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Grendel As A Monster In Beowulf
In the epic poem, Beowulf, by Seamus Heaney, Grendel is made into a monster by the reaction of
society to his ancestry and the roles of Cain and his mother.
All evil is believed to exist by reason of Cain's reputation and this is why society views Grendel as a
monster. Grendel is an ancestor of Cain, who is seen throughout the community as an evil outcast ,
which reflects onto Grendel. Cain out of jealousy, kills his brother Abel which is seen as an
malicious sin. In Seamus Heaney's version of Beowulf, he states that as a result of Cain's sin, he
was, "branded an outlaw, marked by having murdered, he moved into the wilds. Shunned company
and joy" (Heaney 1263–1265). Cain attracted this reputation upon himself and carries it throughout
his ancestry. The outcome of Cain's atrocity results in society recognizing anything to do with Cain
corrupt. The almighty was not found of this act and from his outrage, "sprang misbegotten spirits,
among them Grendel, the banished and cursed," (Heaney 12676–1267). As stated, Grendel is cursed
with Cain's prior actions by society viewpoint. Before Grendel invades the Heorot, he does nothing
uphold a reputation of Cain. Furthermore, Grendel is isolated and seen as an outcast, he recognizes
only misery, and wants to deflect his pain onto others.
Lack of parental supervision leads to unremorseful actions. Grendel's mother presnets herself to not
care about his overall well–being as she sees him night after night, conducting destructive
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Similarities Of Grendel And Beowulf
This essay is a character analysis that compares and contrast the two main characters of the epic
"Beowulf". The essay informs the reader of the traits the two characters have in common including
their cocky personalities and their impossible strength. It also mentions the many opposing
characteristics of the two characters including how brave or cowardly they are, and weather or not
they want to help or hurt people. Many direct quotes from the epic "Beowulf" are also within the
essay to help support each allegation, giving proof to the characteristics identified.
Compare and Contrasting Beowulf and Grendel
There is a hero and a villain in every story, we have: Batman and The Joker, Spider–Man and The
Green Goblin, Thor and Loki, and of course Beowulf and Grendel. In the epic "Beowulf" our two
main characters are Beowulf the hero of the story, and Grendel the evil demon who terrorized the
world. In the epic, Beowulf and Grendel are noticeably different, but at the same time alike in many
ways. The people in the story may not have notice the similarities, but they could not be hidden
from the peering eye of the reader. In the story Beowulf was was brave, while Grendel was
cowardly, Beowulf was helpful, while Grendel only wanted to hurt people; in comparison, they
were both unnaturally strong and very arrogant.
To begin, one of the many ways that Beowulf was different than Grendel is that Beowulf was brave.
Every night Grendel snuck into Herot Hall to destroy King Hrothgar's men. He did this while hiding
in the shadows, sneaking around in the dead of night, and attacking while the men we asleep and at
there most vulnerable. These are not the characteristics the brave, these are the characteristics of a
foul, loathsome, cowardly beast. Mean while, Beowulf liked to meet a problem head on, in this case
the problem was Grendel himself. Determined Beowulf sailed to Denmark to defeat Grendel, telling
Hrothgar that he will take Grendel's life with his bare hands. As told in the story, " That mighty
protector of men/ Meant to hold the monster till it's life/ leaped out" (Raffel, 1963, l. 366–368). And
when Beowulf got the chance to do just that, Grendel took the cowards road, "Grendel's one thought
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Compare And Contrast Grendel And Beowulf
The monster Grendel descendant of Cain attacks Herot due to their loud and disruptive celebrations.
Grendel comes at night Beowulf, and his men are waiting for the monster to come so threy all go to
sleep. As expected Grendel does come and he kills one of Beowulf men, and reaches for Beowulf
when he gets grabbed by him instead. Beowulf and Grendel both fight it out.
Beowulf rips off his arm and is victorious. Everyone celebrates the death of Grendel. Beowulf
swears to kill her Beowulf The second battle was the one that brought about boasts to everyone in
Herot again, and takes hunting unearths sword with him to kill Grendel's mother. Beowulf swims to
her lair Beowulf gets chased by all sorts of other monsters on his way down to her lair.
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Grendel As An Outcast In Beowulf
Beowulf, an old English epic, helps the reader visualize how the Anglo–Saxon culture was. This
epic uses many different types of literary archetypes from the Anglo–Saxon literature. Beowulf is
about a young prince making a journey to Denmark to help Hrothgar, the king of the Danes. The
author of the English epic Beowulf, shows how Grendel is such an outcast, Beowulf's battles
between good and evil, and how heroic he was throughout his life.
Grendel is an outcast in the land of the Danes, which prompts his attacks on Herot Hall. Grendel, a
"powerful monster" (Beowulf l. 1), was the biggest outcast in the land of the Danes. He felt left out
because the warriors would always party and have a good time at Herot Hall without him. Herot
Hall was a building built by Hrothgar for his warriors to have a relaxing place to unwind after a long
day of work. Grendel wanted to have a good time like the warriors did at the hall, but could not
because the warriors would try to kill him. He got fed up with being the outcast of the town and
decided that once night fell, he would terrorize Herot Hall. As he approached the doors of the hall
his thoughts became "as quick as his greed or claws" (Beowulf l. 35). He opens the door snatching
thirty warriors in his hands as they sleep instantly killing them. As he takes them back to his lair the
blood from their bodies leave a trail behind him. Hrothgar is devastated when he found out that
Grendel had taken the lives of his friends. After this
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The Fight Between Grendel And Beowulf
Beowulf and Grendel The particular scene I wish to cover would have to be the fight between
Grendel and Beowulf, the defeat of Grendel. In Beowulf, during the Fight with Grendel, Grendel is
coming once more to feast upon the men of the grounds of Hrothar. Though unbeknownst to him, it
is a trap, and Beowulf is lying in wait to defeat the beast. The fight is well detailed, and Beowulf
wins and takes Grendel's arm as a trophy, having got it by ripping it off with his bare hands. As it is
stated here, "Yet he bought his freedom At a high price, for he left his hand and arm and shoulder to
show he had been here" (Heaney, line 969, 971). The fight is fairly the same, the screeching and
yelling, and Beowulf's impossible human strength. He's a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The main point being that he spoke to Grendel as he fought him, Grendel being able to understand
him, and he speaks rather differently than you might have thought him to act. Instead of the noble
warrior he was in Beowulf, while yes he was extremely strong and mighty he was much more brutal
in the book Grendel I feel. The way he spoke to Grendel, basically torturing him as he was gripping
his arm so hard to the point the bones broke and it was ripped off. He laughed at Grendle,
commanding him to sing and mocking him, "He smashes me against it, breaks open my forehead.
Hard, yes! Observe the hardness, write it down in careful runes. Now sing of walls! Sing!" (Gardner
p. 171). This is one of the things Grendel says as he's killing him, and it portrays him as very brutal
and harsh in my eyes. Another was how Grendel acted himself, externally and internally. While yes
he was still a beast who wished to sustain his bloodlust, he wasn't just a mindless, evil creature. He
had feelings, and he was scared at any time he felt he was dying or was in danger. These I feel are
the main differences between these two works and I find them very, very
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Beowulf and Grendel Essay
Beowulf and Grendel
Beowulf and Grendel are actually the same stories in the fact that they are based on the same epic
"Beowulf." "Beowulf", that is told of here is translated by Kevin Crossley–Holland, and there are
many different translations which makes Beowulf the epic so interchangeable. Although "Beowulf"
and "Grendel" seem very similar they do have many differences as well. Reading the two stories
back to back gives you the impression of how many differences there are. For example, "Beowulf"
is written from an outsider's point of view. "Grendel" is written from Grendel's point of view. This
changes the whole perception of the book. Seeing a story written from two different points of views
not only helps you to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The stories actually differ in ways that make your feelings change about the plot. These two stories
were written during the Anglo Saxon period. Anglo Saxon was also the time of Medieval England.
Each story gives a good representation of this time. It is necessary to learn about this period in order
to get the full impact of these stories. To understand that Medieval England was very different
compared to the current time is very important before reading the two stories. In the Anglo Saxon
time they had no rights for animals, they would simply slaughter them for all the food they could
eat. In today's time there are animal rights. For example, there are animal rights activists. They
believe that animals should not be killed for food or sport. Today's societal views would have been
laughed at from the point of view of the medieval world. Today we have the luxury of being able to
drive down the street, run into the grocery store, and purchase whatever food we need. The Anglo
Saxon's did not have cars nor were there grocery stores. As for the Anglo Saxon's, they had to get
their own food whatever way possible. That meant they had to go out and kill animals for their
meat, have their own gardens in order to have. The medieval period was one of wars, fighting, and
killing. In that time people were killing other people without the consequences of jail time like there
is today. They would have a little trial type situation where the
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
The beginning of the movie, we see that the king Hrothgar is having a feast and/or celebration. We
start to identify that King Hrothgar is a man who laid with other women and don't have too much
respect for anyone. This man was in no way set for being a king and it made us, the audience
wonder on how he could have became a king over a few many people. In the book of Beowulf, King
Hrothgar was fit to be one, but wasn't young and couldn't defeat Grendel. In this paper, we'll be
focusing on the differences of Beowulf the film, and book and see and compare each of the books.
What we the viewers see in the characters of Beowulf, Book Beowulf seemed might of more
unrealistic than the new Beowulf film besides the dragon, Grendel and all the magics
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Is Grendel Human In Beowulf
Jaeden Young
Brit Lit 5B
4/30/16
How is Grendel Human
Human nature is found deep within all of us. We all share the same qualities and feelings; those of
loneliness, jealousy, abandonment, pain, and anger. Throughout all of literature it seems as though
the antagonist beholds these particular characteristics which typically leads to the conflict. In the
epic poem Beowulf, Grendel, the antagonist of this story, can be described using these
characteristics. What the reader fails to recognize is although Grendel is suppose to be a "monster"
he really is more human than one realizes. Grendel should be looked upon as more humanistic than
monstrous to truly understand his character and to support Beowulf as the hero.
The fate worst than death is
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Comparing Beowulf And Grendel
Grendel, by John Gardner published in 1971, takes a different view of the original novel Beowulf.
The plot of the Grendel is analogous to the Shakspearnean play, Macbeth in many approaches.
Macbeth is a play that originated during the 1600's which incorporated aspects of sorcery, witches
and violence during a medieval era. In the beginning, Macbeth is an honoured warrior in Scotland,
but later craves for power; hence, he kills the king and rules the country. At this point, there were
three witches that provided him with prophecies of the future. The two main prophecies were that he
will not be defeated till Birnamwood(a forest) moves and no man of woman born can hurt him.
Accordingly, he was enlightened to hear this because he felt superior and invincible. ... Show more
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I could walk up to the mead–hall whenever I pleased, and they were powerless."(Gardner 76) Both
of these character's over confidence lead to their destruction. For instance, a thane called Macduff
was born from the c–section of a woman, so an abnormal birth. Also, the troopers disguise
themselves with bushes and trees which makes it seem like the forest moving. Both of these
prophecies were ambiguous and created false hope for Macbeth. Likewise, Grendel's mother states
"Warovvish" which means to be aware of the fish (Gardner 145). This is an example of
foreshadowing and reminds Grendel to be cautious, but due to his over–confidence he goes to the
mead–hall. Next, he battles Beowulf and comes to a conclusion that "If you win, it's by mindless
chance. Make no mistake. First you tricked me, and then I slipped. Accident." Beowulf cuts his arm
off, but Grendel thought he was invincible; hence, he was negativel influnced by the dragon. Both
Macbeth and Grendel display their egotistic nature which leads to their downfall. Moving on, both
of these characters demonstrate the theme of
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How Is Beowulf And Grendel Alike
Beowulf is an old Anglo–Saxon story of a terrifying monster Grendel, Grendel travels to the Danes
mead hall Heorot and while the danes expect it least he attacks killing countless men purely for the
joys of doing so. Hrothgar king of the Danes calls for a warrior to fight this unruly beast. After 12
long years of grendel attacking Hrothgar's calls are answered and the great warrior Beowulf comes
to kill Grendel. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes from across the seas and in the first night
he kills Grendel. Sadly for Beowulf Grendel has a mother that now seeks revenge for her son's death
and Beowulf is asked to kill Grendel's mother as well. Beowulf goes to where Grendel's mother is
staying and battled her to the death , Beowulf wins ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the beginning of the story the plot stays the same for the most part... other than Beowulf being
motivated by other things than glory or pride. When Grendel is killed in the movie they introduce
his mother, they don't show her face but they hint to her being very seductive by the way she talks.
