The Effect of Point of View on American Literature
“Once the afflictor of men, tormenter of their days-What it meant to feud with Almighty God”(99-103.24).In the poem Beowulf which is a well-known piece of Literature which talks about an brave epic hero who fought his enemies to protect the land of the Danes and gain fame throughout this journey. In Grendel by John Gardner changes the way the reader sees Grendel rather than the way the reader sees him in Beowulf. Grendel talks about a monster who lives with his mother in a cave who discovers the world and became fascinated in it except for the brutal violence that was brought to the world by king Hrothgar and his men. Then we have the poem The Wife’s Lament which is about a woman who …show more content…
Beowulf is discern as a bad character with a defective motive. Grendel is more of a man, who has emotions. When the men in the story was examining Grendel “it filled [him] with joy,though it was crazy, and before [he] knew [he] could do it, [he] laughed”(Gardner 26). This shows that Grendel is a joyful person just like any other human. When Grendel became fascinated with the world he was “sickened, if only at the waste of it all they killed cows, horses,men, so they left to rot or burn”(Gardner 36).In the literal sense this quote mean that Grendel has a soft heart towards the things in the world, and he is disgusted about what King Hrothgar and his men is doing. Beowulf on the other hand has a violent motive in which “[Grendel] grew more and more afraid of...and at the same time-who can explain it”(Gardner 165). In this quote it describes how Beowulf inadequate actions makes Grendel fear him. Grendel describes that he could see Beowulf’s mind working stone-cold, grinding like a millwheel”(Gardner 161). Beowulf’s thoughts also makes him out to be a faulty character, not just his
“Once the afflictor of men, tormenter of their days-What it meant to feud with Almighty God”(99-103.24).In the poem Beowulf which is a well-known piece of Literature which talks about an brave epic hero who fought his enemies to protect the land of the Danes and gain fame throughout this journey. In Grendel by John Gardner changes the way the reader sees Grendel rather than the way the reader sees him in Beowulf. Grendel talks about a monster who lives with his mother in a cave who discovers the world and became fascinated in it except for the brutal violence that was brought to the world by king Hrothgar and his men. Then we have the poem The Wife’s Lament which is about a woman who …show more content…
Beowulf is discern as a bad character with a defective motive. Grendel is more of a man, who has emotions. When the men in the story was examining Grendel “it filled [him] with joy,though it was crazy, and before [he] knew [he] could do it, [he] laughed”(Gardner 26). This shows that Grendel is a joyful person just like any other human. When Grendel became fascinated with the world he was “sickened, if only at the waste of it all they killed cows, horses,men, so they left to rot or burn”(Gardner 36).In the literal sense this quote mean that Grendel has a soft heart towards the things in the world, and he is disgusted about what King Hrothgar and his men is doing. Beowulf on the other hand has a violent motive in which “[Grendel] grew more and more afraid of...and at the same time-who can explain it”(Gardner 165). In this quote it describes how Beowulf inadequate actions makes Grendel fear him. Grendel describes that he could see Beowulf’s mind working stone-cold, grinding like a millwheel”(Gardner 161). Beowulf’s thoughts also makes him out to be a faulty character, not just his