Journal 6

Although Beowulf, which was written by an anonymous poet, and John Gardner’s Grendel include the same general plot and characters, they also have many differences. Grendel is a modern narrative while Beowulf is an epic poem from Anglo-Saxon times. Grendel is a parody of Beowulf. The character Grendel in Grendel is a spoof version of the Grendel portrayed in Beowulf. In the narrative, he is conveyed as a character who thinks about his place in the universe and is very philosophical. However, Grendel is seen in Beowulf as “a powerful monster...that demon, that fiend,” who was born as a descendent of Cain (21). He is rendered as ancient and brutal: “(He) snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds, and ran out with their bodies;/ The blood dripping behind him, back/ To his lair, delighted with his night’s slaughter.” (37-40). Gardner satirizes Beowulf’s concept of heroism by emphasizing the violence of mankind. While Beowulf is an example of the heroic code of the Anglo-Saxons, which stresses the significance of loyalty, strength, and bravery, Gardner’s Grendel sees the true brutality and avariciousness associated with mankind. The men pillage villages and murder each other regularly. Additionally, Gardner is defying the meaning of life and the value of heroism in Beowulf’s society by focusing on the philosophy of nihilism in Grendel.