Grendel's mom doesn't really seek revenge in the movie but Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill her
because of a prior incident (Grendel is actually Hrothgar's son) with Grendel's mom. Beowulf
obliges and goes to kill G's mom but when he enter her den he is almost instantly taken away by her
beauty, this causes Beowulf to have a lapse in judgement and impregnate G's mom. This is very
different from the book because in the book he kills G's mom in a battle to the death then cuts the
head off of Grendel's dead body as illustrated "Armless, exactly as that fierce fighter had sent him
out from Herot, then struck off His head with a single swift blow"(542). Also after Beowulf was
seduced he goes back to Hrothgar and lies to him and the Danes saying that he has killed Grendel's
mother. This is the major plot difference in the movie and the book. The overall theme/message is
also different from the book to the movie. For example in the book the book the theme is good vs.
evil, Beowulf being good and Grendel being. This however is not the case in the movie, the theme
in the movie is more like don't cheat on your spouse and don't lie to the people you rule or else it
will come back to haunt you. This quite the difference, but I believe the writers of the movie did this
to make a point or to send a message to the people watching
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The Characters Of Grendel Vs. Beowulf
Noble Grendel
In what other book is the monster, the character with more nobility? Both monsters, Grendel and
Beowulf, are brave in what they do but being brave is not all it takes to be noble. Grendel is more
noble than Beowulf because of the truth he portrays through what he believes in, the perseverance
he has when put into a dangerous situation or position, and the fidelity he shows toward his mother.
Grendel is very truthful and he sticks to what he says. If he truly believed in a concept then he
would follow through with it. An example of this is the fact that he will not kill certain animals if
there is a better way of surviving. "I have never killed a deer in all my life, and never will... Cows
have more meat and, locked up in pens, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Grendel is very faithful to his mother, he trusts her all the time. Whenever he is in a dangerous
situation or he feels pain he will scream out "Mama, Mama"(Gardner 173). "A shriek ten times as
loud as mine came blaring off the cliff...It was my mother!...She came roaring down like thunder"
(Gardner 27). It is not just a call sometimes it will come in handy and she will save him.
Beowulf is faithful to the one and only Hrothgar himself. He only sets out to kill Grendel because of
the relationship between them. "Here to follow up on an old friendship"(Heaney 380). It is explicitly
stated that the only reason that Beowulf hunted Grendel is not just because he wanted a challenge
but because he and Hrothgar are old friends.
Even though Grendel relies on his mother he does have a little bit of self reliability. The reason for
this is that when his mother does not show up to save him, he has to try and save himself, and he has
many times. "It was the height of summer, harvest season in the first year of what I have come to
call my war with Hrothgar"(Gardner 76). He attacks meadhalls many times and yet he never invites
his mother along. Now this maybe because she can't talk like he can but that does not justify why he
can't try and drag her out. Beowulf did fight Grendel by himself, unarmed, but this is one of the first
times he did not have help from his viking friends.
Grendel is more noble than Beowulf
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Grendel Vs Beowulf Essay
When looking at Beowulf and Grendel, one perceives them in different ways when reading different
versions of the story of Beowulf. Each character goes through the same or similar actions they had
gone through in other versions but they are either shown as a hero or a villain depending on the
writer's opinions, beliefs, and lifestyle. The Beowulf poem displays a more compelling argument for
Beowulf by eloquently wording his actions and words, diligently staying on topic, and constantly
showing Beowulf under the same lime light throughout the poem. Beowulf is the main focus of the
piece and the characters introduced assist his cause as a hero. They did use methods that could have
potentially harmed his cause but Beowulf used them to prove his enemies among the Thanes wrong.
Unferth, "sick with envy," did boast over how Beowulf had "took on Breca in a swimming match on
the open sea," however Beowulf used the argument to his advantage by saying he had "finished off
the sea–beasts" that had attempted to kill Beowulf after he was driven away from Breca by the
waves (Beowulf lines 502, 506–507, 558). Characters overall helped his cause even though they
might have tried to kill him and his cause, for he prevailed in the end and defeated Grendel in ...
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He stays true to his boasts though the poem; he defeated Grendel and other threats that were posed
to him. Beowulf didn't stray away from the main quest of the story either; Beowulf completed his
task and tore Grendel's entire "arm at the shoulder," "his awesome grasp"(Grendel 172 and Beowulf
line 835). If he had originally assisted others before Grendel, then the poem would have mentioned
something. However, this version is still effective because it got straight to the point. The fight he
did have with Grendel is incredibly short, but nevertheless, shows his heroism and proves him as a
hero to the vikings through his boasts, actions, words, and
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Beowulf Vs Grendel
This story is about a guy named Beowulf who lived in a far away country who came to Hrothgar's
kingdom to save his kingdom from a monster. The monsters name is Grendel and Grendel has come
to Higlac, which is the name of Hrothgar's mead, and murdered multiple people. Between the movie
and the text, there are multiple differences. One major difference between the movie and the text is
the characters. In the movie the characters are shown completely different than they are in text. For
example, in the text Grendel could not speak and was a wolf–like monster, but in the movie he was
able to speak and did not look anything wolf–like instead he looked more human like. Another
example is Grendel's mother, in the text Grendel's mother looked very similar to him including her
she–wolf looks, but instead in the movie she looked like Jennifer Lopez. The text states, "but her
supper assured, sheltered in her dripping claws (line 412–413)". ... Show more content on
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For example, in the text Beowulf kills Grendel's mother but in the movie she stays alive. Also, in the
text Beowulf never had a son of his own as to where in the movie he had a son with Grendel's
mother. In the text Beowulf dies while fighting the dragon, but in the movie he was the one who
killed the dragon and did not die until afterwards. According to the text, "Then he saw, hanging on
the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic, the best of all
weapons but so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated length. He drew it
from its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt, and then, savage, now angry and desperate, lifted it
high over his head and struck with all the strength he had left, caught her in the neck and cut it
through, broke bones and all. Her body fell to the floor, lifeless (line
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
The story of Beowulf has been told for centuries all over Europe. However, there is one problem
with recreating the story and making it into a movie; each movie has a different plot–line, theme, or
character back–story. The differences in the movies may or may not have a large effect on the
overall story, but it does show how much stories can change just by the person that is telling the
story.
For instance, in the first movie we watched, Beowulf 2005, Grendel was a troll whose mother was a
sea beast and his father was a troll. In Beowulf 2005, Grendel spoke using a series of grunting
noises and spoke very little English. In the second movie Beowulf 2007, Grendel was a monster
whose mother was a sea beast, but his father was King Hrothgar. This time Grendel communicated
by speaking in old English. These differences are very minuscule, but they had a large impact on the
ending of each movie. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulfs warrior's arrive later to assist him in fighting Grendel. Although in the second movie,
Beowulf arrives with all of his warrior's on a ship and is greeted by one of Hrothgars warrior's, who
then takes them to meet with King Hrothgar. This time Beowulfs warrior's are all ready to fight
Grendel, even though they were intoxicated from staying in Mead–hall all night. In Beowulf 2005,
Grendel attacks King Hrothgars kingdom because they killed his father, but in Beowulf 2007,
Grendel attacks the kingdom because he is annoyed with all of the noisy partying that takes place in
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Who Is Grendel In Beowulf
"Grendel" was written by an American author known as John Gardner in 1971. This novel retells a
part from the poem Beowulf; however, it is told from the view of Grendel. Throughout the novel
there are a multitude of characteristics shown by Grendel. After comprehending the novel from
Grendel's point of view it more pronounced that he is rather "good" than evil, and more so a
character that is sympathized for.
Many times the perspective people have is what leads them to make predictions about the characters
intentions. The novel "Grendel" gives readers the chance to alter their perspective to the point they
may believe Grendel has hopeful intentions, but executes his emotions rather terribly. Grendel is
lonely, and in a way depressed because he is unable to communicate with the villagers as well as his
own mom. He is completely isolated and all alone. At one point Grendel desires to be liked by the
villagers, so he enters the dining hall in which they eat at (Grendel 51). After he enters the hall he
receives such a negative response that he lashes out at the people (Grendel 52). Rejection can truly
affect the way someone behaves. Grendel had the utmost intentions of showing the villagers he is
not a monster; however, due to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He is mesmerized by the older man (Shaper) that plays the harp. Grendel explains, "The man had
changed the world, had torn up the past by its thick, gnarled roots and had transmitted it, and they,
who knew the truth, remembered it his way– and so did I" (Grendel 43). In this situation Grendel
can understand their language, but cannot understand his mother nor can the villagers understand
him. This just creates another part of Grendel's life that readers begin to sympathize with. He is
completely and utterly isolated from understanding anyone else or them even understanding him.
Grendel is also mesmerized by the queen. She had brought happiness and unity to the
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Similarities Between Grendel And Beowulf
The Better Protagonist
If you have ever read the book Grendel, which is a playoff of the book Beowulf, you know the
author depicts the protagonist as a good character. The author, John Gardner, uses many techniques
in his writing to make Grendel sound like a good protagonist. He made a good argument for its
protagonist by describing other characters as evil, giving an idea of character's backstory to help
guide your opinions towards certain characters, and giving Grendel many of the traits of the nine
noble virtues.
Throughout the book John Gardner describes the characters in his book Grendel to make them
sound worse than they did in the book Beowulf. An example of this is when Grendel is being killed
by Beowulf at the end of the book. " He
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
How Grendel is the Monster
What makes a monster? Is it the way they speak, walk, or look? The probability of having a
neighbor who is to be considered a monster, is not too far as one may think. An aged tale that is able
to represent how monsters can diversify is Beowulf the Epic. It is an Old English poem written in
cantos and considered to be one of the biggest epics of the Anglo–Saxon era. Main character
Beowulf, a warrior hero for the Geats, comes to the rescue of Hrothgar. The King of the Danes hall,
Heorot, has been under attack by the monster, who is named Grendel, for twelve years. Beowulf is
set out to kill Grendel with his bare hand and later take on the avagece of Grendel's mother after the
death of her only son with a giant's sword ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This could because Beowulf was not the man Grendel wanted to fight after all. Grendel was
disabled with speech, but mentally he was able to understand emotions. Often shown as angry and
careless monster in Beowulf & Grendel portrayed him as an unpleasant character. Which connects
with the Grendel excerpt where Grendel describes himself as a defiant and sarcastic, he goes on to
say, "I make a face, uplift a defiant middle finger, and give an obscene little kick" (Grendel, 6), "I
cry, and hug myself, and laugh, letting out salt tears, he he! Till I fall down gasping and sobbing.
(It's mostly fake.)" (Grendel, 6). For a monster to be made there has to a feeling connection between
the audience and the monster. There is also another great thing to keep in mind when taking into
consideration a monster mental character and that is that an individual can not be evil without his or
hers motive in action. Thoughts may overpopulate, but they are not actions. When Beowulf ask
Hrothgar on who has Grendel hurted in the past, Hrothgar explains that slayer has only killed his
man, no children or woman. This tell us that Grendel is able to understand who he is doing wrong
to. In Beowulf Grendel mentions to his mother that he has harmed the humans and that they are evil.
