Beowulf Argumentative Essay

Grendel’s Internal Battle Throughout John Gardner’s novel, Grendel, Grendel’s thoughts are constantly at war with each other. He does not know what or whom to believe, and how to distinguish lies from what he knows to be true. The Shaper’s songs, the brutal reality of the corpse, and the dragon’s cynical way of thinking all change Grendel’s view of life and thoughts, and are examples of how the art of falsehood in seen throughout the novel.

He is ignorant about how killing the humans gives him meaning to his life. Grendel becomes this savagery violent creature based upon this lack of awareness. Later, Grendel philosophy of nihilism was invalidated by Beowulf. Grendel lives life believing that things are meaningless and causing destruction to others. Beowulf accordingly told Grendel that whatever his view on life he has, life will still go on, as beowulf explained “As you see it it is , while the seeing last, dark nightmare-history, time-as-coffin; but where the water was rigid there will be fish and men will survive on their flesh till spring...

Grendel was only acting on instinct since the music hurt his ears. The author sets the tone in the story for us to have compassion for Grendel since Beowulf plays the roll of making the humans look bad. They exiled Grendel therefor, he did not stand a chance in the first place to become good, but instead have to live a life of misery. Grendel also only attacked when they played music since it sent waves of agony through his head. He was acting because of pain and not because he really wanted to hurt everyone.

To begin with, Grendel’s last words are “ Poor Grendel’s had an accident,” I whisper. “So may you all” (Gardner 174). Grendel is cursing the animals around him. For instance, when Grendel illustrates that he doesn’t like animals. This is when he has several incidences with the animals.

How does point of view affect the theme of Grendel? John Gardner’s Grendel reveals the opposite side of the story depicted in Beowulf by making Grendel the narrator. Grendel, a monster, is the only source of information the reader has, which forces the reader to gain trust in Grendel’s thoughts and memories. Although Grendel and Beowulf share the same storyline, but switch perspectives, the themes happen to change, solely because the reader reaches a deeper level of connection with Grendel by discovering the similarities humans have with him and pities his loneliness.

Grendel Grendel was the monster that was killing all of Hrothgar’s men. Grendel was evil, smart, and stealthy making him dangerous. Beowulf stopped Grendel but not before he killed many of people. Grendel was a descendant of Cain who was punished for killing his brother Abel. Since Grendel was born from evil he could never be happy which angered him when he heard all the people in Herot having a good time.

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.

" Beowulf then defeats Grendel. Just as the audience begins to think the problem is resolved we see a reoccurring theme, of a stronger monster that Beowulf must take on. The reader also watches Beowulf take on the stronger demon Grendel's Mom, destroying her almost at the cost of his life. Finally, after Beowulf had sailed to his homeland, the persona meets the beast who will finally bring the downfall of Beowulf and his people. On page 181, line 2690-2693 we see the utter downfall of Beowulf because of the final outside evil source, "in a rush of flame and clamped sharp fangs into his neck.

In chapter 12 of the book Grendel , Grendel’s last words were “ poor Grendel’s had an accident... So may you all ” Grendel’s last words were meant as a curse. When Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm off and Grendel slipped on blood .The animals , also his enemies were watching him die. Grendel hopes the animals that they will all die.

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.

So then grendel 's mother comes back to avenge his death. She terrorise the town but not for long. Beowulf strong courage wouldn’t let her continue with her killing spree. So he goes in with his sword but it was cursed.

This is the beginning of Grendel falling directly into the role that the dragon said he would need to fill. Grendel’s murderous tendencies completely reflect the monstrous side of his personality and the more he kills the more he grows insane, separating from rational, humanistic thought. “I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bone-fire... I am blazing, half-crazy with joy” (168). It is clear that, by the time Beowulf arrives, Grendel has embraced the fact that he is required to be evil, despite the fact that he previously claimed he would oppose that destiny.

In the epic poem it says, "Grendel's one thought was to run from Beowulf, flee back to his marsh and hide there" (Beowulf 314-315). This quote explains that the people at Meadhall believed that Grendel was startled by the way the people responded back on his attack. This makes the readers think that Grendel was not confident enough to take the people at Meadhall down because of his fearful view. In this attack from Grendel, in the novel he not viewed as if he was terrified but in the epic poem he was, however, this part of the stories was then lead by his

Beowulf went through so much to prove he was worthy enough to protect their kingdom and defeat Grendel. The story Beowulf was a great story to read and a great movie to watch; however, the battles were very eye catching and had a lot of extravagant and heroic doings of Beowulf. The first scenario that I’m going to discuss in the movie and story of Beowulf is The Battle with Grendel. In the movie Grendel attacked Beowulf in the Heriot while everyone was dancing and singing.

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life.