Grendel from Beowulf?

Question

What would be some physical features of Grendel? Height, weight, strength, appearence, intelligence? Is Grendel language capabale? If so, can he speak as well as understand?

In evolutionary terms, where would he come from?

Answer 1

Grendel doesn't speak. Translations have him sporting things like arms, legs, and elbows, rather than paws, hooves, etc. So he seems to be bipedal. And his mom lives at the bottom of a lake (I think he does too). So he's almost certainly amphibious, and probably has gills or a blowhole of some kind. He has sharp claws, and he eats flesh, so sharp teeth as well. Muscular, and possessed of an extraordinarily thick skin, able to withstand the blows of the average forged sword. Most importantly, his mother is intelligent enough to seek revenge.

So I would say that he is a cross between a shark, a wolf, a stegosaurus, and a man. Something like the frogmen in the old Castlevania games.

Answer 2

i imagine an 8 foot monster/ogre-ish guy. probably with a large tail and some kind of odor. he is probably pretty boorish and not so intelligent. i don't think he speaks...