"Grendel " by John Gardner

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses that the novel, "Grendel", is a retelling of the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf from the perspective of the antagonist i.e. Grendel. The paper says that the 1971 novel by John Gardner follows the life of Grendel but at the same time attempts to construct a deeper subtext by tackling issues such as the quest for meaning in the world, the purpose of man, and the fight between good and evil. The paper further states that the philosophical content of Grendel is undeniable; Grendel follows the changes that occur inside of him, and in doing so, formulates intelligent commentaries as to the two main perspectives on the world and the purpose of humanity, determinism and existentialism. The paper also states Grendel's war on mankind is waged as a result of his encounter with the dragon whose nihilistic view deeply influences Grendel. Grendel now feels enraged by the romantic view that the Danes have on the world, and their history of braveness and courage. The paper asserts the thesis that Grendel is an existentialist who tries to provide meaning to his life in an environment that is hostile to him.

From the Paper:

"Grendel is an existentialist who tries to derive meaning from the world around him. Gardner himself explained, "What Grendel does is take, one by one, the great heroic ideals of mankind since the beginning and make a case for these values by setting up alternatives in an ironic set of monster values. I hate Existentialism." (Morace; Van Spanckeren: 67). Grendel starts out as a nihilist for whom everything is meaningless and devoid of real value. However, he yearns for meaning. His revolt is interior because he does not see himself as important since he in only an animal. Moreover, he gets angry at the sky for "ignoring" him. This is a stage of deep confusion for Grendel who is torn between his feeling that nothing is truly of importance in the world, and the awareness that no matter how many men he kills, he cannot break their spirits as they continue to rebuilt their castle. His inability to destroy their faith and morale angers him."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gardner, John. Grendel. New York: Vintage Books, 1971
• Klinkowitz, Jerome. "John Gardner's Grendel." John Gardner: Critical Perspectives. Morace, Robert A., and Kathryn Van Spanckeren, eds. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1982. 62-68.
• "Casual determinism." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2003<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/determinism-causal/>

More papers on "Grendel " by John Gardner:

• Book Review # 117863 : "Grendel"
• Analytical Essay # 28781 : "Grendel" & "Beowulf"
• Analytical Essay # 22955 : "The Development and Understanding of Human Knowledge"

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