It’s really interesting seeing inside a character’s head when they are embroiled in an old story. The fact that this is the point of view of a character with next to no “screen time” in the original tale shows that this alternate POV must have been much more work than something like the Penelopiad, where the main character actually has a personality. Here, the author must not reinterpret a character but essentially make one up for Grendel. I love how Grendel is written, not hating men specifically (not yet at least) but being sort of grumpy at the whole world and everything in it. The way he describes going into town and slaughtering in the meadhall is almost banal, like he is going grocery shopping. It’s just something he does.
While reading Beowulf, Grendel was cast as the villain. He was the demon in the hills that haunted men's dreams and the monster children were told to beware. He was more than just a simple nuisance. He would ruthlessly kill hundreds and drag them down to the bottom of his toxic mere. He was a nightmare until he came to his untimely demise at the hands of the great Beowulf. As I was reading the final fight scene, which ultimately resulted in the murder of the beast, I could not help it but feel sorry for Grendel. He died in the process of trying to break free and get away from the hero. "... the infamous killer fought for his freedom, wanting no flesh but retreat, desiring nothing but escape; his claws had been caught, he was trapped..." Although it created an amazing battle scene, it was depressing to read about how Grendel simply wanted to run and escape, but he instead died. To me this was a rather unsettling finish to Grendel's tale but thanks to John Gardner he provides a new life and perspective to the demon Grendel. In the book Grendel, we witness the beast, Grendel, as the grumpy monster with social and mother issues. Being depressed with his life and the entire world, he can only find satisfaction in killing the celebrating men in king Hrothgar's hall. I find Grendel to be absolutely hilarious with his depression and hatred towards others; he is quite the drama queen. "...I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It's mostly fake)..." I think this is amazing; Grendel is acting like an upset teenage girl. It seems that there is some deeper meaning and hatred inside Grendel, that he is upset because others do not accept him. For now, Grendel seems to be a dark cloud of grey and gloom and I believe that we are going to be taken on a long ride, making us only love this monster more.
While reading Grendel, I realized how misunderstood Grendel is in Beowulf. Grendel is simple a over dramatic monster. Know one seems to understand him. In the beginning while reading Beowulf i thought Grendel was the bad guy but no one understands what he is going through. With his crazy mom and no real friends he is just a lonely monster looking for someone to talk to. ~Grace
If I were to have met Grendel, I would feel bad for him. He does not feel or comfortable in his own skin. He even scares himself. He is often attempting to be virtuous in his own way by distancing himself from the goat that he bellows at. He has no one to speak to because his own mother can not or will not speak to him. He also is friendless and does not even know if there really is anyone living in the heavens, watching over him. Through all this, he is scared and confused and has no one to speak or help him in his quest to discover himself.
I am shocked to see this more sensitive side of the supposed demon Grendal! In Beowulf he was depicted as a murderous hell spawn trying to do nothing but terrorize the king and his people. I am now interested to see what Grendals adventures hold for him in the next chapters. I also think he is quite dramatic, and a bit over excessive with his hate and dislike for all animals and men alike. I feel bad for this misunderstood monster, due to the fact that he doesn't mean to be scary, he even wants to be more chivalrous like a man, an not to be a mindless killing machine that previous story tellers have made him out to be. I applaud this behemoth of a being for his as we take a trip inside of the not so revenues monster everyone sees as a cold blooded killer. I cannot wait to see when Grendal discovers who he is and his place in this strange and awkward world he live in.
When reading Grendel the impression that I have of him is that he is very sensitive and could be a good monster if he tried. He knows that he is a hideous monster, and most animals run away from him. This may cause him to be depressed ninety-nine percent of the time because he can’t do anything about it. Grendel is a really lonely, so he ends up talking to his shadow. I think Grendel being lonely might have to do with the fact that he is impatient, and gets frustrated very easily. For example he gets very frustrated with things that make a lot of noise like birds, or simply something that has no reaction like a ram or a tree stump. So when he does get frustrated he gets mad and destroys nature or kills things. If Grendel were probably exposed to different things like humans at a young age he would be friendlier to them and not annoyed by them. -Anaid Garcia
Having Grendel’s point of view gives me reasons to feel bad for this supposed monster who only wants to kill and eat everything. The book descriptively explains how depressed Grendel is about this life he was given. Poor Grendel is seen as this curse, who is said to be disgusting and an unwanted creature by all humans and animals. He, himself even says that he is a, “pointless, ridiculous monster crouched in the shadows, stinking of dead men”. I feel deep sorrow for not only the way he is treated, but also by how much he hates every living thing. He has no one to talk to since his mother has lost the ability to speak because of some unknown secret she has kept from him about their life. All in all, this book has opened my eyes to see Grendel in a completely new and different way.
