Our Inner Monster Bloodlust. Frenzy. Feast. Grendel haunts Hrothgar’s Hall Herot for 12 winters, devouring everyone in sight. To the relief of the Danes, Beowulf arrives to slay the beast and succeeds when Grendel dies from losing an arm. Both the Danes and the audience are satisfied with Grendel’s downfall since Grendel is portrayed as a monster, a monster Beowulf must kill. Shedding new light on the “monster”, Grendel -written by John Gardner- shows the human half of the Child of Cain. This new perspective allows the readers to connect and sympathize the human-eating machine as they see the human similarities between themselves and Grendel. However, he is not forgiven for his crimes.
Showing a superior complex mixed with denial and vulnerability, …show more content…
He feels a sense of dominance when he devours the Danes, especially because the Danes are unsuspecting and disadvantaged. Upon arriving at Hall Herot, Grendel demonstrates his liking for dominance when he states: “I can hardly believe my luck, and my wild heart laughs, but I let out no sound.” (168). He enjoys the fact that he can prey on people while they are vulnerable; he is guaranteed no resistance. Similarly, everyone, to some degree, joins the feeling of ensured victory against a weaker opponent. Again portraying a human flaw, Grendel shows the human tendency to blame an exterior force for failures when he decides Beowulf’s victory as a “mere logic of chance.” (173). Throughout the chapter, Grendel denies Beowulf’s victory, instead blaming his defeat on the accident of slipping on blood. Trying to persuade the readers and himself of the …show more content…
His actions of crying to his mother draws a link with the person reading, as he or she can reflect on a time when he or she cried for the protection of a mother. Also, this act promotes pity as the readers see the monster, depicted as a bloodthirsty demon, show an emotional breakdown. Another scene that promotes pity is when Beowulf is shown as an arrogant, sadistic bully picking on Grendel. The audience is exposed to bullying one way or another, so it understands the discomfort of the victim. With outside information, the audience understands Grendel on another level when he is the victim of bullying. These situations changes the connotation of Grendel from a human eating monster to a child and victim. Although the readers see themselves in Grendel, it would unreasonable to excuse Grendel for his heinous acts. As he faces death, Grendel wishes death to everyone else by stating: “‘Poor Grendel’s had an accident,’ I whisper. ‘So may you all!’” He unleashed 12 years of deaths and terror on the Danes, so Beowulf took one life to save the lives of many. Yet, Grendel still immaturely wishes death upon the Danes and his enemies. It is understood that humans are his source of nutrition, but he consumes them in large quantities and in a bloodlust. He obtains joy and excitement from devouring food, something that should not occur if he needs to survive on them. Even though Grendel rouses parallels
Showing a superior complex mixed with denial and vulnerability, …show more content…
He feels a sense of dominance when he devours the Danes, especially because the Danes are unsuspecting and disadvantaged. Upon arriving at Hall Herot, Grendel demonstrates his liking for dominance when he states: “I can hardly believe my luck, and my wild heart laughs, but I let out no sound.” (168). He enjoys the fact that he can prey on people while they are vulnerable; he is guaranteed no resistance. Similarly, everyone, to some degree, joins the feeling of ensured victory against a weaker opponent. Again portraying a human flaw, Grendel shows the human tendency to blame an exterior force for failures when he decides Beowulf’s victory as a “mere logic of chance.” (173). Throughout the chapter, Grendel denies Beowulf’s victory, instead blaming his defeat on the accident of slipping on blood. Trying to persuade the readers and himself of the …show more content…
His actions of crying to his mother draws a link with the person reading, as he or she can reflect on a time when he or she cried for the protection of a mother. Also, this act promotes pity as the readers see the monster, depicted as a bloodthirsty demon, show an emotional breakdown. Another scene that promotes pity is when Beowulf is shown as an arrogant, sadistic bully picking on Grendel. The audience is exposed to bullying one way or another, so it understands the discomfort of the victim. With outside information, the audience understands Grendel on another level when he is the victim of bullying. These situations changes the connotation of Grendel from a human eating monster to a child and victim. Although the readers see themselves in Grendel, it would unreasonable to excuse Grendel for his heinous acts. As he faces death, Grendel wishes death to everyone else by stating: “‘Poor Grendel’s had an accident,’ I whisper. ‘So may you all!’” He unleashed 12 years of deaths and terror on the Danes, so Beowulf took one life to save the lives of many. Yet, Grendel still immaturely wishes death upon the Danes and his enemies. It is understood that humans are his source of nutrition, but he consumes them in large quantities and in a bloodlust. He obtains joy and excitement from devouring food, something that should not occur if he needs to survive on them. Even though Grendel rouses parallels