Grendel Analysis

The novel “Grendel” by John Gardner can be seen as reconstruction of “Beowulf” an epic tale with the considered beast showing his innocence and loneliness. The novel and the epic are models where there are two point of views on a main situation. In “Grendel” the monster is someone who is lost through the words of the Shaper and the Dragon, and is trying to fit in and make friends. Due to the words of the Dragon Grendel is able to be comfortable with being seen as a monster and takes on the role of

The ability to live alone is a power very few people possess. Grendel, by John Gardner, is a novel based on the epic poem, Beowulf and narrated by Grendel, a grotesque monster who lives with his mute mother in a desolate cave. He is in a 12 year war King Hrothgar and his people. Constantly seeking and yet avoiding the human population, Grendel observes the Scyldings as their civilization progresses with increasing curiosity. Grendel spends his days isolated from society, searching for a purpose

classic Beowulf, Grendel, is revealed to be a tortured beast who is targeted by a religion crazed society. As stated by Chris Colfer in his novel The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell “A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told,” yet for many this lesson falls on deaf ears (9). For many Grendel is a thing of nightmares, a beast straight from hell that no villain can match. But when the society that villainizes Grendel is examined more closely one realizes that Grendel is really just an

references consistently. The protagonist that starts of the epic, Grendel, refers to as a descendant of Cain. His “monstrous” actions are often a direct reflection of the story of Cain and his brother found in Genesis chapter four. Although Grendel is known as a heinous monster, he is an embodiment of the faults of humans and a victim that has fallen prey to the power of jealousy, and the need to be known within a community. In other words, Grendel is a symbol of the possible evils that may arise through

Martin Mraz Common Core English IV March 9, 2017 Grendel’s Pain In John Gardner 's Grendel, Grendel states, "Tedium is the worst pain" (138). Grendel views boredom as an expression of his painful, purposeless existence. Perpetual boredom has steadily increased and intensifies in chapter ten leading Grendel to be anxious for something to happen. Ironically, Grendel claims nothing is happening, and all is boring, yet filled with longing and expecting for something big to happen soon. Grendel’s search

From the novel Grendel (Gardner, 1971), Grendel is one of the three antagonists along with his mother and the dragon. Grendel has the combination of human and beast; he emerge in a society that mocks and threats him these scenes features racism and class level in the nineteenth century. Grendel is an individual who pleased to coexist with humanity, but also the murderous brute who kills for no reason. Grendel hears noises from the meadhall as he scramble through the woods. The twelve years of war

I could not help but to write you a letter after reading your own letter that you sent to Ms. Susie West and her students. Through your letter, you make several remarkable points about your book Grendel as well as the infamous title character; however, one thing stood out to me the most. In the 11th and 12th paragraphs of your letter, you mention a “real question”, talking about “…of there isn’t a reachable god, and if life has no inherent meaning how should one live”? The metaphorical cogs in my

Grendel is a character who, at first, is an innocent monster who is figuring out the way the world works. He is a character that we are supposed to sympathize with, in this story, because we are given his background, so we can see why he made the decisions that he made, and the reasoning behind them. Another interesting point in the book, is the argument of whether or not Grendel, in the end, was punished for his “evil deeds.” In Grendel, we are supposed to sympathize with him, the reader shouldn’t

Grendel was a character that was widely misunderstood in the book Grendel by John Gardner he was portrayed in the book as a gruesome beast when in reality all he had wished his entire life was to fit in. Throughout this story Grendel feels he has no friends in the outside world and no one to accept him besides his own mother. He doesn’t want to accept his role in society of being the Great Destroyer described to him by the dragon. Man creates a huge problem in Grendel’s life and has had a major effect

The book Grendel by John Gardner details the life of the monster Grendel until he is defeated by the hero Beowulf at the end of the story. Gardner paints Grendel in a more sympathetic light, compelling the reader to understand and even feel sorry for the monster. He appears philosophical and curios from the perspective Gardner creates, and the humans seem almost villainous for shunning him when he tries to understand and interact with them. The humans create the monster inside of Grendel by mistreating