A Comparison of the Grendel of Beowulf and Gardners Grendel :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of the Grendel of Beowulf and Gardners Grendel         The fabrication Grendel by John Gardner portrays a significantly different picture of Grendel than the larger-than-life poem Beowulf paints. Grendel is a non-human being who posses human qualities. In either allegory it is not specified what type of being Grendel is, nor does it tell of what exactly Grendel looks like. The entirely idea the reader has of the sight of Grendel is the small hints either author gives. We do he stands on two feet as human being do, we know he is covered in hair, and we know he is monstrous.         Although there atomic number 18 numerous significant differences between the two stories there is one idea that stands bulge(p) the most when I read Grendel. That idea is in the poem Beowulf, Grendel is depicted a large animalistic beast. This gives the reader the feeling that Grendel is solely compulsive by his animal instinct s and does not posses the same thought processes as humans do. For example the line the monster stepped on the bright paved floor, half-crazed with evil anger from his strange eyes an ugly light shone out like fire (Beowulf line 725), proves this calculate.           In the novel however this point lacks development. Rather Grendel is portrayed as a confused creature deviation through life looking for answers. Surprisingly Grendel walks the woodland in consistency with the animals. He does not act like the blood hungry beast he is seen as in Beowulf.   In the novel -- Grendel is walking the forest and comes across a doe. He notices that the doe is staring in frighten off and suddenly runs away. One would assume from the ideas hinted in Beowulf that Grendel would have attacked the deer. However Grendel appears pain with the deers actions. He says Blind Prejudice (Gardner 7) Ah, the unfairness of everything, I say and tingle my head. It is a matter of fact that I have never killed a deer in all my life, and never will. (Gardner 8)         Grendel is a confused creature. Since he walks alone he has more than enough time to think around his life. He always used to ask his mother why are we here (Gardner 11) the only way he realized the truth was from