“The Beasts” The beast in the novel Grendel does not stray to far away from the monster in the book Frankenstein. These two creatures are both misunderstood which makes them do what they do, while they are just trying to fit in. The two monsters both handle rejecting and defeat very differently. In the novel Grendel, Grendel sees defeat as a weakness and he will not own to be defeated by the mighty Beowulf in their fight as far as saying : “If you win, it’s by mindless chance, first you tricked me and then I slipped; Accident” pg 171 which Grendel see’s Beowulf won just by luck. However, for Frankenstein’s monster takes loss/rejection much more humbly as in the novel when he is trying to win over the affection of the DeLacey’s and is rejected and beaten, the monster just leaves the people to be even though he says in page 115 : “I could have torn him limb from libs, as lion rends the antelope, but my heart sank within me as with bitter sickness, and I refrained.”. The two monsters see defeat as two ways, Grendel does not accept it even though he was bested while Frankenstein’s monster knows that all …show more content…
Grendel growing up as the only one of his kind, found it very hard to be loved which contributed to his loneliness : “ Why can’t I have someone to talk to? I said, the stars said nothing, but I pretended to ignore the ruleness” pg 53 being lonely would attest to all his wrongdoings and why he had so much hatred towards everyone and everything. While Frankenstein’s monster after having been alone for so long only longed affection and love from anything or anybody : “You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being “ pg 125. The monster would ask for this creation so he would have a reason to live as he saw himself as unlovable to other beings. Grendel and Frankenstein were both just seeking what we are born on this earth wanting
In Frankenstein, it is evident that the monster wants to reach out the humans and feel accepted into society, craving for friendship with the humans in the story. Although it acknowledges that it is an abomination created by Frankenstein, he constantly tries to find an opportunity to make contact with the family: “I had the sagacity enough to discover enough to discover that the unnatural hideousness of my person was the chief object of horror with those with those who had formerly beheld me. My voice, although harsh, had nothing terrible in it… I could gain good will and mediation of the old De Lacey, I might by his means be tolerated by my younger protectors” (121). Like the monster, Grendel takes interest on the humans, spying on them.
Contrasting 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.
His “weapon” was his appearance itself, a walking creature with other ruin human body parts that made him up. On the contrary of similarities, like everything else, these monsters portrayed characteristics that differed them from each other such as the fact that Frankenstein was horrid on the outside but very soft and emotional on the inside. He defiantly knew what it felt like to be talked down on and feel the pain from it. Grendel was not very emotional, he carried himself to be very strong and uplifting in himself. Despite their differences, Grendel and Frankenstein are both similar in the way that they were both greatly feared by their surrounding people.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic novel that explores the consequences of cruelty, both towards oneself and others. Through the course of the story, the theme of cruelty functions as a crucial motivator and major social and political factor, driving the plot and the development of the characters. This essay will analyze how cruelty functions in the work as a whole, the impact it has on the characters, and what it reveals about the perpetrator/victim relationship. One of the most striking examples of cruelty in the novel is the treatment of the creature by his creator, Victor Frankenstein.
Theme: The Misery Caused by Loss During the novel several characters die, of different causes. Misery is also a main motif, while several personas gradually become more and more miserable. The loss of characters caused dreadful misery.
Grendel in the novel is very different from the monster in Frankenstein because Grendel wants to and enjoys to humiliate and kill people, the monster in Frankenstein wants to be able to socialize with people without them getting frightened by his appearance. They are alike because they are both alone, they both frighten people with their looks, and they are not welcome in the human world. Grendel in the novel knows he is a fright to people, he is danger. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with that, but at the same time is not proud of it, either. He does like the pain of others, preferably king Hrothgar and his men.
The novel Frankenstein brings to light many problems and situations that shed light on the faults of mankind. Cruelty was a huge factor in the novel; throughout Frankenstein is cruel to his body and to his creation. When he first makes the creature he runs from it, leaving the creature to fend for himself; even when reuniting with the creature he continues displays cruelty. The creature, in turn exhibits Victor cruelty right back. Within Frankenstein cruelty can be attributed, often affecting both Victor and the creature; serving as a crucial motivator and revealing their anger, pain, frustration till eventually both die.
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.
When hearing the story of a murder, we seldom withhold our comments of how malicious the murderer is. The reasoning behind their actions might as well cease to exist, as we would not want to believe that they share the same state of mind as a criminal. However, in John Gardner’s Grendel, we see that Grendel has morals and feelings, contrary to how he is portrayed in the poem the novel is derived from, Beowulf. Similarly, the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein shares the same emotional characteristics as Grendel, along with innocence at birth, the desire for a companion, and the pain of being an outsider.
Dreanna Hypes Lit comp per 7 Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, tells the horrific story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist devoured by ambition, seeks to revive life to the deceased. Thus, a horrific monster is created. Terrified of its unsightly stature, Dr Frankenstein flees his creation, neglecting it severely a result, the monster. Lonely and depressed, seeks revenge on his creator, killing several members of his family and his closest friend. Throughout shelley uses imagery and toner to amplify the horror
Grendel, or Anxiety? In today’s society, we face many monsters that cause us to become fearful and weak when faced with a challenge. In the epic Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel, Grendel is a miserable monster who causes pain upon faultless people, and is motivated by their pain. Today’s monsters may not be actual creatures, but they do cause the same terrifying effects on people, symbolizing evil in our society.
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 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.
Monsters are described as big, ugly, no-feelings creatures. They are also described as creatures of hell or creatures that are not acceptable in the society. This is disagreeable, not all monsters are ugly, and some monsters do have some feelings. The monster Grendel, in the book Grendel by the author John Gardner, shows that he is sensitive and has human's feeling traits even though he is a monster. Different events in the book, prove that the monster is impressionable and afraid.
With more broadcasting of evil each day, the question; “what makes a monster” is often asked. Monstrosity is the state or fact of being monstrous. Monstrous by definition can mean having a frightening opinion, extremely large, or a person who is outrageously evil. Many artists and journalist have tried to tackle the question, though two authors in particular stand out. In Frankenstein Mary Shelley uses the hideous looks of the monster along with the average looks of Victor to show her readers that monstrosity comes from within.