The first chapter of Grendel hooks the reader from the very start. Unlike the story of Beowolf, Grendel is much more flowing, easy to read. There are several things you notice right off the bat when reading Grendel. It is written as a novel, where Beowolf was recorded in verse. The main character is Grendel (obviously), and it is told in first person. You quickly get the sense that Grendel is insane. The whole first chapter consists of Grendel yelling at a ram, talking to himself, complaining about his mother, killing and eating people, talking to himself some more, and threatening the mountains. In the telling of Beowolf, the “monsta” Grendel is played off as an evil, malevolent demon who is bloodthirsty and his sole purpose in life is to eat people. In John Gardner’s Grendel, he sheds new light upon the complexities of Grendel’s life as a whole, and the vastness of what goes through his mind constantly. In this book, you get to experience much more than a bloodthirsty “monsta.”
In Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed as a murderous demon and that deserves no description or story. He is simply seen as a curse that terrorizes the whole town with no purpose other than to murder. Even though he is seen to all as vicious and vile, it is hard not to feel bad for him when his arm gets trapped in the door, ripped off, and he runs back home where he later dies. John Gardner did an excellent job describing the reasons for Grendel’s actions. He describes how Grendel feels about himself and how he thinks others see him. In Grendel it is stated that Grendel not only scares others but also himself. He is deeply depressed by his life and only has his shadow to talk to since his mother refuses to talk to him. Although Grendel is a bit overdramatic most of his emotion seems real. Grendel is always grumpy not only towards men but towards the world. Killing men in Hrothgar’s hall is the only relief he gets. He does not kill just to kill, but kills because it helps him release his rage and depression even if it is only for a moment. John Gardner makes you see the world from the beast’s perspective and really makes you feel bad for the monster since he lives in constant depression and anger. Grendel makes you start to like the supposed curse.
While reading the first chapter of Grendel, I kept in mind a brief description of who he was. He was a notorious monster that has bothered Hrothgar's kingdom for twelve winters. He was a lonely beast who lived with his mother and barely knew anything about the world outside of his underground home. In Beowulf, we knew little about Grendel, only that he was a monster that bothered the people. In this book, we know much more about him, where he lives, what he does, how he acts, etc. It seems to me that he is sad monster whose emotion is easily triggered because he is lonely and has no one to talk to and to learn from besides his mother. If he communicated with other people, I think he would be kind to the people. Unfortunately, he was unable to do that because he was different from the rest. I do not blame Grendel for acting like this… -Nathan
After reading Chapter 1, I’ve realized Grendel is just another victim of unfair judgement. He has reasons for his behavior and those go unnoticed by those who think the worst of him. He has proven how negatively someone’s life can be affected when you have nobody to care for you. John Gardner did a good job of clearly establishing the feelings of hatred he has for himself and feelings others have showed to have towards him. Grendel serves as an example of how depressing loneliness can be and how it can lead to a life of confusion and sadness. It seems to be he has built up anger that in the end has only caused him more grief and isolation. To me, it is clear he has issues and is not emotionally or mentally stable but I can understand why it is so. This chapter gives an eye opening perspective and proves behind a depressed scary being there are things that have added up to actions of anger. You give what you get, and Grendel only know how to convey signs of hatred and loneliness because throughout his life that’s all he’s received. - Stephanie Medina
Since the very beginning of this chapter it is hard not to have sympathetic feelings toward Grendel. This totally differs from the original tale, Beowulf where Grendel is described as being a hideous monster that murders people horrendously non stop. Without any attention or friendly feelings from anyone, it makes sense why Grendel can get so destructive and frustrated at times. I think another misportrayed characteristic of Grendel is the fact that he enjoyed killing multiple men from the mead hall. In his narration of the story after he kills the people he seems apologetic to them afterwards. For these reasons I feel bad for Grendel not only because he seems semi nice and is treated poorly, but also because he isn't surrounded/exposed to a more accepting environment.