In away this was a successful scene because being able to sympathize with the monster and
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Essay On Grendel In Beowulf
Beowulf, the epic, follows an Anglo–Saxon society, the Danes, during the middle ages, a time when
religion and bloodline dictated social hierarchy. The king was the dominant figure, destined to be
chosen because of his ancestors, who preceded him as king. The poet introduces Grendel, a monster,
condemned by god for his demonic bloodline. These factors in addition to society's outlook on
impiety, shape Grendel as a menace to society. Therefore, the Beowulf poet characterizes Grendel as
an outcast to explore how an individual's identity and social status is determined by their adherence
to societal values. Grendel's lineage and opposition to god establish him as an outcast. Grendel's
introduction directly contrasts the Danes' celebration as he is presented to detest happiness and
humanity. The reason for his hatred towards humanity is described through his conflict with his
lineage and perception of god. The poet portrays him as "a fiend out of hell [working] his evil in the
world. Grendel was the name of this grim demon... he had dwelt for a time in misery among the
banished monsters, Cain's clan, whom the creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts" (100–
107). The poet uses fear igniting words "fiend", "evil" and "grim" to characterize Grendel as rotten
to the core. He separates Grendel from all the pureness of the world through his connection to hell,
creating a conflict between his desire to be himself against the will of "the creator". God is sung
praises about
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The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel
When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences
between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic
warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of
fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other
cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that
things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes
contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For
example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas ... Show more content on
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A lot of Grendel's behavior is a result of his descent. "Cain got no good from committing that
murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang
ogres and elves and evil phantoms" (Heaney, Seamus page 9). References to the Biblical story of
Cain and Abel throughout the epic allow readers to infer that Grendel comes from a cursed
bloodline. This was common during this time period, as kinship was weighed heavily in determining
a person's character. In this time, it was not common to see an antagonist as complex as the hero of
the story, which is why Grendel is very plainly evil. As the story progresses, there is no change in
his character, and even in his defeat, it is hard for readers to sympathize with him because of this.
He is constantly described as a monstrous creature, one of pure evil, which adheres to the thinking
of simplistic duality present in the culture of the Anglo Saxons. Everything was simply good or evil
by nature, and Grendel obviously fell under the latter. While that was considered normal for that
time period, current audiences would not accept it so willingly. Our culture is one of reasoning and
logic, questioning everything without simply accepting it. In the time of the epic, they simply
embraced what was and demanded no explanation. Perhaps this contributes largely to the difference
in text and film, and why characters pursue different quests.
In Beowulf and Grendel,
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
Overriding force
A strike of lightning, a natural disaster, or even a coconut falling on your head and knocking you
dead all seem like pretty unordinary and uncommon ways to die. That being said, such things still
happen and no one can control that fact. The authors of Beowulf and Grendel would say that the
occurrences were destined to happen and predetermined by fate. Beowulf is an epic poem that is
dated at around the 8th century. The poem tells the story of Beowulf and his journey to save the
people of the land of the Danes from a horrible monster named Grendel that has been terrorizing
them. The novella Grendel by John Gardner depicts the same values in a stronger fashion by letting
readers see through the eyes of Grendel. Believers in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rather, human beings may be able to make their own decisions to an extent, but this power is
greatly overshadowed by the force of the higher power or fate. During the time periods portrayed by
each of these pieces of literature, Christianity was somewhat new and pagan religions were
dominant. Even so, these two religions both believed in fate. Pagan's carried the mindset of fatalism.
Fatalism was a mindset that was very popular during the time period. The philosophy behind
fatalism was that all the events, actions, or incidents that make up a person's life are determined by
fate. Christians, on the other hand, had a belief known at Christian providence. Christian providence
is a belief in which God directs all things toward a worthy purpose. God controls what happens in
the universe in the same way that fate
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Comparing Beowulf And Grendel And Beowulf
Since it was first discovered and translated, Beowulf has represented one of the finest examples of
heroic poetry. As a tale reflecting the noble deeds of a hero, it uniquely expresses the cultural values
of the Anglo–Saxons from whom it originated since heroes often do reflect the best of what their
culture deems worthwhile. However, modern adaptations of this work express a different set of
cultural values; values unique to modern society. When comparing the translated poem, Beowulf, to
the 2005 motion picture, Beowulf and Grendel, it is obvious to see that our morals and ideas are
reflected on this ancient poem. The movie, Beowulf and Grendel, and the epic, Beowulf, are prime
examples of the radical cultural differences that have evolved over time. In Beowulf, the epic, we
see very simplistic characters. Beowulf, for example, is simply a hero who kills monsters. That is all
he has ever wanted in his life and that is all that defines him. In the motion picture, we see Beowulf
as a man that has risen from his unique childhood and has made a name for himself. We see
Beowulf as a flawed human being; not as a muscle–head hero who is never defeated. This
humanizes Beowulf and makes him a more appealing character that people can identify with. In the
epic, Grendel is a demonic monster who kills for no reason; he is only reason considered evil,
because he does not pay the blood price after killing someone. In the motion picture, Grendel is
made to look more human;
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Comparing Grendel And Beowulf
Grendel
A tale of demons and dragons have been with us through various novels throughout our lifetimes.
The novel Grendel however, written by John Gardner, stands out amongst the rest. Grendel is a
demon that lives in an underground cave with his mother. He can speak fluent English while his
mother and all the other animals can't. This automatically sets him apart from the rest of the world.
He sits on top of the cliff near his cave and talks alone to himself, never having anyone to have a
conversation with. Grendel has nothing in common with anyone and it results into him being a
lonely demon that is trying to understand the world and the people in it. Early on, Grendel meets
with the dragon in his cave. The dragon talk and talks about how the world will end and that even he
will soon meet a tragic death. This relates to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She does not speak English and we can remember her in the novel Beowulf when Beowulf killed
her with a huge sword. Grendel's mother loved Grendel, everyone could understand that by reading
the book. Although with the language barrier she couldn't have a normal relationship with her son as
we would all expect from a family. One example of this would be when Grendel said himself that he
didn't understand why he could speak English and his mother never either bothered to learn or
couldn't understand it. "I tried to tell her all that had happened, all that I'd come to understand: the
meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness. She only stared, troubled at my noise.
She'd forgotten all language long ago, or maybe had never known any" (28). With the language
barrier between the two it can make you feel even more different and alone even though his mother
isn't trying to purposely do that to Grendel. Gardner brought many examples into his story of
Grendel and how everyone seemed to isolate and prove how different he was to everything
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Comparing Beowulf And Grendel
In the book Beowulf and Grendel there are many differences and similarities between the two. In the
poem Grendel is a monster that's from the demons, and Beowulf is a human. Another way they are
different is Grendel was lonely and Beowulf was a fearless person. And a way they are alike is they
both were strong individuals. One way they are different that was explained in the book is that
Grendel was a monster born by the demons and Beowulf was not. Grendel was born into evil due to
Cain's sin. Therefore Grendel and others that are like him were punished. Beowulf was a human that
was liked a hero to others. Beowulf was the son of Escgbeow, who had made a relationship with the
Danes. They also were different because, they had different personalities.
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Grendel And Beowulf Comparison
Beowulf and Grendel are two well written pieces of literature that feature a monster–like figure and
his struggle to overcome his urge to kill. Based on the passages read, the poem and book feature the
same basic plot line. However, the stories' reflection of the main character show both similarities
and differences due to Beowulf's third person point of view compared to Grendel's first person point
of view. Ultimately, the change of perspective between the two stories does not not impact the outer
appearance of Grendel, but rather the inner personality.
The two excerpts introduce us to the main character Grendel, who is displayed as a monster on the
outside. Both passages give some deep insight on the character developed throughout
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Similarities Between Grendel And Beowulf
Both of the pieces of literature, Grendel and Beowulf, contain the same story; it is just told from
different viewpoints. Beowulf is an epic oratorical poem depicting the heroic Beowulf defeating the
hideous creature that haunts the halls of Herot. Grendel, however, allows the reader to be able to
experience the story from Grendel's point of view. Though the books depict the same creature who
possesses the same qualities, within Grendel, he is given more human characteristics and this makes
the reader feel as though they are reading about a different being.
The novel Grendel, by John Gardner, gives the reader an inside look on the "monster... demon...
[and] fiend" (Beowulf, 99) who, in Beowulf (translated by Burton Raffel), seems only capable of
destruction, sneaking around in the night and killing soldiers off by the dozen. Grendel is a non–
human entity who possesses human characteristics; no one truly knows who or what he is. He is
monstrously huge, absurdly strong, and insatiable (he has been murdering for approximately twelve
years). He is a "[monster] born of Cain, [a] murderous [creature]" (Beowulf, 105–106). He lives
with his mother in a swampy marsh that is secluded by a "pool of firesnakes" who guard "the
sunken door" to the strange world of humans (Grendel, 16). Beowulf does not provide any
information of where he came from or any history about him, except that he is a pre–cursed, wicked
being with no conscience. This seems like a biased assumption because the story
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The Similarities Between 'Grendel And Beowulf'
In both John Gardner's novel Grendel, and the Epic Beowulf, there is one recurring major character,
Grendel. While the same in name, Grendel is illustrated in different lights between the two texts.
The character exemplifies some of the same traits between the two texts, but is also shown to have
some major differences. Comparing Grendel's two interactions first, one of the most significant
similarities is his fear of Beowulf, most likely stemming from the fact that he had never been beaten
before. During the battle in the epic, it's stated that, "That the shepherd of evil, the guardian of
crime, Knew at once that nowhere on earth Had he met a man whose hands were harder; his mind
flooded with fear" (Beowulf lines 273–276). Grendel had become ... Show more content on
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In the poem, Grendel is painted as a savage monster, with no regard to human life. The Danes often
refer to him as Cain's descendant, and state that for the crime of killing Abel Grendel will never feel
God's love and henceforth is an outcast. "...Conceived by a pair of those monsters born Of Cain,
murderous creatures banished By God, punished forever for the crime Of Abel's death....and their
exile was bitter, Shut away from men..." (Beowulf, lines 20–25). This form of Grendel is a
murderous beast who only knows slaughter of men for the sake of murder, stating that he, "...fought
with the righteous...seeking no peace, offering no truce..." (Beowulf, lines 59 and 69). However, the
novel shows Grendel in a much different way than he is portrayed in the poem. While still a
monster, Grendel shows his higher intelligence and human–like qualities through his thoughts. In
the beginning of the novel Grendel shows that he is capable of forming coherent thoughts and
speaking quite fluently, and thus is far more sophisticated than the mindless monster portrayed in
the poem. This being said, Grendel does not hate the Danes at the beginning, even attempting to
make peace by stating, "Mercy! Peace!" (Grendel 51), but denied the role of friend, he accepts the
role of enemy and thus begins the war with the Danes. Despite Grendel being written in both novels
the, he is quite a different character. Their perspectives do share some similarities but also depict
some differences between them. Grendel is depicted as a savage monster in Beowulf, while the book
likes to show the deeper meaning behind the monster and why he took the actions he did. It truly
shows the difference between self–perception, in comparison to the perception of
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
The villain in the story of Beowulf and Grendel changes depending on which point of view the story
is read from. In Grendel, the interpretation of Beowulf is scary and villainous. In Beowulf, the
interpretation of Beowulf is being the hero.
In the Beowulf, the character Beowulf, is often written in a positive, heroic light. Firstly, on multiple
occasions he is referred to as a hero in the text, like on pages 21 and 29. This starts happening
around his introduction, so the reader is told he is a hero from the beginning. Furthermore, he is
often described as being brave and triumphant, such as "one so valiant and venturesome" and "the
man whose name was known for courage" (21, 25). These descriptions continued to build an
imagine of Beowulf being a mighty hero, he is even described as "the prince of goodness" (45). In
contrast, Grendel, is written in a very negative, beast–like way. His introduction to the story was "a
fiend out of hell" and further went on to call him a "grim demon, haunting the marches, marauding
round the heath and the desolate fens" (9) This automatically gives the reader the idea that Grendel
is the villain, before he even shows ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
John Gardener did this by using a lot of exclamation points and using short sentences, or sentence
with a lot of commas. Also, Grendel howls in pain and for help on multiple occasions. In Grendel,
Beowulf seems to find glee in Grendel's pain, which is not something that is commonly associated
with hero's. "[Beowulf] laughs as he whispers" to Grendel, promising him he will be killed (170).
Additionally, Beowulf laughs as he smashes Grendel's head against a wall and forces Grendel to
praise the hardness of the walls. These events do not show Beowulf as a hero, but instead, as a cruel,
vindictive,
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Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf
According to Jack Lynch a characteristic of an epic poem is that "[there is] a concern with the fate
of a nation or people" (Lynch, Epic). In Beowulf, the concern is Grendel coming to Heorot and
killing Danes. An example of this in Beowulf is "suddenly then/ the God–cursed brut was creating
havoc:/ greedy and grim he grabbed thirty men" (Beowulf 120–123). Grendel was killing the king's
men by the hundreds over the span of several years. That was a significant amount of the
population, for the Medieval period. People in that time–period did not live long lives compared to
how long we live today. To have hundreds of their population killed, especially their male
population, was a significant event. Every king needs warriors and when a population
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Essay On Grendel And Beowulf
In the novel Grendel and the epic poem Beowulf the reader receives a better experience through a
first person point of view. In John Gardner's Grendel which is written in first person the reader is
constantly engaged. The authors use of first person provides the reader of Grendel's thoughts and
emotion. While, in the epic poem Beowulf which is written in 3rd person does not give the reader
any personal connection.
