of Christian songs and happy tales physically hurts Grendel, as he is the spawn (descendant) of Cain who killed his brother in The Bible. He wants it stopped so he rips men to shreds men in the mead hall, Herot Hall, and drinks their blood.

Answer 2

Not, of course, that I fool myself with thoughts that I'm more noble. Pointless, ridiculous creature crouched in the shadows, stinking of dead men, murdered children, martyred cows. (I am neither proud nor ashamed, understand. One more dull victim, leering at seasons that never were meant to be observed.) "Ah, sad one, poor old freak!" I cry, and hug myself, and laugh, letting out salt tears, he he! til I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It's mostly fake.)

This is the first real insight we get into the character of Grendel from Gardner, both that he has no ethical qualms either way with killing men as he doesn't believe they really deserve to live, and that he is for the most part self deprecating. It would seem that the absurdity of the universe at his very existence to him is more a farce than an actual tragedy. No doubt the part about children is put there to be emotive, as if Grendel murders children then he must surely be a monster, but unfortunately ethics are not so simple, there are no such things as moral absolutes. If we are to understand the true nature of Grendel's character, then we

Answer 3

Night can stand for many things a couple being ignorance or insecurity.

Answer 4

Grendel goes on a violent rampage, attacking and killing warriors in the Danish mead hall while they are asleep.