One example of figurative language in the excerpt from Grendel is hyperbole. Hyperbole is when a statement is exaggerated or not meant to be taken literally.
The type of figurative language used in this excerpt is hyperbole. A hyperbole is a statement that is exagerated or not to be taken literally.
When the speaker says that the "world is nothing" he is refering to the meaningless of life, rather than the lack of materiality of the earth itself.
At the same time, when he expresses "only I exist" he is trying to convey how lonely and overwhelmed he feels in this chaotic and erratic world, and that everything else, to him, seem to be unimportant, merely forces that push him foward or backwards.
Excitement Herbert's victory at chess against his father sinister
The chess game is very tense. Father and son duel and the Father even tries tactic to distract his son from noticing his error. After the son check mates his father, the Father becomes grumpy.