'Forð near ætstop ... ond wið earm gesæt' - The feond (748a) is Grendel, and the he (748b) is Beowulf, who, it appears, either leans on his own arm, or sits up against Grendel's arm, holding the monster in something akin to a hammerlock. As M-R comment, 'the stated actions are clear, but it is not always clear which of the two combatants is the actor. The confusion in the dark hall is mirrored in the language of the narrative'.