I think Grendel is a much more complex character than he is given credit for in Beowulf, which we discover by reading only a few pages into the book entitled Grendel. We can see that he has many different layers, some unknown to him but apparent to the reader, that make up a bipolar identity. His mood shifts constantly, as well as his thoughts on the world around him. Grendel’s description of nature is both beautiful and haunting, when he is in one of his better moods. Any other time, his view of himself and everything else is bleak.
He seems to just be going through the motions, apparently for as long as twelve years, and it appears to have taken a toll on him. He is obviously lonely, unsure of where he stands in this world, and having an inner battle with himself to discover who he is. All and all, this makes him a relatable, lovable, and pitiful guy—aside from all the murder he commits, of course.
I would say his main personality trait is unassertiveness, as he cannot seem to find where he fits in with the balance of the universe. He does not feel at home at home with his mother or even in his own body. He cannot find himself fitting in with the animals that dwell around his home—he does not feel superior to them, but considers them mindless creatures, discards them as below himself subconsciously. Grendel takes little joy from attacking Heorot Hall, and it is short-lived. When he steps up and over this little rise in his otherwise meaningless rut, he is back to wallowing in sorrow.
I find him overall to be a relatable character, because often a time we all find ourselves stuck in a rut and unsure of where we go from here and why.
Once I finished the first chapter of Grendel, my view of Grendel changed. In Beowulf we see him as a just a monster who wrecks the hall and makes a mess of things. In the book Grendel, we learn that He is lonely, outcast, and hated among everyone. What really got me was when Grendel explains that he is “holding conversation with the only friend and comfort this world affords, my shadow.”(Page, 8) As the reader you realize that Grendel has no one in his life and is rejected by everyone. As I got to know him better in chapter one, you become aware of the fact that Grendel wrecks the hall not just because he is a monster; it's really due to his jealousy, of not being able to feel accepted or part of a community. Reading just this first chapter, you can already feel sympathy for Grendel, in my opinion. The book's writing style feels very descriptive and detailed. At this early stage, I cannot tell whether I like the book Beowulf or the book Grendel better, bult I am enjoying Grendel's point of view so far. ~Flynn Tierney
Yes he is complex, yes this book is set up to give us a whole different look on life and philosophy and blah de blah de blah. But it feels like mr author is trying too hard to make this journey into the depths of philosophy and perspective of reality fun. Lets face it, philosophy should not be fun (well, unless you enjoy looking at stuff reeeeaaally hard for a reaaaaaalllly long time). Also, it feels downright wrong to do a satirical look on an exiled monster who is virtually alone all his life, it only magnifies the depression he carries throughout his terrible life.
Grendel may or may not be insane. As portrayed by John Gardener, he seems to not only have sporadic mood swings but also seems to be under deep psychological strain from either living so long or from almost complete isolation. According to Grendel, his only friend is his shadow and he often has suicidal thoughts as shown when he stands at the brink of the chasms. Grendel is shown fighting with animals and other life like trees and often giving them personalities therefore trying to make up for the lack of companionship in his life. While there are many examples of dark comedy in this first chapter it is clear Grendel is a cynical, sadistic beast that suffers from some sort of psychological disorder.
Dear Amy, This is a day late just so you know! Grendel is not the monster I would imagine him after seeing the movie and reading the book Beowulf by Seamus Heaney. In the book by John Gardner, Grendel is a drama queen more than he is a monster. Grendel seems to be more knowledgable as described in Beowulf. Unlike the description of Grendel from Beowulf, Grendel is viewing the value and meaning of life while he observes animals in the forest. Grendel tells us he is jealous of any animal living in innocence, and wants to live a life of freedom without observing things around him. It is sad and makes me depressed, when Grendel tells us he had his shadow as his only friend. And every time he would walk in the forest, he would alarm the other animals. He admits he used to take pride in it, but as he grew older he could not stop feeling alone. And what makes Grendel mad is when humans have their desire to make sense of things that do not exist. Grendel in the book by John Gardner appears more scared than he is depicted as horrifying or terrifying. Grendel is afraid of the sound of his loud voice in the dark. So, as in the beginning of the book in Beowulf, Grendel arrive in Hrothgar's Hall to eat some human flesh. After gorging himself on the humans and creating destruction to Hrothgar's Hall, Grendel walks back only to be filled with even more gloom again. Because he is alone again. Perhaps, Grendel isn' the scary monster as described in Beowulf, in this book, he is shown to actually have feelings. And the reason he feels gloom is because he wants company and someone to talk to. Therefore, Grendel is still the monster that wreaks havoc, but he is described to be human in Grendel. In conclusion, maybe Grendel isn't as bad as you think he is.
