The men were sleeping after celebrating in the Mead Hall. Grendel attacked them while they were unaware and defenseless, resulting in a horrific massacre.
Grendel tortured Hrothgar's men for 12 years before Beowulf arrived to fight him.
Grendel eats 30 men. According to Beowulf, Grendel eats only one man.
Grendel killed 30 men the first night he attacked Heorot Hall.
Grendel is able to kill 30 of Beowulf's men in the mead-hall, Heorot.
The first verbal exchange between Unferth and Grendel
The first verbal exchange between Unferth and Grendel
“Staggering under the weight of Grendel’s skull,Too heavy for fewer than four of them to handle-Two on each side of the spear jammed through it . . . “
Beowulf's men tried to help him by striking Grendel with their swords, but Grendel could not be harmed by any blade on Earth.
When Grendel approached the mead hall, the warriors inside were feasting and celebrating their victory. Grendel was angered by the noise and commotion, as he was an outcast who sought to terrorize and kill the men inside the hall.
tears of Grendel's claw and shoulder without any weapons.
Grendel's trip is miserable because Grendel carries God's wrath. He is joyless and is aggrivated by the men of Herot who celebrate often. He was spawned from evil creatures and has only disappointment and anger to deal with. Grendel does not like the celebrations because of the noise.
The warriors of Herot are celebrating and listening to the bard's song about the creation of the world. This angers Grendel and in his first attack he kills 30 sleeping men.