By using first person we have more insight on the characters inner emotions and the reader gains
justification of why the characters act in a specific way. Beowulf thirteen fearless followers venture
onto geatland. " It was a paved track a path that kept them in marching order their male shirts
glinted hard and hand–linked the high gloss iron of their Armour rang" this quote from the epic
poem Beowulf just describes what is happening it's boring, we also don't get any insight on his
thoughts feelings and emotions. However, in Grendel when he met Beowulf for the first time we
knew exactly what he was thinking, "I am suddenly annoyed no longer amused by his stupidity"
Grendel was getting along with Beowulf somewhat but after talking to him for a little bit Grendel
was getting annoyed. First person is a lot better because it gives the reader thoughts and emotions
that third person can not provide.
The use of third person adds enormous amounts of unimportant detail which makes the reader lose
interest. Third person makes the story boring when Grendel and Beowulf
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Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf
Grendel is not a physical being, monster, or human, but a symbol of the darkness within man. When
Beowulf's men join the fight against Grendel, they soon realize that "no blade on Earth, no
blacksmith's art, could ever damage their demon opponent" (53). Grendel is incapable of being
completely destroyed, as even after he is defeated, his arm remains with the Danes. That swords,
even well crafted swords, cannot even damage Grendel is not a testament to his strength, but how
ingrained in society he is. Swords and physical weapons cannot destroy the maliciousness within
society, which Grendel represents. Being immune from anything but a fair hand–to–hand combat
shows that this inherent evil cannot be fought with artificial advantages, but inner ... Show more
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When Macbeth questions whether he should kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth calling
him a "coward" (16) and a "poor cat" (17). Unlike May in "The Canterbury Tales", Lady Macbeth
does not use clever analogies to manipulate her husband, instead, Lady Macbeth bullies Macbeth
into going with the plan to assassinate King Duncan. Although women were still below men as they
were during the time period of "The Canterbury Tales" as defined by the Great Chain of Being,
Lady Macbeth acts like the head of the household instead of Macbeth. One of the reasons for the
inconsistency between the traditions of the time period and the play is that Lady Macbeth, upon
receiving the letter from Macbeth about his promotion to Thane of Cawdor asked for "spirits that
tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe, top–full of direst
cruelty" (12). By being "unsex[ed]", she loses the identity given to her by society and instead takes
on the role as head of the Macbeth household and the equivalent of a man. With the "cruelty" she
gained, she manipulates and intimidates Macbeth into continuing on with each step of the murder of
King
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Comparing Beowulf And Grendel
In all works of literature characters share traits and have differences. Some traits may be obvious
such as physical features or personalities. Some differences might simply be how other characters
view them. In Beowulf the characters have both, similar traits, and differences. The main characters
Beowulf and Grendel share one main trait, they are both well known but Beowulf has a heroic
reputation and Grendel has an eviler reputation. Beowulf is a young prince known throughout
Sweden. Grendel is a monster known throughout the land of Dane. Both characters share public
recognition even though they have two different reputations. Both characters are strong natured as
well. Combining two strong natured and well–known people results in the fight
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Grendel Vs Beowulf
"I won't shift afoot when I meet the cave–guard." This quote shows the courage and bravery of a
warrior during this time. In the Anglo–Saxon Beowulf and John Gardner's Grendel, the difference in
the point of views give a change to the author's style and the narration of the two writings. The
difference in literary purpose behind the two writings affects the motivation and the language.
Beowulf is about a warrior who fights a huge monster to show his loyalty to a king that was not
even his. It was written in the Anglo–Saxon time period and this greatly affects the way the story is
written. Grendel is written from the monster's point of view and this was written many years later.
In the Anglo–Saxon Beowulf the narration assists in making Grendel ... Show more content on
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This is proven "when the wind stirs and storms, waves splash towards the sky, as dark as the air, as
black as the rain that heavens weep"(L. 164–172). In Gardner's Beowulf the sentences are in
standard english making them easier to read and understand and it is written in first point of view.
Grendel watches the Geats everyday and he realises that "by late afternoon the fire dies down and
the column of smoke is white, no longer greasy"(Gardner 46). This helps assist that Grendel is very
intelligent and that the sentences are easier to
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Essay On Grendel In Beowulf
Grendel, the offspring of Cain the outcast, is a demon. He is a scaly creature that lives in a swampy
area. He is a reptilian human, with spikes on him. He is a human–like figure, in which the way he
stands. He stands on two feet, and has arms. In the book Beowulf removes Grendel's arm and
shoulder, defeating him. This must mean he has a shoulder blade and can walk like a human. He
also has razor–sharp talons as it says in the book "Venturing closer, his talon was raised to attack
Beowulf where he lay on the bed" (Heaney 51). One night when he is prowling around, he hears the
King and his kinsmen singing out to the Lord. He hears the songs of how great God is, and is
outraged. As the outcast of God, Grendel despised of God. The songs and happiness, pushes him
over the edge. He plans the downfall of the hall, in spite of their songs. He will attack at night, as
everyone sleeps, and butcher them dead. He sneaks in at night, watching over the guards, ready to
pounce. He rips apart the men eating them alive. "Suddenly then the God–cursed brute was creating
havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting place and rushed them to his lair"
(Heaney 11). This shows just how When the king awoke the next morning he grieved for his men,
but little did he know Grendel would attack every night for 12 winters. Once again Grendel sets of
for a night of ravishing, but the king has a plan. He has set out more guards to keep watch over the
kingdom, as he sleeps. When Grendel
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Compare And Contrast Grendel And Beowulf
Grendel is evil; powerful and he strikes fear and tenor in all who see him, Beowulf is the hero of the
story. Grendel who has killed many men. And both characters have monsters in them from the
banished demons such as Grendel. Grendel and Beowulf is two monsters that are born from
different demons. Beowulf has stood up too many monsters. Grendel is presented as a coward.
Beowulf succeeds and defeats Grendel.
Beowulf is a heroic and Grendel is shown to be intelligent. Grendel is a person that enjoys killing
humans for no reason. Grendel starts to fear Beowulf. Beowulf and Grendel play opposites in the
novel and poem some of their motives turn out to be like each other's. Beowulf the man is not very
different from Grendel the monster. Grendel
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Beowulf And Grendel Comparison
Beowulf, known as the oldest poem in the written English language, written with no known author,
tells a fascinating story involving an epic hero of his time and a not so understood "monster." The
hero's name is Beowulf, purposefully being the same title as the poem itself, he sets out on a journey
from his home to the Danes from a terrible creature that's harming innocent people. As any "hero"
would. Beowulf wants to prove to himself and the people that he is, in fact, the strongest man on
earth. Although Beowulf is a fine piece of writing on its own, it fails to tell all of the story, just like
any other one–sided story does. But, thanks to the novel, Grendel, written by John Gardner, we get
to peek inside the villain's life for a change, which ultimately very well may change the reader's
view of the story completely. These two versions of the same story are told from two different
perspectives, Grendel's (the monster) and Beowulf's (the epic hero), the story told in Beowulf's
favor insinuates that Grendel is a terrible monster with no soul, whose whole life is dedicated to
killing anything and everything in his sight. However, in Grendel, we see a completely different side
of Grendel that isn't over shadowed by the hatred that the people have on Grendel. In the book,
Grendel, we learn about Grendel, and how he feels about himself. We are taken on a journey
through the last twelve months of Grendel's life and what lead up to his, as some would have
described it in the
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Beowulf and Grendel
Beowulf is a classical epic poem which describes Beowulf's heroic deeds and his acts towards
bringing justice and peace to the Scandinavian society by eradicating Grendel. The original
manuscript (700–1000A.D.) and the modern film (2005) reveals significant differences between the
characters' traits and descriptions, an important quotation, descriptions of places, motives, a
character's presence and events that have taken place. Thus, this modern adaptation, Beowulf and
Grendel, of an ancient text, Beowulf, is significantly flawed as any modern adaptation of an ancient
text will be. In the film, specific characters are portrayed differently as they are in the poem. A
significant example of this is from the character, Grendel. The ... Show more content on
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For example, in the film, Hrothgar awakes in the morning and sees his soldiers slaughtered after a
night of Grendel's killings. He runs up to one of them and kneels beside them and begins to weep
and screams that he should be buried here with them because he cannot do anything to stop Grendel.
Here, Hrothgar is confused and does not know what to do to stop this "troll". Even with the arrival
of Beowulf and his heroic stories and confidence to defeat Grendel, Hrothgar is still pictured as a
depressed and weak character. An example in the film that Hrothgar is still confused and depressed
even after the arrival of Beowulf is when Hrothgar and Beowulf argue on the upper floor of the
mead–hall after two unsuccessful nights of trying to defeat Grendel. Hrothgar is agitated and
impatient to the fact that Beowulf has still not eliminated Grendel . This argument is an example
that Hrothgar is still very worried and depressed even with the arrival of a great hero, Beowulf.
These examples show that King Hrothgar in the film, is a character that has fell into a permanent
depression and lacks courage, confidence, and leadership qualities. These qualities greatly contrast
with the qualities of Hrothgar in the poem which symbolizes him as a great leader even through
times of hardship. Beowulf is written in the form of Old English and the film is recorded in a
modern perspective and many of the poem's words and quotations are not utilized to its full extent
and context. A
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The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel
When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences
between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic
warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of
fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other
cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that
things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes
contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For
example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas Beowulf and Grendel
(Gunnarsson, 2005) the film focuses on the tragedies Grendel faces. By creating a more complex
Grendel in the film, it becomes obvious that our culture demands justice and reason behind every
action. The film Beowulf and Grendel presents a far more complex Grendel, which complies with
our culture's necessity to give antagonists motives for their actions, and reason for the audience to
sympathize with them.
Reader 's' first encounter with Grendel in the epic is towards the beginning," a powerful demon, a
prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud
banquet every day in the hall," (Heaney,Seamus page 9). This line from the text shows that Grendel
antagonizes the Danes out of
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Comparing Grendel And Beowulf
After reading the classic Anglo–Saxon tale, Beowulf, readers find themselves engrossed in the
character of Grendel. This interest led to John Gardner's creation of Grendel, a novel that tells
Grendel's side of the story and gives readers a deeper understanding of the character's personality
and morals. While the two stories use the same characters, they are still extremely different.
Beowulf's predictable narrative and basic language make the story very easy to comprehend, while
Grendel is filled with complex phrasing and intricate characters that require intense analyzation to
decipher. The analyzation required to truly understand Grendel displays the varying audiences the
stories were written for. Grendel and Beowulf also use completely different ... Show more content
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The theme coming of age is included in both compositions. Throughout Grendel, Grendel struggles
to come to terms with who he is and frequently straddles the border between adulthood and
childhood. For example, after getting stuck in a tree, Grendel cries out for his mother and then
moments later contemplates the meaning of life: "The king snatched an ax from the man beside him
and, without any warning, he hurled it at me... I bellowed for my mother...I tried to tell her that
happened, all that I'd come to understand: the meaningless objectiveness of the world..." (Gardner
27–28). This bouncing back and forth between a child's mindset and an adult's shows Grendel's
gradual coming of age. Beowulf's main character, Beowulf, is forced to endure many quests that
challenge him not only physically, but mentally forcing him to come of age as well. Beowulf has to
question many of the things he thought he knew, resulting in him growing wiser, much like Grendel.
For example, during his fight with Grendel, Beowulf first says he does not want the help of his
Thanes, but when Grendel starts to beat him, his Thanes are forced to step in (Beowulf Lines 80–
100). This teaches Beowulf that he needs to accept help in the end and does not always have to
accomplish things on his own, something he uses to his advantage in later battles. Altogether, both
Grendel and Beowulf
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Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf
Grendel is a powerful beast that can not be stop. Grendel in the Grendel never been stop everybody
they try to kill with their swords but it never work. When Beowulf came to the see Grendel their
where other people trying to kill him. When Beowulf so the other people getting toning apart heads
bitten off arms and their body be torn apart. Beowulf told Grendel that I am going to fight you with
my hands he keep hitting him with chandelier greened started to run away from him. When Grendel
tried to get away Beowulf but he had his arm lock around a chain so that he was trying to go back to
his cave but Beowulf would not let him but he end up taking Grendel head off. When Beowulf
brought Grendel head to the people he said the Grendel had been killed. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Grendel is a beast that eats cows, deers, and people. How ever just because he can eat other things,
that don't change the fact that Grendel fate is cause to attack man in the first place. He eats men not
because he is not hungry for them and choose to eat them, but he is curies to be their amenity.
