Literary Analysis Of Grendel By John Gardner

852 Words2 Pages

The British novelist Laurence Sterne inscribes how no one can understand the struggles of being torn by two opposing ideals with equal force at the same moment, except one who is in that position or dealing with that problem. Stern asserts that opposing forces plaguing a man can destroy his sanity. In the novel, Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel is the protagonist who deals with two conflicting ideas on how he should live his life. Throughout the novel, Grendel contemplates the meaning of life and seeks to discover the workings of the universe, observing how men interact with each other. One significant observation is one of the Shaper who is a storyteller who creates meaning out of life that Grendel longs for. As the story continues, Grendel …show more content…

The Shaper derives a meaning out of life, which Grendel longs for. The story first mentions the Shaper as a blind man’s arrival at Hrothgar’s hall, the place Grendel spends most of his time stalking. His presence in the hall causes a sense of empowerment and pride in their race to the Hrothgar men. He is able to tell the men a history of their ancestors and bring a sense of harmony to the people. “They would seize the oceans, the farthest stars in Hrothgar’s name! Men wept like children; children sat stunned (43).” As a result of the Shaper’s encouragement, Hrothgar decided to build a hall that may become a symbol of his greatness and accomplishment, which will lead a legacy for his future generations. Not only did the Shaper produce this reaction from Hrothgar, he also converts Grendel to take on the idea that he is a monster, and encourages Hrothgar’s men to feel invincible. Grendel describes his conversion stating that he is a ridiculous creature to …show more content…

The Dragon gives logical advice to Grendel to stay clear of the humans because they bring no benefit to him. He explains to Grendel that he is not a magnificent creature, and that he is replaceable adding “if you withdraw, you’ll instantly be replaced (73).” He encourages Grendel to find a different meaning to life than terrorizing the humans, a purpose, such as finding sorting, and organizing treasures. “Do as I do! Seek out the gold – but not my gold- and guard it (62)”. When Grendel asks the Dragon his thoughts on the Shaper storytelling, the Dragon explains that the Shaper’s words are ridiculous and he provides an illusion of reality (65).”The Dragon counteracts Shaper’s ideals by repeating to Grendel the idea of collecting treasures, which would create a greater meaning and a more satisfied life. In the end the future cannot be changed and eventually everyone will die, “ashes to ashes and slime to slime, amen (73).” That Grendel should utilize the time he has while being alive to make an achievement that he can see, hold, and count. The Dragon advice portrays that irrespective of how Grendel feels upon killing the humans and playing a villain in the spectrum of life this deed is

Show More
Related

  • Existentialism In John Gardner's Grendel

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    “I wanted it, yes! Even if I must be the outcast,” (55). This is after Grendel has listened to the Shaper’s story about Cain and Abel. Grendel learns that he is the cursed descendant of Cain and is forever destined to be a monster. At first, he didn’t want to believe that is was true but after a while, he gladly accepted the role thus creating his own meaning. “I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings!” (80). This is when Grendel is experiencing his newfound invincibility to the humans and their weapons and he is tormenting them. After he visits the dragon in Chapter 5, Grendel has a renewed sense of confidence of who he is - which is a monster. In Chapter 6, he continues to terrorize the Danes and pursuing his monstrous desires. Grendel is acting upon his role as the monster because after speaking to the dragon, he realizes that nothing can stop

    Read More

  • Satire in John Gardner's Grendel

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    "The state is an organization of violence, a monopoly in what it is pleased to call legitimate violence (Gardner, 119)." This excerpt from John Gardner's Grendel shows one of the many issues he deals with in his satire of man, and that is the issue of the use of violence in society. Gardner shows this throughout the book, but most prominently in chapter eight, in which we learn of the arrival of Hrothulf, Hrothgar's nephew, at Herot.

    Read More

  • Comparing Spiritual Growth in Gardener's Grendel and Hesse's Siddhartha

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Grendel varies from the simple, childish tone of "'Why can't I have someone to talk to? The Shaper has people to talk to'" (53) to the dense philosophical metaphors and complex diction of Grendel's conversation with the dragon. Gardener gives Grendel a purposefully guileless voice to illustrate both the monster's feelings of lost youth as well as his progression into a more sentient being.

