...Conor Mr. Judson English 12 A 3rd 19 May 2015 Grendel In Beowulf, Grendel is depicted as a vicious, bloodthirsty monster that is attacking the citizens for no reason. In Grendel, Gardner attempts to shine some light on one of the most well known monsters in literature. The reader sees that it is not just Grendel’s nature that leads him to kill people. They also see Grendel as a character with a mind, something that he is devoid of in Beowulf, having no lines, only an extended battle scene. The way that Gardner fleshed out Grendel’s mind was, I thought, very interesting. There was nothing he could work with in Beowulf since there was no dialogue between Grendel and Beowulf, although, Grendel screaming when he gets his arm chopped off by Beowulf could count. So, Gardner was able to do whatever he wanted with this character. Gardner changed Grendel, giving him justifications for his hate of men and for the reason that he has decided to terrorize Hrothgar’s hall every night. Gardner depicts Grendel as a creature that is intelligent and observant of the world. This depiction gives him justification for his actions in Beowulf. Grendel observes Hrothgar’s men for years before he decides to terrorize them. The things he witnesses during his observations are disloyalty and deception. Grendel does not understand how these men can constantly wage war against each other and then tell stories of their greatness. This frustrates him. The Shaper makes...
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...From the book “From Beowulf” I will be talking about how Beowulf and Grendel are alike and different. Grendel and Beowulf are the two main characters in the book. Beowulf in the book is like a hero. Grendel is the demon, monster in the book. Meanwhile, they both are very powerful. However, I will be telling you things about both, Beowulf, and Grendel and how they both relate to each other, but yet are the opposite of each other. Beowulf was known as a great warrior, but also as a hero. Beowulf was very handsome, and had big muscles. He was a young prince who had gathered his men to sail over the sea to the Danes. He went there because he heard how evil Grendel was and wanted to help. Beowulf was very brave and had confidence in himself. He...
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...Topic sentence/Detail: In the poem Beowulf, Grendel and Beowulf perform actions that make them a hero or villain. Thesis: The difference between Grendel and Beowulf is one is evil and the other is good. Similarities between Grendel and Beowulf are both feel satisfied after they fight someone and win and in the end they both accept their deaths. Body 1: Good and evil Topic sentence: A difference between Beowulf and Grendel is that one is a hero and the other is a monster. Beowulf defeats Grendel to end years of suffering in Herot hall. Grendel is the monster who eats men in Herot hall for 12 winters. Quote 1: For example lines 37-38 Grendel “snatched up thirty men, smashed...
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...In the story Grendel by John Gardner he makes a comment and says “Poor Grendel’s had an accident… So may you all.” This particular quote can be both a blessing and a curse, but can also be a blind and non meaningful statement. The reason this quote was said was because Grendel had his arm torn off by a man named Beowulf. “Beowulf twists Grendel’s arm around in the socket, causing him pain unlike any he has ever felt.” (Gardner 12). This may or may not be one of the reasons that the quote is stated. The quote “Poor Grendel’s had an accident… So may you all.” Is pretty much saying all the men that have been around Grendel and witnessed this will have the same fate they will be killed and go through the same pain that young Grendel went through....
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...Beowulf and Grendel are alike and they are different in certain ways. Beowulf is the epic hero in this poem. He has characteristics such as bravery and strength. Grendel is the villain in this poem. Grendel is also fearless and wants to win the battle just like Beowulf. Beowulf is human and Grendel is supernatural. Beowulf wants fame and he’s a part of a social structure. Grendel on the other hand is not part of a social structure, he’s an outcast. Beowulf’s expectations was to get a victory so that he could have the fame. He was brave to battle with Grendel. Everybody saw Beowulf as courageous after he won the battle. Beowulf is also known for performing great deeds. After his victory, Beowulf became the king of the Geats. However, Beowulf showed fairness by not...
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...Grendel is a symbol of the Shadow. Jung says that the Shadow is the other “us” that we disliked or do not want to be. But we can also see it in our weaknesses and failings. That is why people write novels and legends about heroes defeating the monsters or the evil forces. The monsters and the evil forces are the Shadow, they are who we imagine that would represent our weaknesses. For example, Grendel from Beowulf, Grendel was the loner of the community. He was banned from society and has to live in swamps. While Grendel represents the Shadow in a more imaginary way, Unferth from Beowulf was almost the same as Grendel, except he was a man just like the rest of us. Having him in the story shows us about the Shadow in a more realistic way. Everyone has a...
