Beowulf and Grendel

A detailed Summary of Beowulf and Grendel


John Gardner's Grendel gives the character Grendel a personality beyond what is described in the epic Beowulf. The descriptions in this reading outline the emotional characteristics of this creature. The work Grendel fulfills its goal of making Grendel seem more human; however, it falls short of one accomplishment. Regardless of the positive description in the text, Grendel's actions against society, which he committed in the work Beowulf, are certainly not justified.

Grendel is decisively evil in the work Beowulf. He is solely described as a bloodthirsty murderer. "He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowingly in their beds and ran out with their bodies, the blood dripping behind him, back to his lair, delighted with his night's slaughter" (Beowulf 14). This is


Gardner's Grendel clearly does not justify these ferocious killings. In fact, this novel mentions that Grendel finds his barbarous war against humanity pointless and foolish. "...the season is upon us. And so begins the twelfth year of my idiotic war. The pain of it! The Stupidity!" (Gardner 5). Grendel has no desire to kill the people. He does not seem to have a reason for killing them either. Sometimes, people will act on an impulse and do things they do not really want to do. However, they always have some sort of reason to defend themselves. "Pointless, ridiculous monster crouched in the shadows, stinking of dead men, murdered children, martyred cows. (I am neither proud nor ashamed, understand. One more dull victim, leering at seasons that never were meant to be observed)" (Gardner 6). Grendel does not eve

Some common words found in the essay are:
Gardner's Grendel, Stupidity Gardner, gardner's grendel, gardner 8,

Approximate Word count = 559
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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