It is a retelling of part of the old english poem beowulf from the perspective of the antagonist, grendel. Beowulf dives down to find her and kills her with a magical sword. Beowulfs offer to fight grendel and holds a feast in the heros honor. True, grendel is based on beowulf and the dramatic action is very similar, but the motivation for actions in grendel is completely different. Grendels mother, pale, slightly glowing, and fearful, lives in a dank cave with grendel. The project gutenberg ebook of beowulf this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no. John grigsby born 1971 is a british author grigsby received a bachelors degree in prehistoric european archeology and history citation needed and a masters degree in celtic studies.
Grendel cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. Whole class powerpoint, support sheets to write character descriptions, support sheets to write battle scene. Analysis of grendel from beowulf grendel english literature essay. Wiglaf is a trusted companion and a cousin of beowulf. Beowulf, however, is wakeful, eager to meet his enemy. This resource includes character description from the book. The truth behind englands oldest legend, and beowulf, dragon slayer. There are two main characters representing both, one good and one evil. The battle with grendel 8 out from the marsh fro, m the foot of misty hills and bogs, bearing gods hatred, grendel came, hopin g to kill 395 anyone he could trap on thi trisp to high. Grendel character grendel is an unhappy soul in john gardners book grendel, because he feels useless in society and doesnt want to accept his given role. Their reputations, the manner in which they use their strengths and their surroundings define the. Overing discounts grendels mother from her analysis of beowulfs women because. The narrator of beowulf claims that grendels motivation is hearing hrothgars bard sing songs about gods creation of the world, which rubs his demonic nature the wrong way whatever the reason, every night grendel.
The first person narration adds grendels thoughts and emotions to the book. In his book, he is a lonely creature who seeks an understanding of the seemingly meaningless world around him. As an outsider, he observes and provides commentary on the human civilization he battles. In fact, hrothgar as a king is a foreshadowing of what beowulf will become in his later life.
Beowulf was composed in england, the poem describes events that take place in scandinavia around the 500s among two groups. A differente perspective of grendel, from beowulf essay. Beowulf cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. A great, bearlike monster, he is the first of three monsters defeated by the geatish hero beowulf in the sixthcentury poem beowulf. Mythical son of edgetho, higlacs nephew and followerbound warrior.
A great, bearlike monster, grendel is the first of three monsters defeated by the geatish hero beowulf in the sixthcentury poem beowulf. Grendel and his mother in beowulf are both what critics call flat characters. He no longer possesses the power he once had to fight grendel and his mother. Of all the characters in the novel, wealtheow is the only one who doesnt leave us feeling like. He is a terrifying monster who kills and eats humans, but he is also a lonely, isolated creature, who craves a friend or companion. As this selection opens, a fierce and powerful monster named grendel invades the mead hall, bringing death and destruction. From the old testament, he is the brother of cain, also killed by cain, progenitor of mankind and humanity goodness. The grendel quotes below are all either spoken by grendel or refer to grendel. Cain biblical character described as an ancestor of grendel who is infamous for. As an outsider, grendel observes and provides commentary on the human. The novel deals with finding meaning in the world, the power of literature and myth, and the nature of good and evil. The novelist john gardner wrote a book called grendel that explores these ideas about grendel more fully, and tells of the events of beowulf from grendels point of view. In his final moments, beowulf gives wiglaf his battle armor. In grendel, he is a lonely creature who seeks an understanding of the seemingly meaningless world around him.
In grendel, however, he is an intelligent and temperamental monster, capable of rational thought as well as irrational outbursts of emotion. Beowulf lessons character descriptions teaching resources. Numerous recitations likely embellished the story and its characters with fantastic elements and exaggerated character traits, including godlike wisdom, intelligence. Through his strength, honor, and the way he rules his kingdom, beowulf demonstrates that he possesses the qualities of an epic hero. Beowulfs traits of boastfulness, bravery and amazing strength are the proof of his heroism. Get the entire beowulf litchart as a printable pdf. In many ways, grendel is the most interesting character in the epic. Grendel is a relentlessly thinking and questioning character.
Grendels history supports this ambiguous characterization. The character of grendel in grendel from litcharts the. In the original beowulf epic, grendel displays nothing but the most primitive human qualities. Beowulf must fight grendel barehanded, and the other warriors are unable to come to beowulfs aid. Beowulfbeowulf preparing to cut off the head of the monster grendel. See more ideas about beowulf, anglo saxon and norse mythology. The heroic poem beowulf is the highest achievement of old english literature and the. Grendel is a 1971 novel by american author john gardner. The character of grendel in beowulf from litcharts the creators of.
Throughout the novel, the monster grendel often seems as human as the people he observes. The characters personalities in grendel and beowulf. Beowulf is a geat warrior who crosses the sea to defeat grendel, a monster who is terrorizing the danes. Urja modi the grendel familys death after beowulf rips one of grendels arms off, grendel excessively bleeds to death. The book grendel, written by john gardner, and the poem beowulf, translated by seamus heaney, both have very distinct opinions on what role each character plays. Grendels mother an unnamed swamphag, grendels mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than grendel, although her terrorization of heorot is. He also came out of a sense of duty because king hrothgar had helped beowulf s. Beowulf and his men take the place of hrothgars followers and down lie to sleep in herot. The author of beowulf is unknown, as is the date of its original compositionalthough some suppose that the saga was written sometime in the 7th or 8th century. He helps beowulf defeat the dragon when the rest of beowulfs men run and hide. Hrothgar is a relatively static character, a force of stability in the social realm. Gardner paints grendel in a more sympathetic light, compelling the reader to understand and even feel sorry for the monster.
