We have all seen villains in literature and in movies. Villains have been interpreted in many ways such as being malicious and terrorizing citizens, although that is not always the case. In Beowulf, Grendel is the villain throughout the entire poem, he is ruthless and shrewd, and has plans to petrify Hrothgar’s kingdom. In class, we defined a villain as “a person, place or thing, ruthless and cunning, motivated by deceitful and selfish desires whose thrill seeking detailed plans lead to the destruction of society”. In the poem, Grendel shows the qualities of being a villain, he is ruthless, cunning, and motivated by underhanded narcissistic desires and plans to lead the destruction of society. Grendel has made a point that he is the villain of the poem. In many ways, he has shown that he is merciless and wily throughout the entire poem. Before Grendel’s first attack, he had a cunning quality about him, the narrator noted “Then from the moor, in a blanket of mist, Grendel came stalking” (710-711). Grendel made his way to Heorot in the dead of night, when everyone was asleep, stalking through the night. The poem shows that Grendel is ruthless because he slaughtered thirty thanes the first night of attacks by …show more content…
stating, “The unholy creature, grim and ravenous, was ready at once, ruthless and cruel, and took from their rest thirty thanes” (120-123). Not only was Grendel terrorizing Hrothgar’s kingdom but he does it for twelve long years until no one was left in the mead hall “one against all, until empty stood the best of houses. And so, it was for a great while-for twelve long winters the lord of the Scylding’s suffered his grief” (145-148). Grendel was sly enough to make it to Heorot for twelve years coming and going as he pleases creating terror for the citizens under Hrothgar’s rule. No one knew how to make Grendel pay the families he had hurt, because he was a uncontrollable, unstoppable monster. The only thing, Grendel cares about is the destruction of Hrothgar’s society. The narrator tells the reader “Thus the foe of mankind, fearsome and solitary, often committed his many crimes, cruel humiliations” (165-167). Not only was Grendel ruthless and shrewd, but he uses his own narrow-minded and conniving desires to fulfill his goals. Grendel used his own selfish desires to make it known that he was a monster and kept coming night after night killing more people to create havoc throughout the kingdom.
After the first night, Grendel murdered thirty men, the narrator tells the reader, “the very next night he committed a greater murder, mourned not at all for his feuds and sins- he was too fixed in them” (135-137). The author tells the reader that Grendel is a decedent of Cain “after the Creator had condemned him among Cain’s race – when he killed Abel the eternal Lord Avenged his death.” (106-107). Grendel was miserable and the happiness from Heorot, only made it worse “Thus this lordly people lived in joy, blessedly, until one began to work his foul crimes – a fiend from hell.”
(99-101). All Grendel wanted to do was create havoc throughout Hrothgar’s kingdom, the author notes “At times they offered honor to idols at pagan temples, prayed aloud that the soul-slayer might offer assistance in the country’s distress… thy remembered hell in their minds, they did not know the Maker, the Judge of deeds, they did not know the Lord God” (175-181). Grendel chastened the place, where all the citizens went to have a grand time and let go of sorrow, by barging in with frequent attacks because of his misery “It is a sorrow to my very soul to say to any man what Grendel has done to me- humiliated Heorot with his hateful thoughts, his sudden attacks” (473-475). Throughout the entire poem, it is obvious that Grendel is a villain by the way he barges into the mead-hall and murders whomever he wanted too. Grendel is a blood thirsty and cruel individual who would kill citizens of Hrothgar’s kingdom and eat his so-called victories. The definition the class decided would be correct. The blood-thirsty monster only wanted to create terror and wanted destruction to society so the people will know how Grendel feels throughout the entire poem.
Grendel, as a character, has a much more complex identity than just a monster and a human. Some, such as Ruud, classify him as a mixture of three different characteristics, but alone, they tend to conflict with each other. By making the connection that Grendel represents immorality, the previous idea makes more sense, while simultaneously incorporating more aspects of the character into the analysis. In either case, Grendel represents much more than meets the eye, and provides a fascinating insight into
So, Grendel is the victim of God's vengeance against Cain and all of his descendants. When he attacks the mead hall, it's like he is avenging the life he never was to have: laughing, being giddy, and celebrating life. Every night for a decade, any man sleeping in Heorot at night became a victim to Grendel's vengence.
