keyword: Cain

Cain

• The Meaning Behind Beowulf's Beheading of Grendel's Corpse
  Issue: Leeds Medieval Studies, 1 (2021)
  Joseph St. John
  This article first gives an overview of the cultural background relevant to beheading, following which it discusses critical interpretations of this Beowulf episode. While the article considers the merits of these interpretations, it proposes to interpret Beowulf's act with reference to the narrative's expression of the Cain theme. It suggests that Beowulf's lack of apprehension in relation to Grendel's head as a sign of his victory against Grendel's mother points to his ignorance of its Cainite associations, which is a reason why the defeat of the monsters does not address the weaknesses of the societies Beowulf seeks to protect.