Grendel always get attack by the people they are disturbing him so that Grendel has to come to the
Meade hall and try to kill everybody that is in their. When Grendel goes back to his cave the next
day he is going to do the same thing, know the people close the Meade hall so that Grendel want
attack
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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Grendel's Outcast Status In Beowulf

  • 1. Grendel As A Monster In Beowulf In the epic poem, Beowulf, by Seamus Heaney, Grendel is made into a monster by the reaction of society to his ancestry and the roles of Cain and his mother. All evil is believed to exist by reason of Cain's reputation and this is why society views Grendel as a monster. Grendel is an ancestor of Cain, who is seen throughout the community as an evil outcast , which reflects onto Grendel. Cain out of jealousy, kills his brother Abel which is seen as an malicious sin. In Seamus Heaney's version of Beowulf, he states that as a result of Cain's sin, he was, "branded an outlaw, marked by having murdered, he moved into the wilds. Shunned company and joy" (Heaney 1263–1265). Cain attracted this reputation upon himself and carries it throughout his ancestry. The outcome of Cain's atrocity results in society recognizing anything to do with Cain corrupt. The almighty was not found of this act and from his outrage, "sprang misbegotten spirits, among them Grendel, the banished and cursed," (Heaney 12676–1267). As stated, Grendel is cursed with Cain's prior actions by society viewpoint. Before Grendel invades the Heorot, he does nothing uphold a reputation of Cain. Furthermore, Grendel is isolated and seen as an outcast, he recognizes only misery, and wants to deflect his pain onto others. Lack of parental supervision leads to unremorseful actions. Grendel's mother presnets herself to not care about his overall well–being as she sees him night after night, conducting destructive ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 2. Similarities Of Grendel And Beowulf This essay is a character analysis that compares and contrast the two main characters of the epic "Beowulf". The essay informs the reader of the traits the two characters have in common including their cocky personalities and their impossible strength. It also mentions the many opposing characteristics of the two characters including how brave or cowardly they are, and weather or not they want to help or hurt people. Many direct quotes from the epic "Beowulf" are also within the essay to help support each allegation, giving proof to the characteristics identified. Compare and Contrasting Beowulf and Grendel There is a hero and a villain in every story, we have: Batman and The Joker, Spider–Man and The Green Goblin, Thor and Loki, and of course Beowulf and Grendel. In the epic "Beowulf" our two main characters are Beowulf the hero of the story, and Grendel the evil demon who terrorized the world. In the epic, Beowulf and Grendel are noticeably different, but at the same time alike in many ways. The people in the story may not have notice the similarities, but they could not be hidden from the peering eye of the reader. In the story Beowulf was was brave, while Grendel was cowardly, Beowulf was helpful, while Grendel only wanted to hurt people; in comparison, they were both unnaturally strong and very arrogant. To begin, one of the many ways that Beowulf was different than Grendel is that Beowulf was brave. Every night Grendel snuck into Herot Hall to destroy King Hrothgar's men. He did this while hiding in the shadows, sneaking around in the dead of night, and attacking while the men we asleep and at there most vulnerable. These are not the characteristics the brave, these are the characteristics of a foul, loathsome, cowardly beast. Mean while, Beowulf liked to meet a problem head on, in this case the problem was Grendel himself. Determined Beowulf sailed to Denmark to defeat Grendel, telling Hrothgar that he will take Grendel's life with his bare hands. As told in the story, " That mighty protector of men/ Meant to hold the monster till it's life/ leaped out" (Raffel, 1963, l. 366–368). And when Beowulf got the chance to do just that, Grendel took the cowards road, "Grendel's one thought ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 3. Compare And Contrast Grendel And Beowulf The monster Grendel descendant of Cain attacks Herot due to their loud and disruptive celebrations. Grendel comes at night Beowulf, and his men are waiting for the monster to come so threy all go to sleep. As expected Grendel does come and he kills one of Beowulf men, and reaches for Beowulf when he gets grabbed by him instead. Beowulf and Grendel both fight it out. Beowulf rips off his arm and is victorious. Everyone celebrates the death of Grendel. Beowulf swears to kill her Beowulf The second battle was the one that brought about boasts to everyone in Herot again, and takes hunting unearths sword with him to kill Grendel's mother. Beowulf swims to her lair Beowulf gets chased by all sorts of other monsters on his way down to her lair. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 4. Grendel As An Outcast In Beowulf Beowulf, an old English epic, helps the reader visualize how the Anglo–Saxon culture was. This epic uses many different types of literary archetypes from the Anglo–Saxon literature. Beowulf is about a young prince making a journey to Denmark to help Hrothgar, the king of the Danes. The author of the English epic Beowulf, shows how Grendel is such an outcast, Beowulf's battles between good and evil, and how heroic he was throughout his life. Grendel is an outcast in the land of the Danes, which prompts his attacks on Herot Hall. Grendel, a "powerful monster" (Beowulf l. 1), was the biggest outcast in the land of the Danes. He felt left out because the warriors would always party and have a good time at Herot Hall without him. Herot Hall was a building built by Hrothgar for his warriors to have a relaxing place to unwind after a long day of work. Grendel wanted to have a good time like the warriors did at the hall, but could not because the warriors would try to kill him. He got fed up with being the outcast of the town and decided that once night fell, he would terrorize Herot Hall. As he approached the doors of the hall his thoughts became "as quick as his greed or claws" (Beowulf l. 35). He opens the door snatching thirty warriors in his hands as they sleep instantly killing them. As he takes them back to his lair the blood from their bodies leave a trail behind him. Hrothgar is devastated when he found out that Grendel had taken the lives of his friends. After this ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 5. The Fight Between Grendel And Beowulf Beowulf and Grendel The particular scene I wish to cover would have to be the fight between Grendel and Beowulf, the defeat of Grendel. In Beowulf, during the Fight with Grendel, Grendel is coming once more to feast upon the men of the grounds of Hrothar. Though unbeknownst to him, it is a trap, and Beowulf is lying in wait to defeat the beast. The fight is well detailed, and Beowulf wins and takes Grendel's arm as a trophy, having got it by ripping it off with his bare hands. As it is stated here, "Yet he bought his freedom At a high price, for he left his hand and arm and shoulder to show he had been here" (Heaney, line 969, 971). The fight is fairly the same, the screeching and yelling, and Beowulf's impossible human strength. He's a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The main point being that he spoke to Grendel as he fought him, Grendel being able to understand him, and he speaks rather differently than you might have thought him to act. Instead of the noble warrior he was in Beowulf, while yes he was extremely strong and mighty he was much more brutal in the book Grendel I feel. The way he spoke to Grendel, basically torturing him as he was gripping his arm so hard to the point the bones broke and it was ripped off. He laughed at Grendle, commanding him to sing and mocking him, "He smashes me against it, breaks open my forehead. Hard, yes! Observe the hardness, write it down in careful runes. Now sing of walls! Sing!" (Gardner p. 171). This is one of the things Grendel says as he's killing him, and it portrays him as very brutal and harsh in my eyes. Another was how Grendel acted himself, externally and internally. While yes he was still a beast who wished to sustain his bloodlust, he wasn't just a mindless, evil creature. He had feelings, and he was scared at any time he felt he was dying or was in danger. These I feel are the main differences between these two works and I find them very, very ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 6. Beowulf and Grendel Essay Beowulf and Grendel Beowulf and Grendel are actually the same stories in the fact that they are based on the same epic "Beowulf." "Beowulf", that is told of here is translated by Kevin Crossley–Holland, and there are many different translations which makes Beowulf the epic so interchangeable. Although "Beowulf" and "Grendel" seem very similar they do have many differences as well. Reading the two stories back to back gives you the impression of how many differences there are. For example, "Beowulf" is written from an outsider's point of view. "Grendel" is written from Grendel's point of view. This changes the whole perception of the book. Seeing a story written from two different points of views not only helps you to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The stories actually differ in ways that make your feelings change about the plot. These two stories were written during the Anglo Saxon period. Anglo Saxon was also the time of Medieval England. Each story gives a good representation of this time. It is necessary to learn about this period in order to get the full impact of these stories. To understand that Medieval England was very different compared to the current time is very important before reading the two stories. In the Anglo Saxon time they had no rights for animals, they would simply slaughter them for all the food they could eat. In today's time there are animal rights. For example, there are animal rights activists. They believe that animals should not be killed for food or sport. Today's societal views would have been laughed at from the point of view of the medieval world. Today we have the luxury of being able to drive down the street, run into the grocery store, and purchase whatever food we need. The Anglo Saxon's did not have cars nor were there grocery stores. As for the Anglo Saxon's, they had to get their own food whatever way possible. That meant they had to go out and kill animals for their meat, have their own gardens in order to have. The medieval period was one of wars, fighting, and killing. In that time people were killing other people without the consequences of jail time like there is today. They would have a little trial type situation where the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 7. Grendel Vs Beowulf The beginning of the movie, we see that the king Hrothgar is having a feast and/or celebration. We start to identify that King Hrothgar is a man who laid with other women and don't have too much respect for anyone. This man was in no way set for being a king and it made us, the audience wonder on how he could have became a king over a few many people. In the book of Beowulf, King Hrothgar was fit to be one, but wasn't young and couldn't defeat Grendel. In this paper, we'll be focusing on the differences of Beowulf the film, and book and see and compare each of the books. What we the viewers see in the characters of Beowulf, Book Beowulf seemed might of more unrealistic than the new Beowulf film besides the dragon, Grendel and all the magics ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 8. Is Grendel Human In Beowulf Jaeden Young Brit Lit 5B 4/30/16 How is Grendel Human Human nature is found deep within all of us. We all share the same qualities and feelings; those of loneliness, jealousy, abandonment, pain, and anger. Throughout all of literature it seems as though the antagonist beholds these particular characteristics which typically leads to the conflict. In the epic poem Beowulf, Grendel, the antagonist of this story, can be described using these characteristics. What the reader fails to recognize is although Grendel is suppose to be a "monster" he really is more human than one realizes. Grendel should be looked upon as more humanistic than monstrous to truly understand his character and to support Beowulf as the hero. The fate worst than death is ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 9. Comparing Beowulf And Grendel Grendel, by John Gardner published in 1971, takes a different view of the original novel Beowulf. The plot of the Grendel is analogous to the Shakspearnean play, Macbeth in many approaches. Macbeth is a play that originated during the 1600's which incorporated aspects of sorcery, witches and violence during a medieval era. In the beginning, Macbeth is an honoured warrior in Scotland, but later craves for power; hence, he kills the king and rules the country. At this point, there were three witches that provided him with prophecies of the future. The two main prophecies were that he will not be defeated till Birnamwood(a forest) moves and no man of woman born can hurt him. Accordingly, he was enlightened to hear this because he felt superior and invincible. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... I could walk up to the mead–hall whenever I pleased, and they were powerless."(Gardner 76) Both of these character's over confidence lead to their destruction. For instance, a thane called Macduff was born from the c–section of a woman, so an abnormal birth. Also, the troopers disguise themselves with bushes and trees which makes it seem like the forest moving. Both of these prophecies were ambiguous and created false hope for Macbeth. Likewise, Grendel's mother states "Warovvish" which means to be aware of the fish (Gardner 145). This is an example of foreshadowing and reminds Grendel to be cautious, but due to his over–confidence he goes to the mead–hall. Next, he battles Beowulf and comes to a conclusion that "If you win, it's by mindless chance. Make no mistake. First you tricked me, and then I slipped. Accident." Beowulf cuts his arm off, but Grendel thought he was invincible; hence, he was negativel influnced by the dragon. Both Macbeth and Grendel display their egotistic nature which leads to their downfall. Moving on, both of these characters demonstrate the theme of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 10. How Is Beowulf And Grendel Alike Beowulf is an old Anglo–Saxon story of a terrifying monster Grendel, Grendel travels to the Danes mead hall Heorot and while the danes expect it least he attacks killing countless men purely for the joys of doing so. Hrothgar king of the Danes calls for a warrior to fight this unruly beast. After 12 long years of grendel attacking Hrothgar's calls are answered and the great warrior Beowulf comes to kill Grendel. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes from across the seas and in the first night he kills Grendel. Sadly for Beowulf Grendel has a mother that now seeks revenge for her son's death and Beowulf is asked to kill Grendel's mother as well. Beowulf goes to where Grendel's mother is staying and battled her to the death , Beowulf wins ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In the beginning of the story the plot stays the same for the most part... other than Beowulf being motivated by other things than glory or pride. When Grendel is killed in the movie they introduce his mother, they don't show her face but they hint to her being very seductive by the way she talks. Grendel's mom doesn't really seek revenge in the movie but Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill her because of a prior incident (Grendel is actually Hrothgar's son) with Grendel's mom. Beowulf obliges and goes to kill G's mom but when he enter her den he is almost instantly taken away by her beauty, this causes Beowulf to have a lapse in judgement and impregnate G's mom. This is very different from the book because in the book he kills G's mom in a battle to the death then cuts the head off of Grendel's dead body as illustrated "Armless, exactly as that fierce fighter had sent him out from Herot, then struck off His head with a single swift blow"(542). Also after Beowulf was seduced he goes back to Hrothgar and lies to him and the Danes saying that he has killed Grendel's mother. This is the major plot difference in the movie and the book. The overall theme/message is also different from the book to the movie. For example in the book the book the theme is good vs. evil, Beowulf being good and Grendel being. This however is not the case in the movie, the theme in the movie is more like don't cheat on your spouse and don't lie to the people you rule or else it will come back to haunt you. This quite the difference, but I believe the writers of the movie did this to make a point or to send a message to the people watching ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 11. The Characters Of Grendel Vs. Beowulf Noble Grendel In what other book is the monster, the character with more nobility? Both monsters, Grendel and Beowulf, are brave in what they do but being brave is not all it takes to be noble. Grendel is more noble than Beowulf because of the truth he portrays through what he believes in, the perseverance he has when put into a dangerous situation or position, and the fidelity he shows toward his mother. Grendel is very truthful and he sticks to what he says. If he truly believed in a concept then he would follow through with it. An example of this is the fact that he will not kill certain animals if there is a better way of surviving. "I have never killed a deer in all my life, and never will... Cows have more meat and, locked up in pens, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Grendel is very faithful to his mother, he trusts her all the time. Whenever he is in a dangerous situation or he feels pain he will scream out "Mama, Mama"(Gardner 173). "A shriek ten times as loud as mine came blaring off the cliff...It was my mother!...She came roaring down like thunder" (Gardner 27). It is not just a call sometimes it will come in handy and she will save him. Beowulf is faithful to the one and only Hrothgar himself. He only sets out to kill Grendel because of the relationship between them. "Here to follow up on an old friendship"(Heaney 380). It is explicitly stated that the only reason that Beowulf hunted Grendel is not just because he wanted a challenge but because he and Hrothgar are old friends. Even though Grendel relies on his mother he does have a little bit of self reliability. The reason for this is that when his mother does not show up to save him, he has to try and save himself, and he has many times. "It was the height of summer, harvest season in the first year of what I have come to call my war with Hrothgar"(Gardner 76). He attacks meadhalls many times and yet he never invites his mother along. Now this maybe because she can't talk like he can but that does not justify why he can't try and drag her out. Beowulf did fight Grendel by himself, unarmed, but this is one of the first times he did not have help from his viking friends. Grendel is more noble than Beowulf ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 12. Grendel Vs Beowulf Essay When looking at Beowulf and Grendel, one perceives them in different ways when reading different versions of the story of Beowulf. Each character goes through the same or similar actions they had gone through in other versions but they are either shown as a hero or a villain depending on the writer's opinions, beliefs, and lifestyle. The Beowulf poem displays a more compelling argument for Beowulf by eloquently wording his actions and words, diligently staying on topic, and constantly showing Beowulf under the same lime light throughout the poem. Beowulf is the main focus of the piece and the characters introduced assist his cause as a hero. They did use methods that could have potentially harmed his cause but Beowulf used them to prove his enemies among the Thanes wrong. Unferth, "sick with envy," did boast over how Beowulf had "took on Breca in a swimming match on the open sea," however Beowulf used the argument to his advantage by saying he had "finished off the sea–beasts" that had attempted to kill Beowulf after he was driven away from Breca by the waves (Beowulf lines 502, 506–507, 558). Characters overall helped his cause even though they might have tried to kill him and his cause, for he prevailed in the end and defeated Grendel in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He stays true to his boasts though the poem; he defeated Grendel and other threats that were posed to him. Beowulf didn't stray away from the main quest of the story either; Beowulf completed his task and tore Grendel's entire "arm at the shoulder," "his awesome grasp"(Grendel 172 and Beowulf line 835). If he had originally assisted others before Grendel, then the poem would have mentioned something. However, this version is still effective because it got straight to the point. The fight he did have with Grendel is incredibly short, but nevertheless, shows his heroism and proves him as a hero to the vikings through his boasts, actions, words, and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 13. Beowulf Vs Grendel This story is about a guy named Beowulf who lived in a far away country who came to Hrothgar's kingdom to save his kingdom from a monster. The monsters name is Grendel and Grendel has come to Higlac, which is the name of Hrothgar's mead, and murdered multiple people. Between the movie and the text, there are multiple differences. One major difference between the movie and the text is the characters. In the movie the characters are shown completely different than they are in text. For example, in the text Grendel could not speak and was a wolf–like monster, but in the movie he was able to speak and did not look anything wolf–like instead he looked more human like. Another example is Grendel's mother, in the text Grendel's mother looked very similar to him including her she–wolf looks, but instead in the movie she looked like Jennifer Lopez. The text states, "but her supper assured, sheltered in her dripping claws (line 412–413)". ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... For example, in the text Beowulf kills Grendel's mother but in the movie she stays alive. Also, in the text Beowulf never had a son of his own as to where in the movie he had a son with Grendel's mother. In the text Beowulf dies while fighting the dragon, but in the movie he was the one who killed the dragon and did not die until afterwards. According to the text, "Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons but so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated length. He drew it from its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt, and then, savage, now angry and desperate, lifted it high over his head and struck with all the strength he had left, caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all. Her body fell to the floor, lifeless (line ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 14. Grendel Vs Beowulf The story of Beowulf has been told for centuries all over Europe. However, there is one problem with recreating the story and making it into a movie; each movie has a different plot–line, theme, or character back–story. The differences in the movies may or may not have a large effect on the overall story, but it does show how much stories can change just by the person that is telling the story. For instance, in the first movie we watched, Beowulf 2005, Grendel was a troll whose mother was a sea beast and his father was a troll. In Beowulf 2005, Grendel spoke using a series of grunting noises and spoke very little English. In the second movie Beowulf 2007, Grendel was a monster whose mother was a sea beast, but his father was King Hrothgar. This time Grendel communicated by speaking in old English. These differences are very minuscule, but they had a large impact on the ending of each movie. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Beowulfs warrior's arrive later to assist him in fighting Grendel. Although in the second movie, Beowulf arrives with all of his warrior's on a ship and is greeted by one of Hrothgars warrior's, who then takes them to meet with King Hrothgar. This time Beowulfs warrior's are all ready to fight Grendel, even though they were intoxicated from staying in Mead–hall all night. In Beowulf 2005, Grendel attacks King Hrothgars kingdom because they killed his father, but in Beowulf 2007, Grendel attacks the kingdom because he is annoyed with all of the noisy partying that takes place in ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 15. Who Is Grendel In Beowulf "Grendel" was written by an American author known as John Gardner in 1971. This novel retells a part from the poem Beowulf; however, it is told from the view of Grendel. Throughout the novel there are a multitude of characteristics shown by Grendel. After comprehending the novel from Grendel's point of view it more pronounced that he is rather "good" than evil, and more so a character that is sympathized for. Many times the perspective people have is what leads them to make predictions about the characters intentions. The novel "Grendel" gives readers the chance to alter their perspective to the point they may believe Grendel has hopeful intentions, but executes his emotions rather terribly. Grendel is lonely, and in a way depressed because he is unable to communicate with the villagers as well as his own mom. He is completely isolated and all alone. At one point Grendel desires to be liked by the villagers, so he enters the dining hall in which they eat at (Grendel 51). After he enters the hall he receives such a negative response that he lashes out at the people (Grendel 52). Rejection can truly affect the way someone behaves. Grendel had the utmost intentions of showing the villagers he is not a monster; however, due to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He is mesmerized by the older man (Shaper) that plays the harp. Grendel explains, "The man had changed the world, had torn up the past by its thick, gnarled roots and had transmitted it, and they, who knew the truth, remembered it his way– and so did I" (Grendel 43). In this situation Grendel can understand their language, but cannot understand his mother nor can the villagers understand him. This just creates another part of Grendel's life that readers begin to sympathize with. He is completely and utterly isolated from understanding anyone else or them even understanding him. Grendel is also mesmerized by the queen. She had brought happiness and unity to the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 16. Similarities Between Grendel And Beowulf The Better Protagonist If you have ever read the book Grendel, which is a playoff of the book Beowulf, you know the author depicts the protagonist as a good character. The author, John Gardner, uses many techniques in his writing to make Grendel sound like a good protagonist. He made a good argument for its protagonist by describing other characters as evil, giving an idea of character's backstory to help guide your opinions towards certain characters, and giving Grendel many of the traits of the nine noble virtues. Throughout the book John Gardner describes the characters in his book Grendel to make them sound worse than they did in the book Beowulf. An example of this is when Grendel is being killed by Beowulf at the end of the book. " He ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 17. Grendel Vs Beowulf How Grendel is the Monster What makes a monster? Is it the way they speak, walk, or look? The probability of having a neighbor who is to be considered a monster, is not too far as one may think. An aged tale that is able to represent how monsters can diversify is Beowulf the Epic. It is an Old English poem written in cantos and considered to be one of the biggest epics of the Anglo–Saxon era. Main character Beowulf, a warrior hero for the Geats, comes to the rescue of Hrothgar. The King of the Danes hall, Heorot, has been under attack by the monster, who is named Grendel, for twelve years. Beowulf is set out to kill Grendel with his bare hand and later take on the avagece of Grendel's mother after the death of her only son with a giant's sword ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This could because Beowulf was not the man Grendel wanted to fight after all. Grendel was disabled with speech, but mentally he was able to understand emotions. Often shown as angry and careless monster in Beowulf & Grendel portrayed him as an unpleasant character. Which connects with the Grendel excerpt where Grendel describes himself as a defiant and sarcastic, he goes on to say, "I make a face, uplift a defiant middle finger, and give an obscene little kick" (Grendel, 6), "I cry, and hug myself, and laugh, letting out salt tears, he he! Till I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It's mostly fake.)" (Grendel, 6). For a monster to be made there has to a feeling connection between the audience and the monster. There is also another great thing to keep in mind when taking into consideration a monster mental character and that is that an individual can not be evil without his or hers motive in action. Thoughts may overpopulate, but they are not actions. When Beowulf ask Hrothgar on who has Grendel hurted in the past, Hrothgar explains that slayer has only killed his man, no children or woman. This tell us that Grendel is able to understand who he is doing wrong to. In Beowulf Grendel mentions to his mother that he has harmed the humans and that they are evil. In away this was a successful scene because being able to sympathize with the monster and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 18. Essay On Grendel In Beowulf Beowulf, the epic, follows an Anglo–Saxon society, the Danes, during the middle ages, a time when religion and bloodline dictated social hierarchy. The king was the dominant figure, destined to be chosen because of his ancestors, who preceded him as king. The poet introduces Grendel, a monster, condemned by god for his demonic bloodline. These factors in addition to society's outlook on impiety, shape Grendel as a menace to society. Therefore, the Beowulf poet characterizes Grendel as an outcast to explore how an individual's identity and social status is determined by their adherence to societal values. Grendel's lineage and opposition to god establish him as an outcast. Grendel's introduction directly contrasts the Danes' celebration as he is presented to detest happiness and humanity. The reason for his hatred towards humanity is described through his conflict with his lineage and perception of god. The poet portrays him as "a fiend out of hell [working] his evil in the world. Grendel was the name of this grim demon... he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain's clan, whom the creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts" (100– 107). The poet uses fear igniting words "fiend", "evil" and "grim" to characterize Grendel as rotten to the core. He separates Grendel from all the pureness of the world through his connection to hell, creating a conflict between his desire to be himself against the will of "the creator". God is sung praises about ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 19. The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... A lot of Grendel's behavior is a result of his descent. "Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms" (Heaney, Seamus page 9). References to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel throughout the epic allow readers to infer that Grendel comes from