2. This book is very good and has so far not disappointed. I feel sorry for Grendel because I see even as a monster, he still relies on his mother’s protection from things out of his comfort zone. I could felt his terror and sorrow when the bull rushed him. I really enjoy this writes take on Grendel’s emotions when he is trapped and calling for his mother. He calls to her such as a child would call to a parent asking desperately for attention. Sadly, his mother did not hear his cries for help and he hung in that tree for a long time, having blood slowly trickle down his leg and his life force being slowly drained away. He is also shown with the knowledge to communicate which really surprise me! He understands everything they say, but can only reply with a groan and a growl much like the animal he is trying not to become. ~Ben
In the first chapter of Grendel, John Gardner reveals a more complex side of Grendel's character and personality. While his actions as a ruthless killer are still portrayed as truly cruel and vicious, Grendel is sympathized for being for being an unhappy, lonely, neglected, and indignant creature, imprisoned by his unfortunate fate. Opposite to his description in "Beowulf" as a mindless, instinct-driven beast, he is portrayed by Gardner as possessing the consciousness and reasoning of a human being. He questions the origins of his own existence, and seeks to further understand the nature of reality and what his observations of nature mean. This brings him to resent other animals he encounters in the forest because they are mindless and live life without observing it. Grendel is described to have lived in his secluded cave alongside his mother for centuries, or even millennia. Since his mother sleeps in the den for the majority of the day, Grendel is left alone and friendless as he enters into the outside world. Other creatures he encounters are too frightened of his hideous and monstrous appearance to seek his friendship. For food he generally catches domesticated cattle that are fat and trapped in their pens. Because he has lived this way for his entire life, with no change, new interest, company, or the little excitement he has beyond eating, I can understand why Grendel chooses to kill and feast upon Hrothgar's men in the mead hall. This is something new and exciting for him. It brings him a momentary feeling of happiness, because he has removed himself from the lonely boredom of his repetitive, millennia-old life. It also seems that Grendel has a malicious perception of the humans, and is constantly angry with his current state of living. It is possible the Grendel is jealous of Hrothgar, and first sought out to kill humans as a result of his hatred. I anticipate more explanations behind Grendel’s motives in future chapters. After all, he acts for a reason, not out of blind instinct. -Daivd
After reading at least part of the two books, i can say that by telling the same story twice from a different perspective, the author completely changes the atmosphere of the read. In Beowulf, it comes off as a more triumphant tale because the author tells it from the perspective of the Nordic men who constantly strive to prove themselves as valiant warriors. While in Grendel, the story is more of a disheartening, dark-humored tale as you follow the daily life of this disconsolate monster, who trudges through life as if it were a Louisiana swamp. -julian
The second chapter introduced a new relationship that is an important one in Grendel's life- his relationship with his malodorous, corpulent blob of a mother. Although the senses despise the encounters they experience while being near her hideous self, under that heinous blob, dwells a heart that is only complete with her monstrous boy. We yet again accompany Grendel as he struggles through life, thinking his way into a hole as he always does. With repetition, Grendel continues to express with concupiscent thought of how he yearns to be relieved of his consciousness and be metamorphosed into one of the animals that constantly flee from him. As i read further, i dig deeper into the mind of Grendel, becoming aware of the constant demoralization he bears through. -julian
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ReplyDeleteamy
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ReplyDeleteamy
It’s really interesting seeing inside a character’s head when they are embroiled in an old story. The fact that this is the point of view of a character with next to no “screen time” in the original tale shows that this alternate POV must have been much more work than something like the Penelopiad, where the main character actually has a personality. Here, the author must not reinterpret a character but essentially make one up for Grendel. I love how Grendel is written, not hating men specifically (not yet at least) but being sort of grumpy at the whole world and everything in it. The way he describes going into town and slaughtering in the meadhall is almost banal, like he is going grocery shopping. It’s just something he does.
