Role Of Isolation In Grendel
Isolation: Grendel’s Downfall In the novel Grendel, written by John Gardner, Grendel starts the novel with a childlike innocence and naiveness towards the world. As he meets the dragon and hears the Shaper for the first time that innocence slips away. In this work of literature, John Gardner puts into better perspective that isolation from peers, society, and loved ones can lead anyone into the darkness. Isolation from peers can be dealt with in a reasonable matter, for if one has society and loved ones, confidence and self esteem may not take a blow. Nevertheless, Grendel’s isolation from animals, “The doe in the clearing goes stiff at sight of my horridness, then remembers her legs and is gone (Gardner pg.7)”, and other monsters, “”I see,” I said. It was to some extent untrue (Gardner pg. 65)”, leave him alone. He has no companions from the animals, who are scared of him, nor the other monsters, who he can not totally understand. Isolation from society deals major blows to self esteem and confidence. In Grendel’s case if society believes you are a monster, “”Friend! Friend!” They hacked at me, yipping like dogs [...] and …show more content…
Grendel and his mother were never able to communicate fully, “ (She never speaks.) [...] She’ll tell me, in time, I thought. But she told me nothing. I waited on (Gardner pg.12)”, and even the dragon, who is the most prominent person in Grendel’s life, gave Grendel a philosophy that further increased his isolation, “and the dragon gives him a version of reality which he comes to take as correct. It leads gradually to his increasing isolation (Gardner par. 15 line. 1-2)”. Since Grendel can not talk to his mother because of her speech impairment nor the dragon because of the intelligence gap and the dragon’s dark philosophy he has no one to turn to after his peers and society reject him. This leads his murder spree and eventually his
Examples Of Grendel's Innocence
313 Words | 2 PagesEqually important, the innocence Grendel had as a child provide an outline for his lack of baneful intentions. One act of innocence that has shown through Grendel’s entire life, from childhood until death, was a tendency to call for his mother when in danger of any kind. Putting this into perspective, shortly before the death of Grendel, on page one-hundred and seventy, he calls for his mother for the final time. “Mama!” he is heard bellowing.
Grendel's Solipsism Analysis
751 Words | 4 PagesSolipsism is manifested in Grendel’s recurring and crippling loneliness, his understanding of solipsism affecting others, and Gardner’s achievement in eliciting sympathy for Grendel. The main pillar of solipsism is that one’s consciousness is all that can be real. Grendel understands this, and as readers gain knowledge of Grendel’s inner turmoils, one can plainly see that Grendel only believes in his own
How Does Grendel Influence The Dragon
152 Words | 1 PagesAs a creature who living in the world for a long time, I think the Dragon knows that no matter how Grendel try to be friendly with human, human will never accept him as a friend so
How Is Grendel Influenced By The Dragon
336 Words | 2 PagesUp 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.
Compare And Contrast Grendel And Beowolf
576 Words | 3 PagesThroughout John Garder’s novel and the poem Beowolf the reader can tell that Grendel is a complex character that does not relate much to anyone else in the novel or the poem. Grendel in Garder’s novel is also different compared to the Grendel in the poem Beowolf by many different standards. Grendel in Garder’s novel is more a complicated character then the Grendel in Beowolf because the novel is set in first person point of view, the reader can have a deeper understanding of Grendel in the novel, and there is more modern philosophy in Grendel the novel. The novel Grendel is all written in first person which gives a deeper understanding of how Grendel interprets what is happening and how he reacts too many of the conflicts that happen to him.
Compare And Contrast Grendel And Frankenstein
656 Words | 3 PagesContrasting Grendel and Frankenstein Grendel and the monster Frankenstein are contradictory in their individual philosophies and actions, although they are both isolated and lonesome, they come from different origins, think differently, and take significantly different actions, and their very fates were catastrophically no unique. Grendel is mortified with his purpose in life and driven by emotions which makes him plead for his purpose. “I had determined at the time that the memory of these evils should die with me; but you have won me to alter my determination” (14). He has to face the purpose he was told to behold since he was born and lived in Dane Kingdom. Ever since that he roamed around killing, “But deer, like rabbits and bears and even men, can make, concerning my race, no delicate distinctions.
Grendel's Last Words Analysis
321 Words | 2 PagesAt 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.
Analysis Of Grendel, The Captain Of Evil
1144 Words | 5 PagesThis time however, he is swept away by a person name the Shaper, who Grendel is ultimately scared of, because of the fact that the shaper is very good at changing the view of people very easily. During this same period, Grendel started to become more violent as well, first by attacking the humans. Grendel didn’t like the way Hrothgar lived and made the Mead Hall and in response, Grendel started to attack it at night. He killed anyone and everything that came into his sight, and even ate the humans. Grendel now became a real threat to the humans, which inevitably changed his status from sinister to pure
Grendel The Monster Research Paper
1282 Words | 6 PagesThere are many reasons as to why people believe that Grendel could possibly be a monster, but there are also reasons that some may believe he is a human as well. A few of the most common arguments to back up the human theory is the fact that he is a descendent of Cain, and that he is also guided by his emotions, not unlike most humans. Being a descendant of Cain isn’t something that someone wishes upon themselves, many probably wouldn’t wish it upon their worst enemies. In order to understand why being a part of Cain’s lineage isn’t something
How Is Grendel An Outsider In Frankenstein
614 Words | 3 PagesHe longs for a companion of any kind, but his malign actions drive him further from intimacy of any kind. His attempts in finding a friend are dispirited and ephemeral, like an exhausted toddler throwing a tantrum before falling asleep. Unlike Grendel, however, the monster demands from his creator, “ ‘It is true we shall be monsters, but off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another,’ ” (130). Feeling abandoned, the monster initially acts out, but recognizes his anger can be cured with company.
Grendel's Change In Beowulf By John Gardner
639 Words | 3 PagesIn the book Grendel he seems to change throughout the book. At the beginning of the story Grendel is sensitive , immature and very lonely. Giving a feeling of sympathy . That all changes when Grendel talks to The Dragon. When Grendel first meet The Dragon he was afraid of it. He was so terrified to ask him questions.
Is Grendel Good Or Evil
980 Words | 4 PagesThroughout 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.
Gardner's Use Of The Three Philosophies In Grendel
954 Words | 4 PagesEven though Grendel visited with the dragon, who had a more nihilistic view on life, he had not been so convinced that life had no meaning. While Grendel was visiting the dragon, the dragon casts a charm on Grendel, making him invulnerable to weapons. Soon after this spell was cast, Grendel begins raiding Hrothgar’s mead hall. “Some three or fur nights later I launched my first raid. I burst in
Internal Conflict In Grendel
703 Words | 3 PagesIn 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 Psychoanalytic Analysis
779 Words | 4 PagesThe way they treated him affected his personality to be more aggressive and to put up a wall when it came to humans. He had, however, tried to “befriend the exile” on other occasions, but “they were treacherous and in the end [he] had to eat them” (Gardner 33). Grendel knew the appropriate way to interact with people because he had watched them all these years. He had learned from them the way he should react in certain situations and knew you had to be friendly in order to make friends, but in the end, not being able to communicate was the biggest
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