For more than a thousand years, Beowulf has been part of the foundation on which all English literature is built. The epic is filled with monsters and heroes, including the fiercely strong Beowulf, as archetypal a hero as exists in literature. The monsters and their lairs are equally archetypal.
Beowulf faces a dragon at the end of the epic, he faces Grendel's mother in a firesnake-infested lake, and he battles Grendel in King Hrothgar's mead hall. Beowulf's battle with Grendel is the most famous fight in the epic and Grendel is not only the epic's most famous monster, but also arguably English literature's most famous monster.
The Original Beowulf
In Beowulf, the Danish King Hrothgar's hall has been the nighttime killing grounds for Grendel for 12 years before Beowulf shows up, intent on taking care of the monster. Grendel is described as "the God-cursed brute," "the Lord's outcast," "the bane of the race of men" and "the captain of evil." His lineage traces back to Cain, who was cursed by God along with all of his descendents for killing his brother Abel. In the tradition of ancient epics, to be out of God's favor is clearly to be a sign of evil.
Beowulf, on the other hand, clearly has God on his side. He arrives at Hrothgar's mead hall in Denmark from his homeland in Sweden, boasting of his ability to beat Grendel single-handedly and unarmed. His bragging proves legitimate, for when Grendel, the "corpse-maker mongering death," arrives at the hall for his usual killing spree, he is surprised when Beowulf grabs his clawed arm and doesn't let go.
The Original Beowulf
In Beowulf, the Danish King Hrothgar's hall has been the nighttime killing grounds for Grendel for 12 years before Beowulf shows up, intent on taking care of the monster. Grendel is described as "the God-cursed brute," "the Lord's outcast," "the bane of the race of men" and "the captain of evil." His lineage traces back to Cain, who was cursed by God along with all of his descendents for killing his brother Abel. In the tradition of ancient epics, to be out of God's favor is clearly to be a sign of evil.
Beowulf, on the other hand, clearly has God on his side. He arrives at Hrothgar's mead hall in Denmark from his homeland in Sweden, boasting of his ability to beat Grendel single-handedly and unarmed. His bragging proves legitimate, for when Grendel, the "corpse-maker mongering death," arrives at the hall for his usual killing spree, he is surprised when Beowulf grabs his clawed arm and doesn't let go.
The two struggle mightily throughout the hall, leaving a wake of destruction. All the while, Beowulf never relinquishes his grip on Grendel's arm. Finally, Beowulf literally disarms Grendel and the monster flees the fight leaving his shoulder and arm in Beowulf's mighty grip. Grendel dies in the lair he inhabits with his mother. Beowulf is praised for his heroics and returns to his homeland.
The Rewrite: Beowulf becomes the Tale of Grendal
In 1971, the author John Gardner rewrote this first part of Beowulf from the perspective of Grendel. This fantastic novel, appropriately called Grendel, sheds a new light on the beast that Beowulf describes as "malignant by nature, he never showed remorse." In Gardner's tale, we encounter a sad, lonely beast that spends his time spying on the humans.
This Grendel is not a likable character, but his motivation and desire in life is clear: he is angry with a world that has forsaken and cursed him from birth. His only companion from his earliest years is his mother, and she is a hideous monster. She does little more than hug him tightly. She waggles her clawed fingers as her only form of communication. Grendel explores the caves that are his home, and he eventually finds his way to the surface. But, there, the wild animals attack him rather than befriend him.
The Rewrite: Beowulf becomes the Tale of Grendal
In 1971, the author John Gardner rewrote this first part of Beowulf from the perspective of Grendel. This fantastic novel, appropriately called Grendel, sheds a new light on the beast that Beowulf describes as "malignant by nature, he never showed remorse." In Gardner's tale, we encounter a sad, lonely beast that spends his time spying on the humans.
This Grendel is not a likable character, but his motivation and desire in life is clear: he is angry with a world that has forsaken and cursed him from birth. His only companion from his earliest years is his mother, and she is a hideous monster. She does little more than hug him tightly. She waggles her clawed fingers as her only form of communication. Grendel explores the caves that are his home, and he eventually finds his way to the surface. But, there, the wild animals attack him rather than befriend him.
From Grendel's perspective, we see the bloody rise of Hrothgar and his eventual dominance over the lands around Grendel's lair. Grendel raises a key question in the analysis of human nature: How fair is it to call a creature a monster when humans behave so monstrously toward one another? Hrothgar seizes power the way any ancient king would: through violence, murder and plunder.
A Case of Mistaken Communication
Grendel watches the humans with a sense of morbid curiosity. He senses the companionship that man shares with one another. He understands the words they use, and he desires to be accepted. When he hears the ballads of the mead hall minstrel--telling the tale of his cursed lineage--he is overcome with emotion. So, he rushes into the hall to ask the minstrel to stop.
The humans see a monster in their midst; they turn on Grendel and attack. So begins the 12 years of bloodshed and the subsequent arrival of Beowulf. Contrary to the telling of the battle between Beowulf and Grendel in Beowulf, the battle between the two in Grendel is not epic. It is sad--sad because we know the inevitable outcome of the fight. And, after so many pages in Grendel's head, we have to believe that the poor creature doesn't deserves such a fate.
A Case of Mistaken Communication
Grendel watches the humans with a sense of morbid curiosity. He senses the companionship that man shares with one another. He understands the words they use, and he desires to be accepted. When he hears the ballads of the mead hall minstrel--telling the tale of his cursed lineage--he is overcome with emotion. So, he rushes into the hall to ask the minstrel to stop.
The humans see a monster in their midst; they turn on Grendel and attack. So begins the 12 years of bloodshed and the subsequent arrival of Beowulf. Contrary to the telling of the battle between Beowulf and Grendel in Beowulf, the battle between the two in Grendel is not epic. It is sad--sad because we know the inevitable outcome of the fight. And, after so many pages in Grendel's head, we have to believe that the poor creature doesn't deserves such a fate.
Read together, Beowulf and Grendel map out the wonderful dichotomy of opposing perspectives. Beowulf--with its bravado and heroic deeds--revels in bloodshed and conquest, yet depicts Grendel as a remorseless monster, intent only on killing men. The message is that when men kill men, they are heroes; when Grendel kills men, he is a monster. Grendel takes this double standard. While not asking for our sympathy, the book asks for our understanding. From the beginning of Grendel, he doesn't ask for our pity. But, it is hard not to feel sympathy for this devil.