ReplyDelete-George
While reading Beowulf, Grendel was cast as the villain. He was the demon in the hills that haunted men's dreams and the monster children were told to beware. He was more than just a simple nuisance. He would ruthlessly kill hundreds and drag them down to the bottom of his toxic mere. He was a nightmare until he came to his untimely demise at the hands of the great Beowulf. As I was reading the final fight scene, which ultimately resulted in the murder of the beast, I could not help it but feel sorry for Grendel. He died in the process of trying to break free and get away from the hero. "... the infamous killer fought for his freedom, wanting no flesh but retreat, desiring nothing but escape; his claws had been caught, he was trapped..." Although it created an amazing battle scene, it was depressing to read about how Grendel simply wanted to run and escape, but he instead died. To me this was a rather unsettling finish to Grendel's tale but thanks to John Gardner he provides a new life and perspective to the demon Grendel. In the book Grendel, we witness the beast, Grendel, as the grumpy monster with social and mother issues. Being depressed with his life and the entire world, he can only find satisfaction in killing the celebrating men in king Hrothgar's hall. I find Grendel to be absolutely hilarious with his depression and hatred towards others; he is quite the drama queen. "...I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It's mostly fake)..." I think this is amazing; Grendel is acting like an upset teenage girl. It seems that there is some deeper meaning and hatred inside Grendel, that he is upset because others do not accept him. For now, Grendel seems to be a dark cloud of grey and gloom and I believe that we are going to be taken on a long ride, making us only love this monster more.
ReplyDelete~Shelby
While reading Grendel, I realized how misunderstood Grendel is in Beowulf. Grendel is simple a over dramatic monster. Know one seems to understand him. In the beginning while reading Beowulf i thought Grendel was the bad guy but no one understands what he is going through. With his crazy mom and no real friends he is just a lonely monster looking for someone to talk to.
ReplyDelete~Grace
If I were to have met Grendel, I would feel bad for him. He does not feel or comfortable in his own skin. He even scares himself. He is often attempting to be virtuous in his own way by distancing himself from the goat that he bellows at. He has no one to speak to because his own mother can not or will not speak to him. He also is friendless and does not even know if there really is anyone living in the heavens, watching over him. Through all this, he is scared and confused and has no one to speak or help him in his quest to discover himself.
ReplyDelete~Adam
I am shocked to see this more sensitive side of the supposed demon Grendal! In Beowulf he was depicted as a murderous hell spawn trying to do nothing but terrorize the king and his people. I am now interested to see what Grendals adventures hold for him in the next chapters. I also think he is quite dramatic, and a bit over excessive with his hate and dislike for all animals and men alike. I feel bad for this misunderstood monster, due to the fact that he doesn't mean to be scary, he even wants to be more chivalrous like a man, an not to be a mindless killing machine that previous story tellers have made him out to be. I applaud this behemoth of a being for his as we take a trip inside of the not so revenues monster everyone sees as a cold blooded killer. I cannot wait to see when Grendal discovers who he is and his place in this strange and awkward world he live in.
ReplyDelete~Ben Moseley
When reading Grendel the impression that I have of him is that he is very sensitive and could be a good monster if he tried. He knows that he is a hideous monster, and most animals run away from him. This may cause him to be depressed ninety-nine percent of the time because he can’t do anything about it. Grendel is a really lonely, so he ends up talking to his shadow. I think Grendel being lonely might have to do with the fact that he is impatient, and gets frustrated very easily. For example he gets very frustrated with things that make a lot of noise like birds, or simply something that has no reaction like a ram or a tree stump. So when he does get frustrated he gets mad and destroys nature or kills things. If Grendel were probably exposed to different things like humans at a young age he would be friendlier to them and not annoyed by them.
ReplyDelete-Anaid Garcia
Having Grendel’s point of view gives me reasons to feel bad for this supposed monster who only wants to kill and eat everything. The book descriptively explains how depressed Grendel is about this life he was given. Poor Grendel is seen as this curse, who is said to be disgusting and an unwanted creature by all humans and animals. He, himself even says that he is a, “pointless, ridiculous monster crouched in the shadows, stinking of dead men”. I feel deep sorrow for not only the way he is treated, but also by how much he hates every living thing. He has no one to talk to since his mother has lost the ability to speak because of some unknown secret she has kept from him about their life. All in all, this book has opened my eyes to see Grendel in a completely new and different way.