I am Grendel who once lived at the Danish neighborhood ruled by the righteous king Hrothgar who was just and fair in his kingship. I came from Cain’s ancestry. According to the bible, Cain is popularly known by Christians as the first person to commit murder. I was in isolation from humans because I came from a cursed lineage. I could not change the perception Hereots had about me as an evil monster. I did not prefer to be from Cain’s bloodline. People thought I was evil because I came from Cain’s lineage and as a result, they deemed me an outcast and did not want to associate with me.
The classic struggle of good versus evil is taken from a different perspective in Grendel, a story in which John Gardner demonstrates that neither one can exist without the other.
His contemplation results in the ADD TRANSITION. As Grendel acquires knowledge of the story of Cain and Abel, he discovers himself in a new light: as a dark evil creature. The Shaper explains “an ancient feud between two brothers which split all the world between darkness and light. And I, Grendel, was on the dark side...terrible race God cursed. I believed him. Such was the power of the Shaper’s harp” (Gardner 51). The ‘power’ of the Shaper’s songs, full of creatively crafted words, emphasizes that the Shaper possesses the ultimate power to convince Grendel that he is created from darkness. The ‘darkness’ referred to in this statement represents the evil of humanity such as violence which serves as the primary reason for Grendel’s purpose to kill. Although Grendel is categorized into this evil since he’s a descendant of Cain, at this point, his actions do not embody qualities of evil. Grendel’s realization of the darkness within himself alters his perspective of his purpose in life as the creator of the world into a monster cursed by God into isolation. Grendel is easily convinced by the new knowledge provided by the Shaper due his lack of full maturity. In accordance to maturing teens, Grendel also has not completely transformed into an adult so is more facile to
Part of the development of a human being involves acquiring the ability to classify good and evil as well as distinguishing right from wrong. It has become an inherent trait that is invariably used in our everyday lives. In John Gardner’s novel, Grendel, the main character, Grendel, seeks to find the meaning of life. Through his journey, a depiction of the forces of good and evil is revealed. Aside from being a novel about the search for the meaning of life, Grendel also suggest society’s good and evil have a meaningful and imbalanced relationship where good prevails evil yet facing evil is still critical.
In Chapter 8, Grendel exclaims, “I’m a machine. Like all of you. Blood-lust and rage are my character,” (Gardner 123). This profound statement establishes a connection between Grendel and the ambiguous “you,” the reader. The monster, though he confesses to his wrongdoing, asserts that readers are no better than he. Countless bible verses reiterate this concept: “For all have sinned,” (Romans 3:23) “[Humans] are all. .impure with sin,” (Isaiah 64:6). Gardner’s reminder to readers of mankind’s predisposition to sin earns pity for the monster. He expands on these sympathies by describing the nature of Grendel’s lonely existence. “But there was one thing worse,” Grendel states after discovering the dragon’s charm, “no weapon could cut me,” (Gardner 75). In this moment, nihilism overcomes Grendel; if fighting poses no danger, it has no purpose, and neither does he. Any reader who has had an experience which challenged his or her values cannot help but feel empathetic towards the purposeless creature. Perhaps more piteous, however, is the suggestion that Grendel has no choice in being “the dark side. . the terrible race God cursed,” (Gardner 51). The dragon condemns Grendel as “the brute existent by which [humans] learn to define themselves,” telling him that it is worthless to better his character (Gardner 72). It is not until after
While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic Beowulf, one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. Scholars such as Herbert G. Wright claim that “the dragon, like the giant Grendel, is an enemy of mankind, and the audience of Beowulf can have entertained no sympathy for either the one or the other” (Wright, 4). However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is “something deeply human about the ‘monsters’” (Orchard, 29). While Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are indeed portrayed as evil and violent foes, there are parts within Beowulf that can also lead a reader to believe that the “monsters” may not be so monstrous after all. In fact, the author of Beowulf represents the “monsters” within the poem with a degree of moral ambivalence. This ambivalence ultimately evokes traces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these “monster” figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem.
