Grendel and Beowulf Comparison/Contrast Essay In Grendel, and the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character is drastically different due to the opposing viewpoints in each work, how the antagonist is viewed, and the reverse role of the hero figure. Grendel, in Beowulf, is seen as this ruthless creature who is killing harmless people while in Grendel is more thoughtful and kind. Because of the different image of the character in the book, the readers are able to connect more with Grendel in the story, Grendel. Unlike the epic poem of Beowulf, John Gardner’s Grendel has many differences, for instance, Grendel’s viewpoint of the story, Beowulf, his view of humans being violent beasts, and the reverse role of being the hero figure. The story, Grendel,
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For example, Grendel says, “He ended the song, and people clapped and shouted their praise and filled their golden cups. All around their bubble of stupidity I could feel the brume of the dragon” (77). He talks about how, through his observation, he thought the people were unintelligent and careless due to their excessive drinking. Grendel, throughout the book, sees the humans as the antagonists who seem to be the violent beasts. He shows the reader how violent humans are when he says, “I remember the ragged men fighting each other till the snow was red slush, whining in winter, the shriek of people and animals burning, the whip-slashed oxen in the mire, the scattered battle leavings: wolf-torn corpses, falcons fat with blood” (44). He explains that the humans seem to be ruthless and kill each other without any respect for each other. The reader is able to connect more with Grendel by seeing that he does have feelings. Due to the reverse role of the hero figure, Grendel is not exactly a hero, but is considered an antihero. For instance, in the story, Grendel is trapped in a tree being attacked by the humans for a miscommunication. Grendel says, “I shrieked at them, trying to scare them …show more content…
The point of view, in Beowulf, is third person omniscient, however, is sometimes seen through the people’s point of view, especially Beowulf. For example, Beowulf says, “…As fierce as you think of it, no fool would dare to raid your hall, ruin Herot, and oppress its prince, as Grendel has done” (325-327). At this point in the story, the point of view has been passed on to Beowulf, who is talking about Grendel to King Unferth. In the poem, Grendel is seen as a vicious, violent beast. In the story, the author explains the people’s view of Grendel saying, “So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes, killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (79-81). The people see Grendel as a horrible monster who kills innocent people, and, to the reader, the antagonist of the poem. Due to this change of the point of view and view of Grendel, the role of the hero figure was switched. For example, the author explains the people’s view of Beowulf’s victory when he says, “Then old and young rejoiced, turned back from that happy pilgrimage, mounted their hard-hooved horses, high spirited stallions, and rode them slowly toward Herot again, retelling Beowulf’s bravery as they jogged along” (533-538). The people, in the poem, are rejoicing about
For example, Grendel says, “He ended the song, and people clapped and shouted their praise and filled their golden cups. All around their bubble of stupidity I could feel the brume of the dragon” (77). He talks about how, through his observation, he thought the people were unintelligent and careless due to their excessive drinking. Grendel, throughout the book, sees the humans as the antagonists who seem to be the violent beasts. He shows the reader how violent humans are when he says, “I remember the ragged men fighting each other till the snow was red slush, whining in winter, the shriek of people and animals burning, the whip-slashed oxen in the mire, the scattered battle leavings: wolf-torn corpses, falcons fat with blood” (44). He explains that the humans seem to be ruthless and kill each other without any respect for each other. The reader is able to connect more with Grendel by seeing that he does have feelings. Due to the reverse role of the hero figure, Grendel is not exactly a hero, but is considered an antihero. For instance, in the story, Grendel is trapped in a tree being attacked by the humans for a miscommunication. Grendel says, “I shrieked at them, trying to scare them …show more content…
The point of view, in Beowulf, is third person omniscient, however, is sometimes seen through the people’s point of view, especially Beowulf. For example, Beowulf says, “…As fierce as you think of it, no fool would dare to raid your hall, ruin Herot, and oppress its prince, as Grendel has done” (325-327). At this point in the story, the point of view has been passed on to Beowulf, who is talking about Grendel to King Unferth. In the poem, Grendel is seen as a vicious, violent beast. In the story, the author explains the people’s view of Grendel saying, “So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes, killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (79-81). The people see Grendel as a horrible monster who kills innocent people, and, to the reader, the antagonist of the poem. Due to this change of the point of view and view of Grendel, the role of the hero figure was switched. For example, the author explains the people’s view of Beowulf’s victory when he says, “Then old and young rejoiced, turned back from that happy pilgrimage, mounted their hard-hooved horses, high spirited stallions, and rode them slowly toward Herot again, retelling Beowulf’s bravery as they jogged along” (533-538). The people, in the poem, are rejoicing about