MODERN DAY GRENDEL

An example of modern day Grendel could be President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. He called enemy forces 'half men,' which is how the humans see Grendel and maybe is how Grendel sees the humans because they are so violent when Beowulf comes to their aid. 

President Bashar al-Assad has become increasingly aggressive recently, like Grendel did when he was fighting Beowulf. The more Beowulf fought back the more Grendel used his force. The same goes for al-Assad, when he was attacked, he used force. 

The president Declared his determination to wipe out the entirety of the opposition. He claimed he is standing against an imperialist army. In Beowulf, Grendel vowed it upon himself to kill. That was how he took out his misery and he fueled himself. He found himself standing against an army of angry men, like the president is now facing. 

When Grendel kills, he feels no remorse, he does it because he needs to. President Bashar al-Assad continues to refuse to express any responsibility or remorse for the blood washing over Syria. Sound familiar to Grendel?

President Bashar al-Assad cannot compromise,like Grendel, he cannot rebuild, Grendel only goes off of what he knows like the President, he cannot reconcile, cant hide like Grendel. He is stuck, like Grendel was when he encountered Beowulf. He wanted to run but he couldnt because Beowulf over powered him and he was left to his own devices which are strength and brutality and when Beowulf is better in both fields, Grendel wants to hide and run away but he can't. 

The president "can rule over a pile of rubble - thats the best he can do." He has nothing left since hes destroyed it all. This relates to Grendel because Grendel ruined the lives of so many in the mead hall that he has nothing left to torture. 

The president let off a poisonous gas attack that killed more than one thousand four hundred people. Grendel killed so many people without a second thought that this almost relates to him perfectly.