Nicholas Denny
Mr. Eagleson
English 4H
October 8, 2015
Grendel Essay Topic 1
Throughout John Gardner’s novel Grendel, the protagonist, one of the monsters from the great English epic Beowulf, struggles with several post-modern concepts such as the belief that “nothing is true” and that there is no difference between right and wrong. In the beginning of the novel, Grendel acts in a way that some would call naïve and childish. He avoids the humans, calls for his mother’s help and is frightened by non-frightening objects. He feels that he should not go to watch the humans because while it is “one thing to eat one from time to time… but it(is) another thing to scare them… just for sport” (p60). Yet by the end of the novel, he makes semi-constant visits to Hart and enjoys killing the humans. By visiting with the dragon, Grendel is introduced to postmodern ideas that continue to influence him throughout the novel. …show more content…
For example, he does not like to travel away from the cave and he is scared of the humans. After his first encounter with Hrothgar and his men described in chapter two, he stays away to avoid their wars and violence. Up to this point, the only characters showing any real postmodern thought are the human. They act as if nothing matters because they go around killing each other not for food or safety, but because they coveted their neighbor’s territory or wealth. At this point, Grendel is the sensible one, the one thinking in an Anglo-Saxon way. Grendel establishes a clear line between what is good and what is evil, and decides to avoid the humans because they are the evil ones, killing each other for no
Mr. Eagleson
English 4H
October 8, 2015
Grendel Essay Topic 1
Throughout John Gardner’s novel Grendel, the protagonist, one of the monsters from the great English epic Beowulf, struggles with several post-modern concepts such as the belief that “nothing is true” and that there is no difference between right and wrong. In the beginning of the novel, Grendel acts in a way that some would call naïve and childish. He avoids the humans, calls for his mother’s help and is frightened by non-frightening objects. He feels that he should not go to watch the humans because while it is “one thing to eat one from time to time… but it(is) another thing to scare them… just for sport” (p60). Yet by the end of the novel, he makes semi-constant visits to Hart and enjoys killing the humans. By visiting with the dragon, Grendel is introduced to postmodern ideas that continue to influence him throughout the novel. …show more content…
For example, he does not like to travel away from the cave and he is scared of the humans. After his first encounter with Hrothgar and his men described in chapter two, he stays away to avoid their wars and violence. Up to this point, the only characters showing any real postmodern thought are the human. They act as if nothing matters because they go around killing each other not for food or safety, but because they coveted their neighbor’s territory or wealth. At this point, Grendel is the sensible one, the one thinking in an Anglo-Saxon way. Grendel establishes a clear line between what is good and what is evil, and decides to avoid the humans because they are the evil ones, killing each other for no