Read the passage about Grendel from Beowulf.For no cause whatever would the earlmen’s defenderLeave in life-joys the loathsome newcomer,He deemed his existence utterly uselessTo men under heaven.Now, read the passage about Hrothgar from Grendel.Meanwhile, those who paid tribute to him were forced to strike at more distant halls to gather the gold they paid to Hrothgar—and a little on the side for themselves. His power overran the world, from the foot of my cliff to the northern sea to the impenetrable forests south and east. They hacked down trees in widening rings around their central halls and blistered the land with peasant huts and pigpen fences till the forest looked like an old dog dying of mange.
Answer
A
From Beowulf’s perspective, the Danes are helpless innocents, but from Grendel’s perspective, Grendel is the helpless innocent.
B
From Beowulf’s perspective, Grendel is a villain, but from Grendel’s perspective, Hrothgar and the Danes are the villains.
C
Both Beowulf and Grendel think they are acting to save the environment from further destruction.
D
Both Beowulf and Grendel think they are acting according to the will of the gods.
Explanation
In the Beowulf passage, Grendel is described as loathsome and useless, so he is presented as the villain threatening the Danes. In the passage from Grendel, Hrothgar’s rule is shown as destructive: his people spread into the forests and damage the land. This contrast makes Hrothgar and the Danes seem like villains from Grendel’s perspective, which matches choice B.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.