Grendel’s
Grendel is smashed into a wall, his forehead broken open. His arm is torn from his shoulder and blood pours down. Each of these violent actions occurs in the climactic battle between Beowulf and Grendel in John Gardner 's novel Grendel. Despite the extreme physicality of the conflict which ensues, the true importance lies in the philosophical aspects of conflicting values and views. Throughout the novel, Grendel has struggled to find the values he identifies with, yet in finally being challenged by the representation of heroism and nihilism through Beowulf, Grendel finds the ideas with which are most connective to him. In this metaphysical battle, Gardner brings together these two opposing characters to display a deeper meaning …show more content…
Beowulf automatically represents the ideals of heroism as his background and purpose for fighting Grendel is based upon values including and similar to heroism. Due to his representation of a hero, Grendel finds conflict with him since he does agree with the meaning of heroism, as shown through his interaction with Unferth in Chapter 6. Regarding the second side of the coin, Beowulf’s relation to the dragon’s nihilistic beliefs are shown not only through imagery but also through his words. Beowulf’s first “syllables” which “lick” at Beowulf paraphrase those of the dragons as he states “a meaningless swirl in the stream of time, a temporary gathering of bits, a few random specs” this direct connection to the dragon’s nihilistic beliefs, show the similarities and the mental conflict that occurs between Grendel and Beowulf due to Beowulf’s previous frustration with the dragon 's beliefs (170). Beowulf’s views are not the only thing which challenges Grendel. His physical appearance and the description which Grendel gives of him represent a dead, empty, mindless being which is similar to the animals Grendel has experienced such anger with in previous chapters. Grendel describes him as “focused on nothing” with “eyes slanted downward, never blinking, unfeeling snakes” which also represent nihilistic views as these characteristics are void of meaning or any purpose (154). The combination of nihilism and heroism, both values which Grendel conflict with Grendel, leave him holding fast to his belief in existentialism, even in
Grendel is smashed into a wall, his forehead broken open. His arm is torn from his shoulder and blood pours down. Each of these violent actions occurs in the climactic battle between Beowulf and Grendel in John Gardner 's novel Grendel. Despite the extreme physicality of the conflict which ensues, the true importance lies in the philosophical aspects of conflicting values and views. Throughout the novel, Grendel has struggled to find the values he identifies with, yet in finally being challenged by the representation of heroism and nihilism through Beowulf, Grendel finds the ideas with which are most connective to him. In this metaphysical battle, Gardner brings together these two opposing characters to display a deeper meaning …show more content…
Beowulf automatically represents the ideals of heroism as his background and purpose for fighting Grendel is based upon values including and similar to heroism. Due to his representation of a hero, Grendel finds conflict with him since he does agree with the meaning of heroism, as shown through his interaction with Unferth in Chapter 6. Regarding the second side of the coin, Beowulf’s relation to the dragon’s nihilistic beliefs are shown not only through imagery but also through his words. Beowulf’s first “syllables” which “lick” at Beowulf paraphrase those of the dragons as he states “a meaningless swirl in the stream of time, a temporary gathering of bits, a few random specs” this direct connection to the dragon’s nihilistic beliefs, show the similarities and the mental conflict that occurs between Grendel and Beowulf due to Beowulf’s previous frustration with the dragon 's beliefs (170). Beowulf’s views are not the only thing which challenges Grendel. His physical appearance and the description which Grendel gives of him represent a dead, empty, mindless being which is similar to the animals Grendel has experienced such anger with in previous chapters. Grendel describes him as “focused on nothing” with “eyes slanted downward, never blinking, unfeeling snakes” which also represent nihilistic views as these characteristics are void of meaning or any purpose (154). The combination of nihilism and heroism, both values which Grendel conflict with Grendel, leave him holding fast to his belief in existentialism, even in