At the end of Chapter 12, Grendel’s last words were “Poor Grendel’s had an accident … So may you all.” (Gardner 174). Such words are meant as a curse to affect mankind. To start off, Grendel’s relationship with humans are not great. For example, when Grendel went to the hall to bring the dead body he found, “drunken men rushed me with battle-axes .. I sank to the my knees, crying, “Friend! Friend!” (Gardner 52). Such can imply that Grendel’s relationship with humans is like battling in war. Moreover, Grendel’s last words indicate that something will happen to mankind as it did to himself. For instance, Grendel expresses, “there is no limit to desire but desire’s needs.” (Gardner 93). Such illustrates that Grendel can desire as much as he wants
He walks around angrily shouting, “‘Bastard!’” (Gardner 52) and “‘Bullshit’” (Gardner 54) damning the human's’ happiness and the Shaper’s words. Grendel despises the human’s attack on nature and their ignorance, a message Gardner wishes to impart on the readers. Grendel witnesses the humans “throw stones, or kill [an oxen]”
Up until the end of Chapter 7, Grendel’s actions are influenced by the dragon. He believes nothing matters, there is no good or bad, and everybody eventually dies. The people of Heort know Grendel as a monster and a killer and he lives up to his reputation.
As Grendel is swaying in suffrage from a tree, he has epiphany of the truth about his universal role in the kingdom. He also realized that there is only fate. “I understood that the world was nothing; a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears. I
Grendel was a being sung about in the songs of the shaper, who twisted tales to fit his own means. In the song Grendel was made out to be a wretched monster, without intellect, who only sought to kill. This wasn’t the case entirely. Grendel was determined to enter society, to be a part of their gatherings, instead at every turn he was chased away, cursed, and attacked. He was only a monster to those in the mead hall, a beast who could never be a part of them.
When shown that our world is but a loop, we choose to continue. When shown that everything we do is simply the same struggle, over and over, forever the same waste of time, we don’t break away. We still go down this path of the least resistance, because we believe that that’s the way the world is. No matter what we as human beings do in life, we seem to be forever trapped in cycles, whether it be a cycle of work, a cycle of love, or any other type. But why do we follow monotonous cycles in life and even conform to such cycles?
Grendel decides to further harass and slaughter the Danes, justifying it to himself with the question “why should I not? Has [Hrothgar] made any move to deserve my kindness? If I give him a truce, will the King invite me in for a kiss on the forehead, a cup of mead?” (Gardner 122). Herein Grendel believes that he should offer no peace or respite to those who have supplied him only pain when he seeked friendship, using sarcasm to emphasize that there will be no peace even if Grendel offers it.
This phrase “Poor Grendel's had an accident” means that it's a blessing to everyone in the town because Grendel is dying. However for Grendel and the Dragon is probably a curse getting back to them because he trip on a bloody puddle that makes him loose, making Beowulf take advantage. For instance when Beowulf start to quote to Grendel all the things the Dragon said about the world that “it's a meaningless swirl of dust” (Grendel 170). Grendel refuses what Beowulf quotes about the Dragon and begins to bawl for his mother calling her name. The battle of grendel with Beowulf continues and Beowulf is slamming Grendel to the wall.
Grendel vs. “The monster” Grendel in the novel by John Gardner is very similar to “the monster” in Frankenstein by Mary Shelly because both Grendel and the monster feel like outsiders, they kill humans, and they both are able to learn new things. Grendel feels like an outsider because he knows he is different and he wants to know the truth of why he is what he is and why God made him that way. Grendel asks his mother “Why are we here?” which means that he is doubting his existence. Grendel kills humans in the mead hall while they are asleep.
“I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings! But also, as never before, I was alone.” (Grendel, p. 80) Grendel says this depressing statement when he learns that the enchantment placed upon him by the dragon has left him unable to be harmed by the Scylding's weapons. He vainly basks in his new-found glory, but he soon has the realization that his imperviousness has now separated him even more from the place he yearns for among men.
Throughout the novel Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel comes across as a ruthless monster who takes pride in murdering others. His actions give the impression that he is an evil figure, but in hindsight he is not as evil as he appears to be. Gardner makes the readers feel sympathy for Grendel because Grendel lives a lonely life, is consistently treated poorly, and attempts to make peace. If Grendel was truly evil, readers would have difficulty having sympathy for him. Therefore, Grendel is not evil and is no different than the rest of humanity.
As he matured and went through life the love he thought once existed was now to memory of the past. Grendel believed you could love someone deeply , you know real love but he no longer flt that way. " But now i do not sleep" this line can refer to him not sleeping because he's constantly up at night killing the towns people (which still refers back to his hatred for people) or it can refer to him
In the novel Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel’s largest internal conflict is whether or not he can overcome his predestined status of monster. Throughout the course of the story Grendel is influenced by both sides, human and beast, through the dragon and the Shaper. Although Grendel initially wants to align himself with the humans, no matter how he tries to communicate with them as an equal they will not accept his company, causing him to become lonely and angry. Grendel’s anger turns to violence, which makes the humans turn further against him and, as he is alienated from any sense of humanity he ever had, he eventually discovers that he has no choice and must fulfill his role as the enemy to humans. Initially, Grendel’s free will
Grendel seems to want to fall of nightmare cliff, the darkness is dragging him closer to the edge. “I seem to desire the fall, and though I fight it with all my will I know in advance that I can 't win”. Grendel 's final words wish all of his enemies the same situation as him, which is death by a trick. Before his final breaths he exclaims, “Poor Grendel had an accident,” I whisper. “So may
Grendel in the novel displays the idea that he is far more superior than mankind. He mentions, "I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bonfire" (Gardner 167-168). Grendel knows that that the people fear him because he is different and he uses that to his advantage. The "Monster", Grendel, seems to be fascinated in attacking Meadhall and is not frightened at all. Although he is brave in the novel, Grendel in the epic poem is described in being scared and weak on the attack at Meadhall.
Therefore, ultimately resulting in the use of violence and brutality to restore order and peace once again. Grendel whole existence is shrouded in darkness and mystery, which foster widespread fear among the mass due to their inability to control or comprehend