ReplyDelete- Metztli Garcia
The first chapter of Grendel hooks the reader from the very start. Unlike the story of Beowolf, Grendel is much more flowing, easy to read. There are several things you notice right off the bat when reading Grendel. It is written as a novel, where Beowolf was recorded in verse. The main character is Grendel (obviously), and it is told in first person. You quickly get the sense that Grendel is insane. The whole first chapter consists of Grendel yelling at a ram, talking to himself, complaining about his mother, killing and eating people, talking to himself some more, and threatening the mountains. In the telling of Beowolf, the “monsta” Grendel is played off as an evil, malevolent demon who is bloodthirsty and his sole purpose in life is to eat people. In John Gardner’s Grendel, he sheds new light upon the complexities of Grendel’s life as a whole, and the vastness of what goes through his mind constantly. In this book, you get to experience much more than a bloodthirsty “monsta.”
ReplyDelete~Malcolm
In Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed as a murderous demon and that deserves no description or story. He is simply seen as a curse that terrorizes the whole town with no purpose other than to murder. Even though he is seen to all as vicious and vile, it is hard not to feel bad for him when his arm gets trapped in the door, ripped off, and he runs back home where he later dies. John Gardner did an excellent job describing the reasons for Grendel’s actions. He describes how Grendel feels about himself and how he thinks others see him. In Grendel it is stated that Grendel not only scares others but also himself. He is deeply depressed by his life and only has his shadow to talk to since his mother refuses to talk to him. Although Grendel is a bit overdramatic most of his emotion seems real. Grendel is always grumpy not only towards men but towards the world. Killing men in Hrothgar’s hall is the only relief he gets. He does not kill just to kill, but kills because it helps him release his rage and depression even if it is only for a moment. John Gardner makes you see the world from the beast’s perspective and really makes you feel bad for the monster since he lives in constant depression and anger. Grendel makes you start to like the supposed curse.
ReplyDelete-Isabella McCormick
While reading the first chapter of Grendel, I kept in mind a brief description of who he was. He was a notorious monster that has bothered Hrothgar's kingdom for twelve winters. He was a lonely beast who lived with his mother and barely knew anything about the world outside of his underground home. In Beowulf, we knew little about Grendel, only that he was a monster that bothered the people. In this book, we know much more about him, where he lives, what he does, how he acts, etc. It seems to me that he is sad monster whose emotion is easily triggered because he is lonely and has no one to talk to and to learn from besides his mother. If he communicated with other people, I think he would be kind to the people. Unfortunately, he was unable to do that because he was different from the rest. I do not blame Grendel for acting like this… -Nathan
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Chapter 1, I’ve realized Grendel is just another victim of unfair judgement. He has reasons for his behavior and those go unnoticed by those who think the worst of him. He has proven how negatively someone’s life can be affected when you have nobody to care for you. John Gardner did a good job of clearly establishing the feelings of hatred he has for himself and feelings others have showed to have towards him. Grendel serves as an example of how depressing loneliness can be and how it can lead to a life of confusion and sadness. It seems to be he has built up anger that in the end has only caused him more grief and isolation. To me, it is clear he has issues and is not emotionally or mentally stable but I can understand why it is so. This chapter gives an eye opening perspective and proves behind a depressed scary being there are things that have added up to actions of anger. You give what you get, and Grendel only know how to convey signs of hatred and loneliness because throughout his life that’s all he’s received.
ReplyDelete- Stephanie Medina
Since the very beginning of this chapter it is hard not to have sympathetic feelings toward Grendel. This totally differs from the original tale, Beowulf where Grendel is described as being a hideous monster that murders people horrendously non stop. Without any attention or friendly feelings from anyone, it makes sense why Grendel can get so destructive and frustrated at times. I think another misportrayed characteristic of Grendel is the fact that he enjoyed killing multiple men from the mead hall. In his narration of the story after he kills the people he seems apologetic to them afterwards. For these reasons I feel bad for Grendel not only because he seems semi nice and is treated poorly, but also because he isn't surrounded/exposed to a more accepting environment.