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...Beowulf Part 1 * Grendel is introduced -murderous;evil;fiend;demon -In pain -Compared to the Devil * Why is Grendel evil? * He is a monster * Descendant form Cain * Grendel wants to feel loved by a higher power but cannot because Cains curse is on him -Grendel kills because of his misery and misery always enjoys company THEME: Light Vs. Darkness Hrothgar= Light Grendel= Darkness(Evil) * We see that Hrothgars men are happy and loyal Part 2 * Grendel slaughters 30 men in their sleep; he is ruthless * Grendel continues to kill for the next 12 winters * Hrothgar cannot be touched by Grendel -The Kings’ thrown is divine therefore Grendel will not touch it; it’s a boundary * Hrothgar does not care about his men * Hrothgar is selfish and a coward * He will not ask for help because of his pride * Men that volunteer to fight Grendel are doing it only for the glory Part 3 * Beowulf is introduced as an epic hero * Hrothgar did not seek help because of his pride; he is too proud * Characteristics that prove Beowulf is an epic hero: -loved by the Geats -going on a quest -mightiest men -strong -bitter and fresh -risking death Part 4 * Wulfgar request that Beowulf remove all weapons before entering onto the premises; he wants to leave these men defenseless to keep Hrothgar’ safe; Anglo Saxon Code of Conduct * Beowulf is not a fool so some men drop their weapons to follow him into Herot while the...
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...also showed throughout this epic as having the ability to cleanse evil. Even though evil is presented by Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon, who are filled with a desire to act against people and ultimately destroy them, even pride, a human quality, is presented in Beowulf as a sign that evil exists. This story might even be considered a classic because it mainly talks about the old fashion good vs. evil, hero vs. villain. Beowulf and the three monsters show the significant difference between good and evil, and why god will always prevail. At the beginning of the play, one reads about Grendel, who is a man eating monster who is feared by everyone. Grendel represents sin and evil throughout the story in various ways. Evil is first shown by the monster Grendel when, “Suddenly then the God-cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting places and rushed to his lair”. (Beowulf 120-124). Grendel lives in the darkness and has absolutely no remorse on human life. This shows a very big quality of an evil being and how the Anglo-Saxons viewed evil in forms of monsters. Evil is also thought to be greedy and according to the poem, Grendel’s “thoughts were as quick as his greed.” Christian beliefs were brought up through Grendel’s evil when mentioning his home and how he lives in hell and made his home there instead of Earth. Grendel is said to had “dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan,” (Beowulf 104-106),...
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...the book and movie are that they both include the same characters. The majority of characters and their attitudes in the movie are almost identical to that of the book. In addition, in Beowulf’s battle against Grendel, he rids Grendel of the vicious beast’s arm. The Danes are then overjoyed with the defeat of the terrorizing monster they cringed from for so long and celebrate with an abundance of mead and drunken slurs. They then hang Grendel’s slaughtered arm for all to see as a form of a victory flag. Finally, Beowulf is responsible for the death of both Grendel and his vengeance-filled mother. The many differences that contrast both are found in the portrayal of Grendel and Beowulf’s fathers. In addition, the way the outcome of the plot ends and the manners in which the dragon presents itself. The similarities are slight compared to the differences, but they still play a vastly crucial role in comparing the composition of the book to the movie. The differences of both are more accumulative than the similarities, but never the less factual. The characters that play a leading role in the story are Beowulf (the epic warrior and savior), Grendel (the vicious beast that is terrorizing the Danes), Hrothgar (the king of the Danes, whose realm gets terrorized by Grendel), and Grendel’s mother (vengeful beast that seeks revenge on Beowulf for the death of her child.)...
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...Throughout much of the novel Grendel faces a defining struggle- one between good and evil. He spends much of his years attempting to discover, and even fight his destiny. Grendel starts out the same as all humans, innocent and curious. He spent his childhood alone, his mother being the only creature that would keep him company. Grendel repeatedly tries to communicate with the humans, but consistently failed. As he becomes older and wiser, he starts to realize that he will not ever be able to get the Shieldings to see eye to eye with him. They will always see him as a disgusting, terrible monster. Eventually, Grendel is able to embrace this and fulfill his destiny as the Destroyer and Wrecker of Kings. At first, Grendel is a young, naïve creature, exploring the world around him just as young creatures do. He is not yet aware of his evil destiny; he is just lonely. Upon his first interaction with the Shieldings, Grendel is stuck in a tree, dying. The men discover him, and decide that he is hungry for pig. They are unsure if he is friendly or not: “‘Pig!’ I tried to yell. It scared them… the king snatched an ax from the man beside him and, without any warning, he hurled it at me” (113). The humans attacked until Grendel’s mother saved him, and Grendel came to a horrible realization ”The world resists me and I resist the world… That’s all there is…I exist, nothing else” (115). At this point, Grendel is starting to view the world very differently, and is discovering...
