How we cite our quotes: (Page) Vintage Books, 1989
Quote #7
"Ah, ah, it must be a terrible burden, though, being a hero—glory reaper, harvester of monsters! Everybody always watching you, seeing if you're still heroic... But no doubt there are compensations," I said. "The pleasant feeling of vast superiority, the easy success with women... And the joy of self-knowledge, that's a great compensation! The easy and absolute certainty that whatever the danger, however terrible the odds, you'll stand firm, behave with the dignity of a hero, yea, even to the grave!" (84-85)
We can hardly blame Grendel for hating Unferth so much. Pretty much everyone else does, too. Unferth makes us think about the idea of heroism and how variable that term is, depending on who's telling the story and whose side you're on. Grendel clearly wants to focus on the hypocrisy of these people's ideas of heroism by mocking Unferth and all his lame efforts to be courageous (the fact that he's chucking apples at Unferth's head helps us know this for sure).
Quote #8
I knew, for one, that the brother-killer had put on the Shaper's idea of the hero like a merry mask, had seen it torn away, and was now reduced to what he was: a thinking animal stripped naked of former illusions, stubbornly living on, ashamed and meaningless, because killing himself would be, like his life, unheroic. (104)
This is a total burn for a pitiful character. At this moment, Unferth has to come face-to-face with the creature he really is—and that's just not so attractive. It's no wonder that this marks a tipping point for Unferth: the moment when he lets go of his pretentions to nobility and falls into despair.
Quote #9
She came out, radiant, and crossed swiftly to the great golden bowl on the table by the hearth. As if she'd brought light and warmth with her, men began talking, joking, laughing, both Danes and Geats together. (163)
It's no secret that Grendel has a major crush on Wealtheow, but it's important to see that everyone else has one, too. She is the "peace-weaver" in Hart, making sure that the angry, unwashed warriors don't kill each other over stupid things, and making sure that the peace she has bought with her freedom doesn't crumble before her eyes. And she's just the woman for the job. With her gorgeous red hair and composure, she truly stands out in the dirty crowd.