Comparative Essay Comparing Frankenstein And Grendel

Two creatures, opposite but quite similar in numerous ways. Lost in a world where they cannot find answers to their own existence. The tragic events of their own lives relate to each other. Both the monster from Frankenstein and Grendel from the novel by John Gardner are similar in the manner in which they both express themselves trying to find answers in the world, are outcasts, and how they both suffer from loneliness. Grendel and The Monster are both creatures who ponder upon their existence and observe the people around them, they learn society’s mechanisms and seek for answers, in that same matter they express themselves quite similarly. Grendel questions his mother asking “Why are we here? I used to ask her… Why do we stand this putrid, stinking hole?”(11), Grendel’s’ curiosity of his own existence depicts his character as observative and analytical, something that The Monster too possess. The Monster from Frankenstein, confused, questions himself “What was I?”(87) To emphasize his curiosity towards the subject. How they express themselves reveals an …show more content…
The monsters and Grendel’s’ hideous appearance terrorize the people around them, making them outcasts in society. Grendel gets rejected and even hurt by humans the same way the monster does. At one point Grendel claims, “I sank to my knees, crying, “Friend! Friend! They hacked at me, yipping like dogs. I held up the body for protection” (52), Grendel was misunderstood. Although he did not mean to harm anyone his appearance gave people the wrong impression. The Monster also experiences this feeling of rejection as he cried out” I am an outcast in the world forever” (96). He being rejected and hurt allows the reader to understand what an outcast he really is. Their rejection and isolation from people connect their characters as outcasts in which they cannot find a