Grendel And Beowulf Comparison

Words: 584
Pages: 3
Open Document
In Beowulf, Grendel is a very steady character throughout the story. He is described as a descendent of Cain who killed his own brother thus becoming the first murderer. Cain’s motivations for the murder of Abel were jealousy and anger which strongly resemble what Grendel’s emotions throughout Grendel by John Gardner and what is hinted in the epic poem Beowulf. The creature in Frankenstein has similar emotions as well because like Grendel is rejected by society and yet they both earned to part of it. Frankenstein’s monster and Grendel are both neglected by their parents in some form or another and they are rejected by society because of conditions beyond their control. Finally, Grendel and Frankenstein’s creature do what is socially expected …show more content…
She only stared, troubled at my noise. She’d forgotten all language long ago, or maybe had never known any.”-(Gardner 28) John Gardner’s version of Grendel does have language that is similar to the human’s language while his mother does not know how to speak and only grunts. This leaves Grendel alone in his thoughts with no companion to speak to just like the nameless creature in Frankenstein. The creature has a similar situation with his own creator who abandons him and then expresses only disgust and hatred towards him with “But now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”-(Shelley) Grendel and Frankenstein’s creature have no one to speak to with an sympathic ear. This is how they are similar however Grendel’s mother does have affection for him and this is shown with physical gestures but Grendell often shows disdain towards her with his thoughts “the shiny-smooth span of packed dirt between us, and the shocking separateness from me in my mama's eyes. I would feel, all at once, alone and ugly, almost—as if I'd dirtied myself —obscene”-(Gardner 17). This quote shows how close he is to having someone to talk to but also reveals how far away he is. This is one of the many similarities between the creature and
Show More

Related Documents: Grendel And Beowulf Comparison

Beowulf And Grendel Comparison

they come from dark swampy areas or caves. Everyone or most people are afraid of them even though they have never actually seen one. Monsters are in our heads mentally. When we try and picture one we may think of the stories of Beowulf and the creatures he fights such as Grendel,…

Words 209 - Pages 1

Epic Poetry and Beowulf Essay

Good Triumph over Evil Beowulf is one of the earliest surviving Anglo-Saxon epic poems. It illustrates the story of Beowulf, an epic hero fated to triumph demonic monster in order to save a kingdom from destruction. In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the main theme. The epic poem portrays Beowulf’s experiences coming from land of the Geats to save Danes. Throughout his adventures, Beowulf is fighting against evil, whether it is Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, or the dragon. Beowulf’s…

Words 533 - Pages 3

Essay on Heroism and Beowulf

When the word “hero” is discussed, a person with superhuman strength and bravery battling equally superhuman beings is what is pictured. The epic poem Beowulf is no exception to that, with its ruthless monsters Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon terrorizing the people of Heorot to various degrees. Beowulf himself is the poem’s namesake for a reason; his history of bravery is what allows him to slay the monsters that no one else could defeat, and he dies protecting his people from another.…

Words 1441 - Pages 6

beowulf essay

vs. Dark In the epic poem Beowulf, a battle between light and dark arises throughout Heorot, and even though it looked as if darkness had fallen over society, light broke through the darkness, ultimately shining back onto civilization. This darkness that has fallen over Heorot follows Grendel, the monster from Hell, with every step he takes. Only coming out at night to terrorize the people, this darkness seems to be unbeatable, and all hope seems lost. But, Beowulf, a warrior who “swam in the blackness…

Words 981 - Pages 4

Who Is Beowulf A Hero

In the epic poem "Beowulf," the arrival of the young hero Beowulf at the mead hall of King Hrothgar marks the beginning of an iconic tale of courage, heroism, and leadership. Beowulf's character embodies an elaborate amalgamation of altruism and egotism, as he vowed to rid the Danes of the monstrous beast Grendel. Grendel was a monster that was said to contain the strength of thirty men as well as slaughtered and devoured the warriors of King Hrothgar frequently. Comparing Beowulf to other young heroes…

Words 771 - Pages 4

Essay Comparing Beowulf And Judith

Beowulf and Judith Anglo-Saxon society idolized the idea of triumph over challenges that force the individual to cross the boundary of the ordinary into a path of righteousness and self cultivated couragement to fight for a causes that is bigger than life itself. They told these stories through ancient poems about heroes with godly courage and righteousness that can guarantee their legacy will live on and be admired by future generations when they heard tales about their life and the heroic deeds…

Words 627 - Pages 3

Public Education In Beowulf

In the epic poem, Beowulf, a malicious villain, Grendel, thrives on murdering and destroying a group of Danes. Grendel uses his honed claws the way public education uses its rules. Mirroring just how quickly Grendel can rip someone to shreds, our country’s public education system can corrupt, discourage, and just might be able to kill our youth. Daily public schooling can commonly cause stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts in adolescents. The same way Grendel caused the Danes stress…

Words 327 - Pages 2

How Is Grendel Portrayed In Beowulf

B. It is astounding how there is such a stark contrast in the way in which Grendel is characterized. In the two books, he is set up as a completely different person, with an entirely contrasting personality. In Grendel, you associate empathy with him as a reader. Within Beowulf, you wish him dead because of the terror he inflicts upon the people of Heorot. In the book Grendel, the fictional monster is portrayed as a creature who does not have anybody there for him, anybody to talk to, or anybody…

Words 580 - Pages 3

Grendel Themes

In the book Grendel by John Gardner, there are many themes throughout the novel. These themes make the novel what it is today, a literary masterpiece. Two of the main themes featured are the isolation of Grendel, and the struggle between good and evil. They both play a major part in the plot of Grendel. Right from the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that Grendel has next to no one. His only companion is his mother. Grendel’s mom, a being either without a capacity of language, or merely…

Words 962 - Pages 4

Essay on Heros in modern society

this comparison is Bono from the band "U2" and Beowulf. Both modern day heroes, like Bono and Anglo-Saxon heroes, like Beowulf, try to improve their societies, but do it in different ways and for different reasons. Anglo-Saxon heroes have only a few things in common with modern day heroes. One of the things is that they both want to improve the society that they come from. "That I, alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall" (Raffel 260-261). This shows that Beowulf fights…

Words 342 - Pages 2