1. An epic hero represents a society's main problems and fears, how they seek to attain solutions, and what they value in a person. Usually an epic hero conquers the type of person disliked by the society, as in Beowulf.
             2. Many writers and poets use religious imagery in their works because during these times people were very religious and focused on Christianity. They often felt it was their calling to proclaim God and denounce the devil.
             3. "Darkness" represents an outcast of society or an absence of goodness and God.
             4. The biblical allusion is to Genesis and the creation of the earth and heavens. The author made this allusion to demonstrate the beauty of the land and to describe it as the way God created it. This allusion is consistent when you look at the "darkness" representing something God didn't create and then see that is the reason Grendel hated the songs of God's creations.
             5. The allusion again is Biblical and says Grendel is one of the thousands of descendant forms of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve that was banished by God. The author is implying that Grendel is of condemned, evil blood and revengeful for his banishment from God's kingdom. Grendel might be the archetype of the devil.
             6. The previous line talks about God's creations. Lines 26-29, however, represent things coming from other things- evil from evil.
             7. The "slaughtering" represents the Danes and Norse's (Vikings) conquer- during this time period one achieved what they wanted through force, usually by murder.
             8. Hrothgar's reaction to Grendel's slaughtering says that he is not a man of action. He mourns the loss, but doesn't do anything about it, even though he recognizes it will probably happen again.
             9. Herot stands empty for twelve years because Grendel scares the people away: "Distance is safety". Lines 59-64 imply that the people look to their king f...