Grendel is definitely a parody of Beowulf, in Beowulf we see the heroism of an Anglo-Saxon man, the ways of a community that should be and that has been portrayed in poems and song. But in Grendel we see the truth, the images not shown, how heroism is just the need of a man to be something more than just a man. We see the promiscuity of women and even men to other men’s women. We see how a community supposedly built on just rules, fairness, loyalty, generosity, and familiarity is complete opposite. Grendel makes fun of that, satirically he reenacts the ways of the Anglo-Saxon community making a mockery of them. Grendel mocks the heroism or Unferth, as well as the purposes behind every person and thing such as Wealtheow. In the poem Beowulf we only see the heroism behind the Anglo-Saxon community and how Beowulf, just like defeated Grendel; we never see who Grendel is, why he fights Grendel, or Grendel’s reason for the murders, we only see Beowulf and his sidekicks attacking various monsters proclaiming the ways of a hero. In Grendel we also see how it makes fun of the language human’s use, we see how Grendel tries to speak like them and he is incoherent until he finally grows up and stops mimicking them and begins forming a more experienced tone of voice; only after he meets the dragon. This is why Grendel is such a parody of Beowulf.
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