    Read More

  • Good vs. Evil in John Gardner's Grendel

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    Good vs. Evil in John Gardner's Grendel? & nbsp; John Gardner's novel Grendel gives the reader a new perspective on the classic "good vs. Evil" plot.  From the start of the book the reader can tell that there is something very unique about the narrator.  It is evident that the narrator is a very observant being that can express himself in a very poetic manner.  The story is one the reader has most likely seen before, the battle between the glorious thanes and the "evil" beast.  In this case, however, the "beast" is the eyes and ears of the. reader.  This, of course, forces the reader to analyze situations in the book in the same way that Grendel does.  By using this viewpoint, author allows his readers to see the other side of the coin.  Therefore, Throughout the course of the novel the reader is able to understand how important to Grendel in defining the human. & nbsp;           Grendel's first encounter with the human beings that he literally defines is not a pleasant one.  After accidentally trapping himself in a tree he is discovered by a group of thanes out on patrol.  Grendel expresses absolutely no hostile intentions towards these "ridiculous" (ch. 2). pp.24) creatures that "moved by clicks." (ch.2, pp.24)  The thanes do not understand what Grendel is and are very uneasy about the whole situation.

    Read More

  • John Gardner's Grendel: The Differences Between Good And Evil

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    Perhaps he would actually like to live a normal life with the humans. “Some evil inside myself pushed out into the trees, I knew what I knew, the mindless, mechanical bruteness of things, and when the harper’s lure drew my mind away from hopeful dreams, the dark of what was and always was reached out and snatched my feet.” (Gardner 54) It seems as though Grendel would like to change things if he could, but some outside force will not allow it. Even if this is true, Grendel is still inherently evil. Despite whatever dreams he may have. The reader simply cannot ignore the fact that he still does evil deeds with evil intentions. He is seemingly unable to feel love, or at least disinterested in it. He enjoys torturing and killing humans and rarely shows mercy. Due to these facts, it is impossible to say Grendel is a hero in this

    Read More

  • Examples Of Monomyth In Grendel

    883 Words  | 2 Pages

    Towards the end of the novel, Grendel finally becomes ‘himself’. Grendel is unable to decide what to make of himself and of the world surrounding him. He has only ever known the world as wild and mechanical, yet he is charmed by the artistic brilliance of the Shaper’s words. Grendel ultimately meets a brutal yet peaceful demise. Standing on the face of the same cliff he found himself in at the beginning of the novel, surrounded by mindless eyes, he states, “Poor Grendel’s had an accident.

    Read More

  • Literary Criticism In 'Grendel' By John Gardner

    1611 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout John Gardner’s Grendel, the audience bears witness to a creature who has been ostracized by the world around him. Throughout his journey, the stories protagonist tries to live out his own life the way he wants to, despite being labeled as evil by those around him. Due to this constant criticism by his peers, he develops an inferiority complex that he desperately tries to make up for as the story progresses. Throughout his development, Grendel very rapidly moves past his existentialist beginning, through a brief phase of forced skepticism, and into a severely nihilistic point of view.

    Read More

  • Free Grendel Essays: Social Commentary

    621 Words  | 2 Pages

    Authors often have to choose between concentrating on either plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in John Gardener's Grendel, the plot becomes is a secondary consideration.   Grendel's exploits provide the reader with a clear understanding of the strong opinions the author carries and can be seen clearly as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms. The reader easily perceives the blatant religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and the foolish faithful. The notion of the old being wise is unacceptable to Gardener along with any notion of hero idolization. Within his novel, Gardner expresses his views concerning religion, wisdom and nature.

    Read More

  • Perception Of Reality In John Gardner's Grendel

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    One thing that influences perception of reality that is initially explored in Grendel are words. This is demonstrated when Grendel secretly listens to the poem sung by the shaper, who is a blind court bard who sings poems with the harp, and sees how the people are

