Grendel's Change In The Awakening

As Grendel dies, he whispers the words, “ Poor Grendel’s had an accident, so may you all” (Gardner 174). I believe that this is a blessing because throughout the story, it is clear that he has fundamentally changed. Although he does not like society, he is not wishing death upon them, rather he is wishing “an accident”. Moreover, it seems that Grendel has finally understand his change as death draws near, when he sees “cold, sharp outlines, everything around me: distinct, detached as dead men. I understand” (172). He sees the harshness of reality. Grendel has changed, understanding that his search for whatever meaning there was in the world, was essentially and ironically meaningless. This is because his true role was something else and he

sees it clearly in those vivid “sharp outlines” around him. Unfortunately, reality had never been a stranger to cruelty and as he finally understands, he panics even more so and calls for his mother, which he seems to always do when he finds himself in very distressful situations, partly due to the harshness of reality. Also, just before his last words, Grendel asks himself, “is it joy I feel?” (Gardner 173). He appears to be happy to be experience his last few moments alive as animals gather around him. So why would he curse mankind or the animals that gathered to see him. When he says his last words, he means that he blesses an accident upon mankind and the animals so that they can finally understand and change fundamentally as he did. If Grendel is cursing them, he has not become a dynamic character at all and has stayed static. Consequently, his death makes everything clear to him, hence why there is a motif of clarity such as “sight clears” and “sharp outlines” (Gardner 172-173)