Grendel And Beowulf Comparison Essay

The character of Grendel in John Gardner’s novel is more complex than the character in Beowulf because the use of the first-person point of view, the way the sympathy of the character is being portrayed to the reader and the perspectives of the battle between Grendel and Beowulf. This comparison and contrast of these two major characters considering that many people may believe they’re similar in multiple ways but aren’t. In the epic poem Beowulf and the novel in Grendel have different points of view. The reader from the poem of Beowulf makes him seem valiant compared to Grendel, who is portrayed as a “that demon, that fiend” (16). In the novel, Grendel, Grendel gives his point of view and to him he was “Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings!” (Gardner 80). Grendel thought highly of himself similar to Beowulf who “In his farm home Beowulf, Higlac’s / Follower and the strongest of the Geats-greater / and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (90-92) so the readers are able to see how each of them is how they view themselves. When reading Beowulf, you feel as if Grendel is always indignant “So …show more content…
When Grendel first sees this “stranger” otherwise known as Beowulf, he believes he will win this battle just like all the other battles he has won. “No weapon could cut me” (Garner 75). When the battle actually does happen, Beowulf sees it as Grendel’s powers have suddenly left him whereas Grendel sees it as a mere accident, “Poor Grendel’s had an accident” (Gardner 174). As Beowulf continues to defeat Grendel “He discovered-what it meant / to feud with Almighty God: Grendel / saw that his strength was deserting him, his claws / bound fast, Higlac’s brave followers tearing at / his hands. The monster’s hatred rose higher, / but his power had gone”