My Defense

Beowulf is a classic epic poem and I've taken it upon myself to put Grendel on trial. From now on, I am a lawyer attempting to defend him using "the Warrior Gene," MAO-A, and references to the poem.

My defense for Grendel will begin with the warrior gene that’s more formally known as MAO-A. MAO-A is a gene that can be associated with violence. We all have this gene however, some carry a higher risk version of it that can make them more likely to be violent as an adult. But of course, I’m not trying to defend a mass slaughter on a single defective gene.

        As we know, Grendel is a descendant of Cain who was sentenced by God to wander the Earth, suffering. From Cain spawned goblins, monsters, fiends, and giants who were all condemned to a despairing and painful life because of Cain’s decision to kill his brother, Abel out of jealousy. Then came Grendel. Grendel who was literally born with violence in his DNA, had this gene that when combined with his childhood trauma, constant suffering, a family history of violence, jealousy, and a short temper turned him into a dormant volcano just waiting to erupt.

        These are many factors but what set him off was the jubilant music Hrothgar’s warriors would sing. This may seem small but there’s even more to break down from this. The content of the music was God. This music was joyous music praising a God that Grendel sees as unforgiving. He did tolerate this music day after day until he finally had a mental break and slaughtered them all. He started with 30 but Herot suffered Grendel’s wrath for 12 years but this was only as expected due to all of the jabs to his mental health throughout his lifetime.

Author's Note

I am open to praise and criticism. If I am doing something wrong, please don't simply say so because I'd like to know how you believe my work could be better so I can apply that information in the future.