Grendel's mother came to Heorot for revenge and to reclaim her son's dignity. There really is nothing "noble" from any perspective from death by amputation. Grendel did not go down fighting, but he rather ran away, leaving his arm behind. He made his way back to momma, bleeding as he went. The wound was fatal, and Grendel's memorial was in his humiliation at the hand of a mere mortal.
Grendel's mother, then, in her rage, went to Heorot for two things: retaliation and reclamation. Retalitation came when she killed Esher and kept his body. (She later floated his head on the lake for the soldiers to see, thus ensuring retaliation for both the death and the humiliation.) Reclamation came when she took Grendel's arm down from the rafters and carried it home with her.
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