Essay about A Comparison of Beowulf and Grendel - 935 Words

The story of Beowulf is a heroic epic chronicling the illustrious deeds of the great Geatish warrior Beowulf, who voyages across the seas to rid the Danes of an evil monster, Grendel, who has been wreaking havoc and terrorizing the kingdom. Beowulf is glorified for his heroic deeds of ridding the land of a fiendish monster and halting its scourge of evil while the monster is portrayed as a repugnant creature who deserves to die because of its evil actions. In the epic poem, Beowulf the authors portrays Grendel as a cold-hearted beast who thrives on the pain of others. Many have disagreed with such a simplistic and biased representation of Grendel and his role in the epic poem. John Gardner in his book, Grendel set out to change the†¦show more content†¦Grendel, is thus seen as the descendant of an individual who epitomizes resentment and malice in Beowulf. The author states Grendel lives in exile and is seen as â€Å"mankind’s enemy†(Raffel, 22). Grendel is the representation of all that is evil and he is declared to be the â€Å"shepherd of evil and the â€Å"guardian of crime†(Raffel, 33) by the Danes in Beowulf. The author describes Grendel to be an evil, cruel, apathetic creature who’s pleasure lies in attacking and devouring Hrothgar’s men. The author describes Grendel’s malice by painting a gruesome picture of Grendel’s countless attacks on the mead hall in which he exhibits Grendel as a heartless, greedy, and violent being who mercilessly murders the men at the mead hall by tearing them apart, cutting their body into bits and drinking the blood from their veins. The author describes Grendel’s greed by stating Grendel’s thoughts were as â€Å"quick as his greed or his claws†(Raffel, 21). He describes Grendel’s as having eyes that â€Å"gleamed in the darkness and burned with a gruesome light†, swift hard claws and great sharp teeth which paints a picture of Gren del’s frightening appearance in the reader’s mind. In contrast to the traditional story of Beowulf, Grendel in John Gardner’s novel, Grendel is not depicted as a monster but as an intelligent creature capable of human thought, feelings and speech. John Gardner portrays Grendel as an outcastShow MoreRelatedGrendel And Beowulf Comparison1192 Words   |  5 Pagesbest people I know and someone I strive to be more like. Is my Daddy like the hero Beowulf or the monster Grendel? The answer can be found by comparing my Daddy, Beowulf, and Grendel on their character, actions, and the impact they have on others. A persons character says a lot about them, in a way it is what defines them. Your character is what you are known for. Beowulf, a fictional hero in the epic poem, â€Å"Beowulf† is perceived to be a very noble, honorable, good man. No, man would not do justiceRead MoreGrendel vs. Beowulf Comparison901 Words   |  4 Pagestranslation of Beowulf and John Gardner’s Grendel. Both novels are based on the idea of Beowulf killing Grendel. However, the two different points of view telling the story create vastly different novels. Beowulf highlights the heroic and positive world in which Beowulf lives. Whereas Grendel elucidates on the miserable life that Grendel is circumscribed to. The consistent variance in tone skews the events in two completely different directions. The tone between Beowulf and Grendel differ in perceptionRead MoreThe Characters And Comparison Of Beowulf And Grendel747 Words   |  3 PagesSympathetically connecting to Grendel In the both works, Beowulf and Grendel, Grendel is portrayed in different matters.The setting of the works take place in the Anglo-Saxon time period, which was present from the years 450- 1056, and the works introduce phenomenal characters. Beowulf, is a Geatish warrior, casts to Denmark to extinguish the danger that roams through the city, saving the people from the hideous creature. Being described as a brave, courageous,and effective, to protect the humansRead MoreA Comparison of Grendel in Beowulf and John Gardners Grendel 739 Words   |  3 PagesIn both works, Beowulf and Grendel, Grendel himself is generally given the same connotations. He is given kennings, called names, referred to as the evil spawn of Cain, and even viewed as a monster; but why? Why in both books is he a wicked, horrible, person who is harshly excluded from everyone? After stumbling upon John Gardners book, it was halfway expected that some excuse would be made for Grendel; that he wasnt really the in exorable monster the thanes in Beowulf portrayed him as. 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The epic Beowulf blurs the lines between what it means to be a hero and villain through the manifestation of an â€Å"evil twin† story between Beowulf and Grendel. Word choice plays a large role in regards to how a characterRead MoreTheme Of Hypocrisy In Beowulf1437 Words   |  6 Pagescorrespond with those standards. The theme of hypocrisy can be detected within the epic poem Beowulf. In this lengthy poem, the Danes are being terrorised by a demon named Grendel. Upon hearing of the Danes predicament, Beowulf, a Geat hero sets out with fourteen other men to help the Danes. All fourteen of them travel across the sea till they reach Denmark, the home of the Danes. Here the monster Grendel has killed and stolen the lives of many. 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During the story, Beowulf fights three beasts: Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and a Dragon. With the strength of 30 men in each hand grip, magical weapons, and the support of Wiglaf, his right hand man, Beowulf is able to defeat all three beasts, butRead MoreBeowulf : A Modern Epic Hero1595 Words   |  7 Pagesin society. Majority of heroes have superhuman abilities compared to abilities of gods’. In the story of Beowulf, readers get to see a young audacious hero show the abilities of loyalty, wisdom, and physical strength. As I read the story, I saw that Beowulf matures into a man who doesn’t simply upkeep about individual magnificence and integrity but cares about his society as a leader. Beowulf is compared to a modern epic hero because he is fighting for a goo d cause, rewarded for doing the right thing