Comparing Grendel And The Monster In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein

Mysterious creatures from novels may all not be as different as they seem. A monster or creature are often the antagonist in the story, but does this void them from all human emotion? Are they perhaps more human than actual human beings? The “Monster” from Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” and the creature Grendel from John Gardener’s “Grendel” are creatures that may have more emotion than what we think. Grendel and the Monster share a sense of loneliness, suffering, and are both curious of their own creation. The state of loneliness can affect a person mentally. Grendel shows signs of isolation as he loathes all by himself. “I had become something, as if born again . . . But also, as never before, I was alone.”(Gardener 80) The poetic Shaper made

Grendel asks the greatest question of all “Why are we here?” (Gardener 11). Grendel wonders to himself about life and why it is created. This sense of curiosity establishes him as a “human”. Frankenstein’s monster takes a different approach on his creation by cursing his creator for his disfigured appearance. “Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his companions, fellow devils, to admire and encourage him, but I am solitary and abhorred."(Shelly 94). The monster born from the use of other people’s limbs and organs, despise his “beautiful” master because he is born perfect. Due to this imperfection the monster is sentenced to solitude upon creation. The creature that is Grendel and Frankenstein’s Monster are more “human” than actual human beings. They were curious about their own creation, both had suffered from loneliness, and had suffered from complete isolation from the rest of civilization.Grendel and the monster only want socialization with other is that too much to