There are many characters that are involved in the novel, Grendel by John Gardner, which have meaning and we can identify ourselves with them. For example, Grendel is the main character. I will be writing about Grendel because I think he is the most important character of this novel. I like Grendel because he seems like if he was human but, is really an intelligent monster who eats people. What I dislike about Grendel is that he observes people. I don’t like the fact that Grendel basically spies humans. Since, the author identifies the three stages in his live being: childhood, adulthood, and his battle with Beowulf. Grendel is characterized as innocence but, in the other hand as a monster. Grendel was big in size, and had the strength of many. But he was not brave at all. He is described as a large figure with the strength to pick up the weight of a grown man and consume him whole. 1 But, Grendel is shown as somewhat of a
Throughout the novel Grendel by John Gardner, the monster Grendel has many different encounters that change his view on the world. Whether it was through nihilism, existentialism, or idealism Grendel was influenced in many ways by all of them. The monster Grendel starts out as an existentialist, but morphs into a nihilist after he talks to the most nihilistic character in the book, the dragon. Influenced through nihilism, existentialism, and idealism Grendel is reshaped and sculpted into a new thing entirely.
Despite her evil actions, it is evident that there is less malice in her than Grendel and she is less of a symbol of pure evil than he is. For example, her attack on Heorot is somewhat appropriate and could be considered honorable by the standards of warrior culture, as it marks an attempt to avenge one’s son’s death. In fact, the motive for her attack is similar to Beowulf’s motive for his attack on her: avenging the death of a loved one. One of the most interesting aspects of Grendel’s mother’s attachment to this vengeance-demanding code that the warriors follow is that she is depicted as not entirely alien or monstrous. Her behavior is not only comprehensible but also justified. In other ways, however, Grendel and his mother are indeed portrayed as creatures from another world. One aspect of their difference from the humans portrayed in the poem is that Grendel’s strong parental figure is his mother rather
He is described as a monster, demon, and a fiend. Grendel has swift, hard claws, and enormous teeth that snatch the life out of his victims, which are numerous. This “shadow of death” not only kills; he drinks the blood of his prey. His forefather, Cain, was also known for this fiendish act. Just as Grendel is an outcast, so Cain was cast out of the Garden of Eden. To the Anglo-Saxons, the worst crime a person could commit was the crime of fratricide, the killing of one’s own brother. Their society and culture was structured around themes of brotherhood and kinship. The mead Hall, Herot, was a symbol of peace. It was a place where warriors gathered in a spirit of brotherhood and harmony to celebrate. Grendel was jealous and enraged by the festivities and the sound of laughter that he kept hearing while he was alone in his mere.
Dictionary.com defines evil as “the wicked or immoral part of someone or something.” Within the novel, Grendel by John Gardner evil is inescapable as this topic is discussed throughout the novel. Though the story holds a resemblance to its inspiration of the epic Beowulf in its portrayal of Grendel, it fails to highlight the underlying evil within the Anglo-Saxon’s and their values. Gardner’s novel reveals that evil is everywhere as it is seen in not only Grendel's but also in human lives and is presented in a more complex way than the epic as both have their own dark sides.
Grendal is known as a monster and portrays one of the many villains in the poem. He is referred to as the "guardian of his sins". Grendal depicts a heathen the physical image of man estranged from God. Basically, Grendal reflects a physical monster, an ogre who is hostile to humanity. Grendal’s constant visits to Hrothgar’s mead hall for bloody feasts made him feel powerful over God’s humanity. Unfortunately, the night Beowulf lies in wait for him, he assumes that his bloody feasts will continue and Grendal gives no attention to his method of attack. Grendal is then killed.
87-91). Hearing all the jubilation that he cannot share in makes Grendel bitter. Because nothing that can be done to make Grendel’s resentfulness subside, he “[wages] his lonely war, inflicting constant cruelties on the people, atrocious hurt” (ln. 164-166) to make himself feel better. Every day he finds satisfaction in killing and eating the men who fall asleep in the hall after they have drunk and partied the evening away. Causing harm to human society is Grendel’s means of compensating for his loneliness.