Grendel Vs. Grendel Essay
Autor: mdres13 • November 24, 2015 • Essay • 465 Words (2 Pages) • 871 Views
Max Dresmann
Mr. Reuben
Period 5
Grendel vs. Grendel
There are a few differences in the Grendel in John Gardner’s Grendel and the Grendel in Beowulf. The first of which is that the novel Grendel is told from the point of view of Grendel. Also, in the novel it shows that Grendel is just jealous of the humans. A third difference is that in Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed a lot more viciously and as more of a monster being than that of Gardner’s. In my opinion these two Grendels are drastically different.
In the novel Grendel the point of view is from that of Grendel itself. This version could be considered a parody, as he is telling the story from the point of view of the “villain”. In Beowulf it is told from the point of view of a narrator or scop. This is a major change up in the story because it allows readers to understand things from the point of view of the monster itself. This gives the story an entire new feel. Grendel’s troubles are displayed and people can commiserate with it.
The Grendel in John Gardner’s novel is a lonely creature. When he hears the merrymaking and singing going on in the mead hall, and everyone in the kingdom participating. He gets envious of them and decides to put a stop to it. He is lonely because he is the only of his kind. He seeks companionship but is unable to find any due to his scary figure. He has lead a long life of solitude and unhappiness. Gardner shows that Grendel has more of a craving for connection than he does for blood.
In Beowulf, Grendel is shown as a ruthless, ferocious monster who will stop at nothing to wreak havoc. This is not the case in Gardner’s novel. He is displayed as a sad and pitiful creature who lives very solemnly. Grendel is displayed as a sad creature who is constantly picked on. He always seems to get the short end of the stick no matter what. He is displayed as more of a spiritual figure in Gardner’s version, rather than a physical monster. He is shown to be incompetent and not capable of rational thoughts, while in Gardner’s version it’s quite the opposite.
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