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...which bears his name, Grendel is portrayed as a terrifying monster who terrorizes Hrothgar’s mead hall whenever possible, taking a few men or women for dinner each time. Throughout the introduction of the novel, Grendel makes it know that should he not kill them they will eventually kill him. What caused this fiend to become determined that preemptive strike was the best choice? Grendel narrates his first and very violent, encounter with humans from a very helpless stand, as he is hanging from a tree. At the first sight of alarm, the humans sent spears and other weapons threw Grendel’s arms and legs. This action, more than ensuring that Grendel was physically paralyzed, signified Grendel’s realizationthat the humans would kill him if he ever gave them a chance, and through pain set in cement the idea that the best way to prevent that was to strike first. “It’s Greek to Me” 1.myth is literature is a “body of story that matters” 2. greek and roman mythologies are ingrained into our psyches and culture. 3. many characters in literature may have parallels in mythology. 2.) An ancient, silent, loving mother and an elderly, wise man whose prowess with words and the harp seem both supernatural and awe- inspiring. Both of these characters “resonate” with the promise of something deeper. Grendel’s mother, often portrayed in the book as sleeping or lying down, and, though she could not speak it, for she is too ancient to know the language, she loved Grendel (often representative...
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...continues to show his thankfulness by thanking God for giving them safe travel across the sea. Beowulf is lead to Hrothgar and offers him is services. Beowulf is asked by the warriors to tell of his past defeats while eating in Hrothgar's palace. Beowulf is already a hero to the people of this land for he is about to rid them of their enemy. As an ultimate hero, Beowulf decides, to be far, he will not use weapons in his battle against Grendel since Grendel reputedly does not use them. "I do not consider myself a lesser fighter than Grendel does himself; therefore I will not kill him with a sword, and deprive him of life in that way.... No, this night we two will abstain from swords..." That night, even after hearing of all of Beowulf's heroic defeats, the warriors still feel that no man on earth will be able to stand up to the evil Grendel carries. Beowulf will either defeat Grendel or die in the process. "Let me live in greatness...and courage," he says, "or here in this hall welcome...my death." Beowulf awaits the arrival of Grendel then goes on to defeat him and sends him back to...
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...tragic hero in a variety of ways. Although Beowulf was not a perfect being, he embraces many characteristics of a tragic hero. Beowulf’s ego put him into many difficult situations. For example the battles he fought against Grendel, Grendels Mother, and the dragon. Other then his enormous ego along with his cockiness that put him into bad situations, he also embraced the characteristics of a great leader that many looked up to. In many parts of the poem Beowulf performs many courageous tasks that no one else would even try, making him one that should be idolized. To start off, Beowulf plans out his battle with Grendel. In the very beginning Beowulf tells his people and Hrothgar that he wants to battle and kill Grendel with his owns hands. This part shows his over confident ego because he thinks he is so mighty and strong. While Grendel made his way to attack Herot, Beowulf pretended that he was asleep just as Grendel would see. As it says in lines (739-746) Grendel snatched at the first Geat… (Line745) He then stepped to another still body, clutched at Beowulf with his claws. Beowulf suddenly leaned up against Grendel’s arm attempting to get back at him. Grendel was very fearful and at that very moment he didn’t even want to kill, he wanted to get away. Grendel struggled until he was free, but he ran free without his arm. Beowulf ego once again ties into this because he claims that it was “fate” that he got away and was not his fault. On the other hand, Beowulf went out of his...
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...What does Beowulf say about himself and what he intends to do? When Beowulf enters Hrothgar's presence he tells him of his past courageous victories. He tells Hrothgar that he intends to fight Grendel without weapons, using only his hands. 12. How did Hrothgar help Beowulf's father in the past? Hrothgar told Beowulf that he helped his father in the past by ending a feud that he had started between him and the Wulfing tribe, by sending them ancient treasures. 13. What does Unferth say to Beowulf, and why? Unferth reminds Beowulf about a swimming race that Beowulf competed in against Brecca, and lost. He tells Beowulf that he will surely be defeated in the battle against Grendel. Unferth says this because he is envious of Beowulf's accomplishments, and jealous of all the fame and glory he earned, and the courage that he had. 14. How does Beowulf respond to Unferth? Beowulf is unshaken by Unferth's taunts, and after saying that Unferth is drunk, he tells them what really happened with the swimming race against Brecca. He explained that after five nights in the freezing sea, he was attacked by nine sea monsters, and slayed them all. Beowulf said that neither Brecca nor Unferth...
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...Lineage in Beowulf Progeny often inherit parental attributes, shaped by uncontrollable factors. Traits that originate from distant ancestors can express themselves in future generations. Such is the case regarding the beast Grendel in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf. Isolated from the rest of society, Grendel is depicted as a violent and evil being. The negative portrayal of Grendel, a deformed monster descending from the biblical outcast Cain, highlights the importance of familial ties in Anglo-Saxon culture; the anonymous author implies that individuals are defined by their lineage, predestining one’s character. Grendel’s destructive actions against Heorot display his inherited trait...
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