This paper examines the poem "Beowulf" which tells the story of the hero Beowulf and his fight to save a community, which
is not his own, first from the monster Grendel and then from Grendel's mother. Later in the poem, Beowulf also fights a
dragon. It explains that these monsters fight from different motives, from the relatively petty pique of Grendel to the
desire for vengeance from Grendel's mother and the desire for revenge against a wrong from the dragon. The writer shows how the attack produces a response from Beowulf that shows aspects of his character, makes it possible for him to show his prowess, and suggests the values that shape the society of his time.