ReplyDeletethe last post was from me
Delete- Brendan
I think Grendel is a much more complex character than he is given credit for in Beowulf, which we discover by reading only a few pages into the book entitled Grendel. We can see that he has many different layers, some unknown to him but apparent to the reader, that make up a bipolar identity. His mood shifts constantly, as well as his thoughts on the world around him. Grendel’s description of nature is both beautiful and haunting, when he is in one of his better moods. Any other time, his view of himself and everything else is bleak.
ReplyDeleteHe seems to just be going through the motions, apparently for as long as twelve years, and it appears to have taken a toll on him. He is obviously lonely, unsure of where he stands in this world, and having an inner battle with himself to discover who he is. All and all, this makes him a relatable, lovable, and pitiful guy—aside from all the murder he commits, of course.
I would say his main personality trait is unassertiveness, as he cannot seem to find where he fits in with the balance of the universe. He does not feel at home at home with his mother or even in his own body. He cannot find himself fitting in with the animals that dwell around his home—he does not feel superior to them, but considers them mindless creatures, discards them as below himself subconsciously. Grendel takes little joy from attacking Heorot Hall, and it is short-lived. When he steps up and over this little rise in his otherwise meaningless rut, he is back to wallowing in sorrow.
I find him overall to be a relatable character, because often a time we all find ourselves stuck in a rut and unsure of where we go from here and why.
—Haven (a pseudonym)
Once I finished the first chapter of Grendel, my view of Grendel changed. In Beowulf we see him as a just a monster who wrecks the hall and makes a mess of things. In the book Grendel, we learn that He is lonely, outcast, and hated among everyone. What really got me was when Grendel explains that he is “holding conversation with the only friend and comfort this world affords, my shadow.”(Page, 8) As the reader you realize that Grendel has no one in his life and is rejected by everyone. As I got to know him better in chapter one, you become aware of the fact that Grendel wrecks the hall not just because he is a monster; it's really due to his jealousy, of not being able to feel accepted or part of a community. Reading just this first chapter, you can already feel sympathy for Grendel, in my opinion. The book's writing style feels very descriptive and detailed. At this early stage, I cannot tell whether I like the book Beowulf or the book Grendel better, bult I am enjoying Grendel's point of view so far.
ReplyDelete~Flynn Tierney
Quirky Grendel is Quirky.
ReplyDeleteYes he is complex, yes this book is set up to give us a whole different look on life and philosophy and blah de blah de blah. But it feels like mr author is trying too hard to make this journey into the depths of philosophy and perspective of reality fun. Lets face it, philosophy should not be fun (well, unless you enjoy looking at stuff reeeeaaally hard for a reaaaaaalllly long time). Also, it feels downright wrong to do a satirical look on an exiled monster who is virtually alone all his life, it only magnifies the depression he carries throughout his terrible life.
-Not Cameron
I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY IM NOT CAMERON
DeleteGrendel
ReplyDeleteGrendel may or may not be insane. As portrayed by John Gardener, he seems to not only have sporadic mood swings but also seems to be under deep psychological strain from either living so long or from almost complete isolation. According to Grendel, his only friend is his shadow and he often has suicidal thoughts as shown when he stands at the brink of the chasms. Grendel is shown fighting with animals and other life like trees and often giving them personalities therefore trying to make up for the lack of companionship in his life. While there are many examples of dark comedy in this first chapter it is clear Grendel is a cynical, sadistic beast that suffers from some sort of psychological disorder.
- Not Alex
Dear Amy,
ReplyDeleteThis is a day late just so you know!