The novelist john gardner wrote a book called grendel that explores these ideas about grendel more fully, and tells of the events of beowulf from grendel s point of view. The characterization of grendel is very different in the novel grendel from the one in beowulf, where grendel is described as an outcast who is peaceful, intelligent, lonely, and sad. She smothers her son in her attempts to comfort and control him. He is a warrior who aids beowulf against the battle with the dragon. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars. As a young man, beowulf was known as the strongest man alive.
One of hrothgars warriors, jealous of beowulf, lent his sword to beowulf to fight grendels mother hrethric hrothgars elder son, hrethric stands to inherit the danish throne, but hrethrics older cousin hrothulf will prevent him from doing so. Character analysis beowulf he is an impressivelooking man. Hrothgar, the aged ruler of the danes who accepts beowulf s help in the first part of the story, aids beowulf s development into maturity. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. Beowulf had many characteristics which helped him to succeed in battle. When grendel gets stuck in a tree for many long hours and is attacked by hrothgar and his men, she rescues him, knocking down trees with her strength.
About beowulf beowulf summary character list lines 1193 lines 194709 lines 710915 lines 9161250 lines 12511649 lines 16501887 lines 18882199 lines 22002537 lines 25382819 lines 28203182 related links citations. Beowulf details the heroic acts of its title character, starting with his defeat of the monster grendel, who periodically attacked the court of the danish king hrothgar. Difference of character development in beowulf and grendel. When beowulf succeeds in killing both grendel and his mother, hrothgar does not hesitate to praise him and reward him richly. Beowulf tears grendels arm off at the shoulder and hangs it from the rafters. Grendel is presented in the poem as literally evil incarnate roaming the world, against which beowulf is pitted as the defender of the good. In the epic poem beowulf, beowulfs character traits prove to be the depiction of an epic hero. Contrasting points of view in grendel and beowulf significantly alter the readers perception of religion, good and evil, and the character grendel. The narrator of beowulf claims that grendel s motivation is hearing hrothgars bard sing songs about gods creation of the world, which rubs his demonic nature the wrong way whatever the reason, every night grendel slaughters more danes and. The hero embodies character traits that reflect lofty ideals. Grendel is told in firstperson point of view, which is a narrative told in the voice of the main character. In beowulf the book, beowulf uses an ancient magical sword to slay the evil queen.
Although he is as solidly rooted in the heroic code as beowulf is, his old age and his experience with both good and. It is one of the most important works of old english literature. Get everything you need to know about grendel in beowulf. Gardner gives the dragon many physical traits but all of the physical traits have one thing in common. The main characters in beowulf are beowulf, hrothgar, grendel, grendels mother, wiglaf, wealhtheow, and unferth. Beowulf was distinguished among his people, the geats, for his bravery. As an outsider, grendel observes and provides commentary on the human civilization he battles. The character of grendel in beowulf from litcharts the. The translator of beowulf and the writer of grendel follow the idea that everyone has a. Point of view in grendel and beowulf essay on beowulf. Monster versus monstrous a discussion of the characterisation of. Beowulf is the hero of an ancient epic, titled beowulf, which is the oldest known epic narrative composed in english.
Grendels mother after grendel is killed by beowulf, grendels mother returns to the hall to take revenge. As a young man beowulf fought in many battles and as a result showed his great character to others. Hrothgar speaks of the temptations of hubris excessive pride and tells young beowulf always to remember that great joy is followed by great sorrow. The book translated by burton raffel, beowulf, is written in third person. What are the character traits of grendels mother in. The novelist and anglosaxon scholar john gardner explores the inner conflicts of the character in his 1971 novel, grendel, an intensely moving, funny, and perceptive book. Grendel is the protagonist and narrator of the novel.
In many ways, beowulf and hrothgar are very similar characters noble, brave, generous, just, and pure. Grendel is a fiction, mystery and thriller novel which plots the story of grendel and his epic battle with beowulf. Grendel character analysis and theme grendel the protagonist and narrator of the novel. Good and evil is one of the main conflicts in the poem beowulf. Beowulf is a powerful warrior who comes to the aid of the danish king hrothgar, whose hall is raided each night by the hideous maneating monster grendel. John gardners book, grendel, is written in first person. Grendel quotes in beowulf the beowulf quotes below are all either spoken by grendel or refer to grendel. Grendelcharacter analysis and theme by diamond sears on prezi. Beowulfs boastfulness may not be the most convincing heroic trait, but it certainly was important to the people of his time. The good character being beowulf and the bad character being grendel. In the story beowulf good and evil are portrayed in a very black and white manner. The scylding coastal guard points out that he has never seen a mightier noble, a larger man 24748 even though he has held this office and served his king, hrothgar, for many years, watching all kinds of warriors come and go. Grendel is a fiction, thriller and mystery novel in which the author tells the story of grendel and his brutal fight with beowulf.