Grendel

1. Grendel The Other Side of Beowulf’s Monster

2. Grendel • Published in 1971 • Named book of the year by Time and Newsweek

3. John Gardner • Professor of English – taught Beowulf • Major interests • Belief in Fiction as a moral force for good • Passion for the medieval period in history

4. Themes • Artists and Society • Power of Art and Poetry • Death • Personal death is insignificant to the hero if it brings a chance for immortality • Grendel - killing others means nothing • Solipsist: one who believes nothing exists but the self

5. Themes • Language and Meaning • Art—especially poetry—is the only thing that gives meaning to an otherwise meaningless universe • Language - only way humans can break through the wall that isolates them from other humans and from the world of meaning • Morals and Morality • Struggle between the forces of good and evil, morality and immorality

6. Style • Point of View • 1st person - the author elicits some sympathy for an otherwise thoroughly repulsive character who eats humans for pleasure • Structure • Flashback – 12 years • Horoscope chapters

7. Character - Grendel • In Beowulf – symbol for “darkness, chaos, and death” • In Grendel – three-dimensional character • Sense of humor • Gift for language • Weakness for poetry • As a would-be artist, Grendel strives to escape from his baseness

8. Character - Grendel • Violent, cruel, cynical, and degenerate—in short, monstrous • Like the humans, Grendel has feelings, too • Grendel uses language as humans do • Moved by the words of the Shaper (human poet) • Tries to define and explore his world • As narrator, Grendel recounts the story of his life - birth to death • Search for meaning in his existence • Misunderstood when he tries to join the human race • Reverts to former nihilism—no purpose to existence • Becomes vengeful • Grendel is the author of numerous acts of violence and cruelty • Telling through his point of view - able to elicit sympathy from the reader

9. Characters - Other • Beowulf –slays Grendel • Dragon – may or may not be real; exemplar of a philosophy of nihilism (the idea that existence is meaningless), solipsism (the idea that only the self exists), and chaos • First Priest - focuses on the words of the gospel, not the philosophy behind them • Fourth Priest – youngest; genuinely concerned • Freawaru – Hrothgar’s daughter • Grendel’s Mother – no name; Grendel’s comforter and savior; does not possess language as Grendel does • Halga the Good – younger brother of Hrothgar; murdered

10. Characters - Other • Herogar – king of a neighboring fiefdom • Hrothgar – king of the Scyldings; becomes very powerful • Hrothulf – Hrothgar’s nephew • Hygmod – Hrothgar’s challenger from a neighboring fiefdom • Ork – “eldest and wisest” of Hrothgar’s priests • Red Horse - old peasant who is young Hrothulf's counselor

11. Characters - Other • Scyld Shefing – ancient Danish king • Second Priest – concerned with the physical, not spiritual • Shaper – king’s poet-musician-historian; can shape reality with his words • Third Priest – concerned with appearances, not spirituality • Unferth – “son of Ecglaf” - the bravest of Hrothgar’s thanes • Wealtheow – “holy servant of common good” – gave up her personal life to keep the peace