Grendel is not the monster I would imagine him after seeing the movie and reading the book Beowulf by Seamus Heaney. In the book by John Gardner, Grendel is a drama queen more than he is a monster. Grendel seems to be more knowledgable as described in Beowulf. Unlike the description of Grendel from Beowulf, Grendel is viewing the value and meaning of life while he observes animals in the forest. Grendel tells us he is jealous of any animal living in innocence, and wants to live a life of freedom without observing things around him. It is sad and makes me depressed, when Grendel tells us he had his shadow as his only friend. And every time he would walk in the forest, he would alarm the other animals. He admits he used to take pride in it, but as he grew older he could not stop feeling alone. And what makes Grendel mad is when humans have their desire to make sense of things that do not exist. Grendel in the book by John Gardner appears more scared than he is depicted as horrifying or terrifying. Grendel is afraid of the sound of his loud voice in the dark. So, as in the beginning of the book in Beowulf, Grendel arrive in Hrothgar's Hall to eat some human flesh. After gorging himself on the humans and creating destruction to Hrothgar's Hall, Grendel walks back only to be filled with even more gloom again. Because he is alone again. Perhaps, Grendel isn' the scary monster as described in Beowulf, in this book, he is shown to actually have feelings. And the reason he feels gloom is because he wants company and someone to talk to. Therefore, Grendel is still the monster that wreaks havoc, but he is described to be human in Grendel. In conclusion, maybe Grendel isn't as bad as you think he is.
Sincerely,
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
Dylan Tsung
2. This book is very good and has so far not disappointed. I feel sorry for Grendel because I see even as a monster, he still relies on his mother’s protection from things out of his comfort zone. I could felt his terror and sorrow when the bull rushed him. I really enjoy this writes take on Grendel’s emotions when he is trapped and calling for his mother. He calls to her such as a child would call to a parent asking desperately for attention. Sadly, his mother did not hear his cries for help and he hung in that tree for a long time, having blood slowly trickle down his leg and his life force being slowly drained away. He is also shown with the knowledge to communicate which really surprise me! He understands everything they say, but can only reply with a groan and a growl much like the animal he is trying not to become.
ReplyDelete~Ben
In the first chapter of Grendel, John Gardner reveals a more complex side of Grendel's character and personality. While his actions as a ruthless killer are still portrayed as truly cruel and vicious, Grendel is sympathized for being for being an unhappy, lonely, neglected, and indignant creature, imprisoned by his unfortunate fate. Opposite to his description in "Beowulf" as a mindless, instinct-driven beast, he is portrayed by Gardner as possessing the consciousness and reasoning of a human being. He questions the origins of his own existence, and seeks to further understand the nature of reality and what his observations of nature mean. This brings him to resent other animals he encounters in the forest because they are mindless and live life without observing it. Grendel is described to have lived in his secluded cave alongside his mother for centuries, or even millennia. Since his mother sleeps in the den for the majority of the day, Grendel is left alone and friendless as he enters into the outside world. Other creatures he encounters are too frightened of his hideous and monstrous appearance to seek his friendship. For food he generally catches domesticated cattle that are fat and trapped in their pens. Because he has lived this way for his entire life, with no change, new interest, company, or the little excitement he has beyond eating, I can understand why Grendel chooses to kill and feast upon Hrothgar's men in the mead hall. This is something new and exciting for him. It brings him a momentary feeling of happiness, because he has removed himself from the lonely boredom of his repetitive, millennia-old life. It also seems that Grendel has a malicious perception of the humans, and is constantly angry with his current state of living. It is possible the Grendel is jealous of Hrothgar, and first sought out to kill humans as a result of his hatred. I anticipate more explanations behind Grendel’s motives in future chapters. After all, he acts for a reason, not out of blind instinct. -Daivd
ReplyDeleteAfter reading at least part of the two books, i can say that by telling the same story twice from a different perspective, the author completely changes the atmosphere of the read. In Beowulf, it comes off as a more triumphant tale because the author tells it from the perspective of the Nordic men who constantly strive to prove themselves as valiant warriors. While in Grendel, the story is more of a disheartening, dark-humored tale as you follow the daily life of this disconsolate monster, who trudges through life as if it were a Louisiana swamp.
ReplyDelete-julian
The second chapter introduced a new relationship that is an important one in Grendel's life- his relationship with his malodorous, corpulent blob of a mother. Although the senses despise the encounters they experience while being near her hideous self, under that heinous blob, dwells a heart that is only complete with her monstrous boy. We yet again accompany Grendel as he struggles through life, thinking his way into a hole as he always does. With repetition, Grendel continues to express with concupiscent thought of how he yearns to be relieved of his consciousness and be metamorphosed into one of the animals that constantly flee from him. As i read further, i dig deeper into the mind of Grendel, becoming aware of the constant demoralization he bears through.
ReplyDelete-julian