    Read More

  • Grendel And Beowulf: Humanizing The Monster

    833 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rudd cites various sections of the poem, describing Grendel as a “night-monster of the border lands” (Rudd 3), and the translation of the poem says that Grendel was, “...Conceived by a pair of those monsters born Of Cain, murderous creatures banished By God…” (Raffel 42). Rudd also gives evidence for Grendel being seen as demonic, and reasons that Grendel attacks the Danes out of “...not mere thirst for gore, as we might suspect… but rather… envy of the Danes’ happiness- and envy was a chief characteristic of the medieval devil.” (Ruud 5). He then ties this devilish persona to Grendel’s humanistic aspects, stating Grendel has a heathen soul, and therefore he must be human. Ruud also notes, however, that there are critics who question the validity of portraying Grendel as this three-sided figure, asking questions such as, “How can Grendel be a devil when he has a physical body? How can he be a man when he is so manifestly bestial?” (Ruud 7). Ruud believes that the original poet of Beowulf is doing this for effect rather than consistency, but a more reasonable explanation that encompasses all three characteristics is that Grendel represents the evil in

    Read More

  • Nihilism In 'Grendel' By John Gardner

    910 Words  | 2 Pages

    He seeked guidance from “The Dragon” however, it can be argued that The Dragon was never real, yet a figment of Grendel’s imagination. Many people would rather hear a comforting lie than a painful truth; thus, that is what Grendel was seeking. At first The Dragon tells Grendel his purpose is to be a monster. He tells him, “you are the brute existence by which they learn to define themselves” (73). This supports process philosophy because it states how everything in life is connected. Grendel must fulfill his role as the monster to give the humans their purpose. He continues to compare Grendel and mankind to a “mountain climber and the mountain” (73). Thus arguing a mountain climber would be nothing without a mountain just as mankind would be nothing without Grendel. Therefore, everything in life is connected and everything has a purpose. However, although The Dragon seems to be in support of process philosophy, he utters words of nihilism. When Grendel asks The Dragon, “but why” (72) he responds “Why? Why? Ridiculous question! Why anything?” (72) therefore there is no real purpose to life, there is no reason why. Grendel only hears what he wants to hear, which is the nihilistic aspect of The Dragon’s lesson. After this, he commits the ultimate act of nihilism and becomes a true monster. A goat is “climbing, mindless, mechanical, because it is the business of goats to climb” (139).

    Read More

  • John Gardner's Grendel Essay: A Problem Of Evil

    690 Words  | 2 Pages

    The concept of evil is difficult to understand, and varies from person to person. But generally evil can be defined as wickedness or lack of morals. Throughout history evil has always been prevalent, but to a varying degree and in different ways. Every person has an evil side to them, and to suppress that evil side, it is critical to attempt to understand it and how to prevent it. John Gardner’s Grendel, a novel about a murderous monster, examines the effects of evil philosophies and how positive philosophies can counteract those. The value of Grendel is showing the reader how the evil mind works and how to halt the evil that exists in every person.

    Read More

  • The Shaper And The Dragon In Beowulf

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    Someone once said, “stories can conquer fear. They can make the heart bigger.” In Grendel by John Gardner, the dragon represents immortal monsterhood and its lawlessness. The Shaper represents the mortality and noble pursuits of human culture. The Shaper and the dragon act as philosophically opposing forces in Grendel’s mind as he discovers how to define himself in relation to the rest of the world and explores the monumental power of stories.

    Read More

  • Grendel Responsible For The Death Of The Shaper

    540 Words  | 2 Pages

    Soon after the death of the Shaper, Grendel expresses his feelings to the reader, saying that he should have been responsible for the death of the Shaper. This point in time is critical, as Grendel has a realization of the ‘real’ world, which alters his Nihilistic view of the people and his surroundings. These words spoken by Grendel provide insight into how Grendel is ‘born again,’ the death of the Shaper contradicts Grendel’s Law; Grendel’s law follows a system of balance,

    Read More

  • Comparing the Act of Creation in Grendel and Frankenstein

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Grendel, nearly all of the characters are driven to shape the world to their ideas. Hrothgar spends his life crafting a government. Grendel's mother is described as loving her son "not for myself, my holy specialness, but for my son-ness, my displacement of air as visible proof of her power (138)." Both Grendel and the Shaper constantly seek the ability to reshape reality with words. While they have differing motives, all of these acts of creation give power and significance to the creator. As Baby Grendel desperately convinces himself, it is the act of observing and commenting on what is outside that makes one real: "I understood that, finally ...

    Read More

More about Literary Analysis Of Grendel By John Gardner

Open Document