a cursed bloodline. This was common during this time period, as kinship was weighed heavily in determining a person's character. In this time, it was not common to see an antagonist as complex as the hero of the story, which is why Grendel is very plainly evil. As the story progresses, there is no change in his character, and even in his defeat, it is hard for readers to sympathize with him because of this. He is constantly described as a monstrous creature, one of pure evil, which adheres to the thinking of simplistic duality present in the culture of the Anglo Saxons. Everything was simply good or evil by nature, and Grendel obviously fell under the latter. While that was considered normal for that time period, current audiences would not accept it so willingly. Our culture is one of reasoning and logic, questioning everything without simply accepting it. In the time of the epic, they simply embraced what was and demanded no explanation. Perhaps this contributes largely to the difference in text and film, and why characters pursue different quests. In Beowulf and Grendel, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 20. Grendel Vs Beowulf Overriding force A strike of lightning, a natural disaster, or even a coconut falling on your head and knocking you dead all seem like pretty unordinary and uncommon ways to die. That being said, such things still happen and no one can control that fact. The authors of Beowulf and Grendel would say that the occurrences were destined to happen and predetermined by fate. Beowulf is an epic poem that is dated at around the 8th century. The poem tells the story of Beowulf and his journey to save the people of the land of the Danes from a horrible monster named Grendel that has been terrorizing them. The novella Grendel by John Gardner depicts the same values in a stronger fashion by letting readers see through the eyes of Grendel. Believers in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Rather, human beings may be able to make their own decisions to an extent, but this power is greatly overshadowed by the force of the higher power or fate. During the time periods portrayed by each of these pieces of literature, Christianity was somewhat new and pagan religions were dominant. Even so, these two religions both believed in fate. Pagan's carried the mindset of fatalism. Fatalism was a mindset that was very popular during the time period. The philosophy behind fatalism was that all the events, actions, or incidents that make up a person's life are determined by fate. Christians, on the other hand, had a belief known at Christian providence. Christian providence is a belief in which God directs all things toward a worthy purpose. God controls what happens in the universe in the same way that fate ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 21. Comparing Beowulf And Grendel And Beowulf Since it was first discovered and translated, Beowulf has represented one of the finest examples of heroic poetry. As a tale reflecting the noble deeds of a hero, it uniquely expresses the cultural values of the Anglo–Saxons from whom it originated since heroes often do reflect the best of what their culture deems worthwhile. However, modern adaptations of this work express a different set of cultural values; values unique to modern society. When comparing the translated poem, Beowulf, to the 2005 motion picture, Beowulf and Grendel, it is obvious to see that our morals and ideas are reflected on this ancient poem. The movie, Beowulf and Grendel, and the epic, Beowulf, are prime examples of the radical cultural differences that have evolved over time. In Beowulf, the epic, we see very simplistic characters. Beowulf, for example, is simply a hero who kills monsters. That is all he has ever wanted in his life and that is all that defines him. In the motion picture, we see Beowulf as a man that has risen from his unique childhood and has made a name for himself. We see Beowulf as a flawed human being; not as a muscle–head hero who is never defeated. This humanizes Beowulf and makes him a more appealing character that people can identify with. In the epic, Grendel is a demonic monster who kills for no reason; he is only reason considered evil, because he does not pay the blood price after killing someone. In the motion picture, Grendel is made to look more human; ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 22. Comparing Grendel And Beowulf Grendel A tale of demons and dragons have been with us through various novels throughout our lifetimes. The novel Grendel however, written by John Gardner, stands out amongst the rest. Grendel is a demon that lives in an underground cave with his mother. He can speak fluent English while his mother and all the other animals can't. This automatically sets him apart from the rest of the world. He sits on top of the cliff near his cave and talks alone to himself, never having anyone to have a conversation with. Grendel has nothing in common with anyone and it results into him being a lonely demon that is trying to understand the world and the people in it. Early on, Grendel meets with the dragon in his cave. The dragon talk and talks about how the world will end and that even he will soon meet a tragic death. This relates to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... She does not speak English and we can remember her in the novel Beowulf when Beowulf killed her with a huge sword. Grendel's mother loved Grendel, everyone could understand that by reading the book. Although with the language barrier she couldn't have a normal relationship with her son as we would all expect from a family. One example of this would be when Grendel said himself that he didn't understand why he could speak English and his mother never either bothered to learn or couldn't understand it. "I tried to tell her all that had happened, all that I'd come to understand: the meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness. She only stared, troubled at my noise. She'd forgotten all language long ago, or maybe had never known any" (28). With the language barrier between the two it can make you feel even more different and alone even though his mother isn't trying to purposely do that to Grendel. Gardner brought many examples into his story of Grendel and how everyone seemed to isolate and prove how different he was to everything ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 23. Comparing Beowulf And Grendel In the book Beowulf and Grendel there are many differences and similarities between the two. In the poem Grendel is a monster that's from the demons, and Beowulf is a human. Another way they are different is Grendel was lonely and Beowulf was a fearless person. And a way they are alike is they both were strong individuals. One way they are different that was explained in the book is that Grendel was a monster born by the demons and Beowulf was not. Grendel was born into evil due to Cain's sin. Therefore Grendel and others that are like him were punished. Beowulf was a human that was liked a hero to others. Beowulf was the son of Escgbeow, who had made a relationship with the Danes. They also were different because, they had different personalities. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 24. Grendel And Beowulf Comparison Beowulf and Grendel are two well written pieces of literature that feature a monster–like figure and his struggle to overcome his urge to kill. Based on the passages read, the poem and book feature the same basic plot line. However, the stories' reflection of the main character show both similarities and differences due to Beowulf's third person point of view compared to Grendel's first person point of view. Ultimately, the change of perspective between the two stories does not not impact the outer appearance of Grendel, but rather the inner personality. The two excerpts introduce us to the main character Grendel, who is displayed as a monster on the outside. Both passages give some deep insight on the character developed throughout ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 25. Similarities Between Grendel And Beowulf Both of the pieces of literature, Grendel and Beowulf, contain the same story; it is just told from different viewpoints. Beowulf is an epic oratorical poem depicting the heroic Beowulf defeating the hideous creature that haunts the halls of Herot. Grendel, however, allows the reader to be able to experience the story from Grendel's point of view. Though the books depict the same creature who possesses the same qualities, within Grendel, he is given more human characteristics and this makes the reader feel as though they are reading about a different being. The novel Grendel, by John Gardner, gives the reader an inside look on the "monster... demon... [and] fiend" (Beowulf, 99) who, in Beowulf (translated by Burton Raffel), seems only capable of destruction, sneaking around in the night and killing soldiers off by the dozen. Grendel is a non– human entity who possesses human characteristics; no one truly knows who or what he is. He is monstrously huge, absurdly strong, and insatiable (he has been murdering for approximately twelve years). He is a "[monster] born of Cain, [a] murderous [creature]" (Beowulf, 105–106). He lives with his mother in a swampy marsh that is secluded by a "pool of firesnakes" who guard "the sunken door" to the strange world of humans (Grendel, 16). Beowulf does not provide any information of where he came from or any history about him, except that he is a pre–cursed, wicked being with no conscience. This seems like a biased assumption because the story ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 26. The Similarities Between 'Grendel And Beowulf' In both John Gardner's novel Grendel, and the Epic Beowulf, there is one recurring major character, Grendel. While the same in name, Grendel is illustrated in different lights between the two texts. The character exemplifies some of the same traits between the two texts, but is also shown to have some major differences. Comparing Grendel's two interactions first, one of the most significant similarities is his fear of Beowulf, most likely stemming from the fact that he had never been beaten before. During the battle in the epic, it's stated that, "That the shepherd of evil, the guardian of crime, Knew at once that nowhere on earth Had he met a man whose hands were harder; his mind flooded with fear" (Beowulf lines 273–276). Grendel had become ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In the poem, Grendel is painted as a savage monster, with no regard to human life. The Danes often refer to him as Cain's descendant, and state that for the crime of killing Abel Grendel will never feel God's love and henceforth is an outcast. "...Conceived by a pair of those monsters born Of Cain, murderous creatures banished By God, punished forever for the crime Of Abel's death....and their exile was bitter, Shut away from men..." (Beowulf, lines 20–25). This form of Grendel is a murderous beast who only knows slaughter of men for the sake of murder, stating that he, "...fought with the righteous...seeking no peace, offering no truce..." (Beowulf, lines 59 and 69). However, the novel shows Grendel in a much different way than he is portrayed in the poem. While still a monster, Grendel shows his higher intelligence and human–like qualities through his thoughts. In the beginning of the novel Grendel shows that he is capable of forming coherent thoughts and speaking quite fluently, and thus is far more sophisticated than the mindless monster portrayed in the poem. This being said, Grendel does not hate the Danes at the beginning, even attempting to make peace by stating, "Mercy! Peace!" (Grendel 51), but denied the role of friend, he accepts the role of enemy and thus begins the war with the Danes. Despite Grendel being written in both novels the, he is quite a different character. Their perspectives do share some similarities but also depict some differences between them. Grendel is depicted as a savage monster in Beowulf, while the book likes to show the deeper meaning behind the monster and why he took the actions he did. It truly shows the difference between self–perception, in comparison to the perception of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 27. Grendel Vs Beowulf The villain in the story of Beowulf and Grendel changes depending on which point of view the story is read from. In Grendel, the interpretation of Beowulf is scary and villainous. In Beowulf, the interpretation of Beowulf is being the hero. In the Beowulf, the character Beowulf, is often written in a positive, heroic light. Firstly, on multiple occasions he is referred to as a hero in the text, like on pages 21 and 29. This starts happening around his introduction, so the reader is told he is a hero from the beginning. Furthermore, he is often described as being brave and triumphant, such as "one so valiant and venturesome" and "the man whose name was known for courage" (21, 25). These descriptions continued to build an imagine of Beowulf being a mighty hero, he is even described as "the prince of goodness" (45). In contrast, Grendel, is written in a very negative, beast–like way. His introduction to the story was "a fiend out of hell" and further went on to call him a "grim demon, haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens" (9) This automatically gives the reader the idea that Grendel is the villain, before he even shows ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... John Gardener did this by using a lot of exclamation points and using short sentences, or sentence with a lot of commas. Also, Grendel howls in pain and for help on multiple occasions. In Grendel, Beowulf seems to find glee in Grendel's pain, which is not something that is commonly associated with hero's. "[Beowulf] laughs as he whispers" to Grendel, promising him he will be killed (170). Additionally, Beowulf laughs as he smashes Grendel's head against a wall and forces Grendel to praise the hardness of the walls. These events do not show Beowulf as a hero, but instead, as a cruel, vindictive, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 28. Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf According to Jack Lynch a characteristic of an epic poem is that "[there is] a concern with the fate of a nation or people" (Lynch, Epic). In Beowulf, the concern is Grendel coming to Heorot and killing Danes. An example of this in Beowulf is "suddenly then/ the God–cursed brut was creating havoc:/ greedy and grim he grabbed thirty men" (Beowulf 120–123). Grendel was killing the king's men by the hundreds over the span of several years. That was a significant amount of the population, for the Medieval period. People in that time–period did not live long lives compared to how long we live today. To have hundreds of their population killed, especially their male population, was a significant event. Every king needs warriors and when a population ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 29. Essay On Grendel And Beowulf In the novel Grendel and the epic poem Beowulf the reader receives a better experience through a first person point of view. In John Gardner's Grendel which is written in first person the reader is constantly engaged. The authors use of first person provides the reader of Grendel's thoughts and emotion. While, in the epic poem Beowulf which is written in 3rd person does not give the reader any personal connection. By using first person we have more insight on the characters inner emotions and the reader gains justification of why the characters act in a specific way. Beowulf thirteen fearless followers venture onto geatland. " It was a paved track a path that kept them in marching order their male shirts glinted hard and hand–linked the high gloss iron of their Armour rang" this quote from the epic poem Beowulf just describes what is happening it's boring, we also don't get any insight on his thoughts feelings and emotions. However, in Grendel when he met Beowulf for the first time we knew exactly what he was thinking, "I am suddenly annoyed no longer amused by his stupidity" Grendel was getting along with Beowulf somewhat but after talking to him for a little bit Grendel was getting annoyed. First person is a lot better because it gives the reader thoughts and emotions that third person can not provide. The use of third person adds enormous amounts of unimportant detail which makes the reader lose interest. Third person makes the story boring when Grendel and Beowulf ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 30. Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf Grendel is not a physical being, monster, or human, but a symbol of the darkness within man. When Beowulf's men join the fight against Grendel, they soon realize that "no blade on Earth, no blacksmith's art, could ever damage their demon opponent" (53). Grendel is incapable of being completely destroyed, as even after he is defeated, his arm remains with the Danes. That swords, even well crafted swords, cannot even damage Grendel is not a testament to his strength, but how ingrained in society he is. Swords and physical weapons cannot destroy the maliciousness within society, which Grendel represents. Being immune from anything but a fair hand–to–hand combat shows that this inherent evil cannot be fought with artificial advantages, but inner ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... When Macbeth questions whether he should kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth calling him a "coward" (16) and a "poor cat" (17). Unlike May in "The Canterbury Tales", Lady Macbeth does not use clever analogies to manipulate her husband, instead, Lady Macbeth bullies Macbeth into going with the plan to assassinate King Duncan. Although women were still below men as they were during the time period of "The Canterbury Tales" as defined by the Great Chain of Being, Lady Macbeth acts like the head of the household instead of Macbeth. One of the reasons for the inconsistency between the traditions of the time period and the play is that Lady Macbeth, upon receiving the letter from Macbeth about his promotion to Thane of Cawdor asked for "spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe, top–full of direst cruelty" (12). By being "unsex[ed]", she loses the identity given to her by society and instead takes on the role as head of the Macbeth household and the equivalent of a man. With the "cruelty" she gained, she manipulates and intimidates Macbeth into continuing on with each step of the murder of King ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 31. Comparing Beowulf And Grendel In all works of literature characters share traits and have differences. Some traits may be obvious such as physical features or personalities. Some differences might simply be how other characters view them. In Beowulf the characters have both, similar traits, and differences. The main characters Beowulf and Grendel share one main trait, they are both well known but Beowulf has a heroic reputation and Grendel has an eviler reputation. Beowulf is a young prince known throughout Sweden. Grendel is a monster known throughout the land of Dane. Both characters share public recognition even though they have two different reputations. Both characters are strong natured as well. Combining two strong natured and well–known people results in the fight ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 32. Grendel Vs Beowulf "I won't shift afoot when I meet the cave–guard." This quote shows the courage and bravery of a warrior during this time. In the Anglo–Saxon Beowulf and John Gardner's Grendel, the difference in the point of views give a change to the author's style and the narration of the two writings. The difference in literary purpose behind the two writings affects the motivation and the language. Beowulf is about a warrior who fights a huge monster to show his loyalty to a king that was not even his. It was written in the Anglo–Saxon time period and this greatly affects the way the story is written. Grendel is written from the monster's point of view and this was written many years later. In the Anglo–Saxon Beowulf the narration assists in making Grendel ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This is proven "when the wind stirs and storms, waves splash towards the sky, as dark as the air, as black as the rain that heavens weep"(L. 164–172). In Gardner's Beowulf the sentences are in standard english making them easier to read and understand and it is written in first point of view. Grendel watches the Geats everyday and he realises that "by late afternoon the fire dies down and the column of smoke is white, no longer greasy"(Gardner 46). This helps assist that Grendel is very intelligent and that the sentences are easier to ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 33. Essay On Grendel In Beowulf Grendel, the offspring of Cain the outcast, is a demon. He is a scaly creature that lives in a swampy area. He is a reptilian human, with spikes on him. He is a human–like figure, in which the way he stands. He stands on two feet, and has arms. In the book Beowulf removes Grendel's arm and shoulder, defeating him. This must mean he has a shoulder blade and can walk like a human. He also has razor–sharp talons as it says in the book "Venturing closer, his talon was raised to attack Beowulf where he lay on the bed" (Heaney 51). One night when he is prowling around, he hears the King and his kinsmen singing out to the Lord. He hears the songs of how great God is, and is outraged. As the outcast of God, Grendel despised of God. The songs and happiness, pushes him over the edge. He plans the downfall of the hall, in spite of their songs. He will attack at night, as everyone sleeps, and butcher them dead. He sneaks in at night, watching over the guards, ready to pounce. He rips apart the men eating them alive. "Suddenly then the God–cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting place and rushed them to his lair" (Heaney 11). This shows just how When the king awoke the next morning he grieved for his men, but little did he know Grendel would attack every night for 12 winters. Once again Grendel sets of for a night of ravishing, but the king has a plan. He has set out more guards to keep watch over the kingdom, as he sleeps. When Grendel ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 34. Compare And Contrast Grendel And Beowulf Grendel is evil; powerful and he strikes fear and tenor in all who see him, Beowulf is the hero of the story. Grendel who has killed many men. And both characters have monsters in them from the banished demons such as Grendel. Grendel and Beowulf is two monsters that are born from different demons. Beowulf has stood up too many monsters. Grendel is presented as a coward. Beowulf succeeds and defeats Grendel. Beowulf is a heroic and Grendel is shown to be intelligent. Grendel is a person that enjoys killing humans for no reason. Grendel starts to fear Beowulf. Beowulf and Grendel play opposites in the novel and poem some of their motives turn out to be like each other's. Beowulf the man is not very different from Grendel the monster. Grendel ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 35. Beowulf And Grendel Comparison Beowulf, known as the oldest poem in the written English language, written with no known author, tells a fascinating story involving an epic hero of his time and a not so understood "monster." The hero's name is Beowulf, purposefully being the same title as the poem itself, he sets out on a journey from his home to the Danes from a terrible creature that's harming innocent people. As any "hero" would. Beowulf wants to prove to himself and the people that he is, in fact, the strongest man on earth. Although Beowulf is a fine piece of writing on its own, it fails to tell all of the story, just like any other one–sided story does. But, thanks to the novel, Grendel, written by John Gardner, we get to peek inside the villain's life for a change, which ultimately very well may change the reader's view of the story completely. These two versions of the same story are told from two different perspectives, Grendel's (the monster) and Beowulf's (the epic hero), the story told in Beowulf's favor insinuates that Grendel is a terrible monster with no soul, whose whole life is dedicated to killing anything and everything in his sight. However, in Grendel, we see a completely different side of Grendel that isn't over shadowed by the hatred that the people have on Grendel. In the book, Grendel, we learn about Grendel, and how he feels about himself. We are taken on a journey through the last twelve months of Grendel's life and what lead up to his, as some would have described it in the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 36. Beowulf and Grendel Beowulf is a classical epic poem which describes Beowulf's heroic deeds and his acts towards bringing justice and peace to the Scandinavian society by eradicating Grendel. The original manuscript (700–1000A.D.) and the modern film (2005) reveals significant differences between the characters' traits and descriptions, an important quotation, descriptions of places, motives, a character's presence and events that have taken place. Thus, this modern adaptation, Beowulf and Grendel, of an ancient text, Beowulf, is significantly flawed as any modern adaptation of an ancient text will be. In the film, specific characters are portrayed differently as they are in the poem. A significant example of this is from the character, Grendel. The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... For example, in the film, Hrothgar awakes in the morning and sees his soldiers slaughtered after a night of Grendel's killings. He runs up to one of them and kneels beside them and begins to weep and screams that he should be buried here with them because he cannot do anything to stop Grendel. Here, Hrothgar is confused and does not know what to do to stop this "troll". Even with the arrival of Beowulf and his heroic stories and confidence to defeat Grendel, Hrothgar is still pictured as a depressed and weak character. An example in the film that Hrothgar is still confused and depressed even after the arrival of Beowulf is when Hrothgar and Beowulf argue on the upper floor of the mead–hall after two unsuccessful nights of trying to defeat Grendel. Hrothgar is agitated and impatient to the fact that Beowulf has still not eliminated Grendel . This argument is an example that Hrothgar is still very worried and depressed even with the arrival of a great hero, Beowulf. These examples show that King Hrothgar in the film, is a character that has fell into a permanent depression and lacks courage, confidence, and leadership qualities. These qualities greatly contrast with the qualities of Hrothgar in the poem which symbolizes him as a great leader even through times of hardship. Beowulf is written in the form of Old English and the film is recorded in a modern perspective and many of the poem's words and quotations are not utilized to its full extent and context. A ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 37. The Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel When one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things have changed since that time, somewhere around 580–1000 A.D. Perhaps these changes contribute to the differences encountered in various types of media about the same story. For example, Beowulf the epic poem focuses on Beowulf's strength, whereas Beowulf and Grendel (Gunnarsson, 2005) the film focuses on the tragedies Grendel faces. By creating a more complex Grendel in the film, it becomes obvious that our culture demands justice and reason behind every action. The film Beowulf and Grendel presents a far more complex Grendel, which complies with our culture's necessity to give antagonists motives for their actions, and reason for the audience to sympathize with them. Reader 's' first encounter with Grendel in the epic is towards the beginning," a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud banquet every day in the hall," (Heaney,Seamus page 9). This line from the text shows that Grendel antagonizes the Danes out of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 38. Comparing Grendel And Beowulf After reading the classic Anglo–Saxon tale, Beowulf, readers find themselves engrossed in the character of Grendel. This interest led to John Gardner's creation of Grendel, a novel that tells Grendel's side of the story and gives readers a deeper understanding of the character's personality and morals. While the two stories use the same characters, they are still extremely different. Beowulf's predictable narrative and basic language make the story very easy to comprehend, while Grendel is filled with complex phrasing and intricate characters that require intense analyzation to decipher. The analyzation required to truly understand Grendel displays the varying audiences the stories were written for. Grendel and Beowulf also use completely different ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The theme coming of age is included in both compositions. Throughout Grendel, Grendel struggles to come to terms with who he is and frequently straddles the border between adulthood and childhood. For example, after getting stuck in a tree, Grendel cries out for his mother and then moments later contemplates the meaning of life: "The king snatched an ax from the man beside him and, without any warning, he hurled it at me... I bellowed for my mother...I tried to tell her that happened, all that I'd come to understand: the meaningless objectiveness of the world..." (Gardner 27–28). This bouncing back and forth between a child's mindset and an adult's shows Grendel's gradual coming of age. Beowulf's main character, Beowulf, is forced to endure many quests that challenge him not only physically, but mentally forcing him to come of age as well. Beowulf has to question many of the things he thought he knew, resulting in him growing wiser, much like Grendel. For example, during his fight with Grendel, Beowulf first says he does not want the help of his Thanes, but when Grendel starts to beat him, his Thanes are forced to step in (Beowulf Lines 80– 100). This teaches Beowulf that he needs to accept help in the end and does not always have to accomplish things on his own, something he uses to his advantage in later battles. Altogether, both Grendel and Beowulf ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 39. Examples Of Grendel In Beowulf Grendel is a powerful beast that can not be stop. Grendel in the Grendel never been stop everybody they try to kill with their swords but it never work. When Beowulf came to the see Grendel their where other people trying to kill him. When Beowulf so the other people getting toning apart heads bitten off arms and their body be torn apart. Beowulf told Grendel that I am going to fight you with my hands he keep hitting him with chandelier greened started to run away from him. When Grendel tried to get away Beowulf but he had his arm lock around a chain so that he was trying to go back to his cave but Beowulf would not let him but he end up taking Grendel head off. When Beowulf brought Grendel head to the people he said the Grendel had been killed. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Grendel is a beast that eats cows, deers, and people. How ever just because he can eat other things, that don't change the fact that Grendel fate is cause to attack man in the first place. He eats men not because he is not hungry for them and choose to eat them, but he is curies to be their amenity. Grendel always get attack by the people they are disturbing him so that Grendel has to come to the Meade hall and try to kill everybody that is in their. When Grendel goes back to his cave the next day he is going to do the same thing, know the people close the Meade hall so that Grendel want attack ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...