Beowulf is an Old English epic poem about a leader of the Geats, a Swedish clan, who defeats three monstrous creatures. The novel Grendel, written by John Gardener tells the old tale in the perspective of one of the monsters. This novel reveals many philosophical messages and also the different mindsets and emotional structure between humans and creatures, specifically monsters. Both novels differ majorly due to the different choice of perspectives. The novel written by John Gardner is much more complicated plot wise. It holds more meaning and incorporates many universal statements such as the effect of isolation and also how far an individual would go to be understood or gain attention.
Grendel, having human qualities, feels as if he does not relate with other creatures. Therefore, he turns to humans for acceptance. “I found I understood them it was
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Also, an important factor of the story that I have come across is the beginning compared to the end. There are twelve chapters in the novel replicating the months of the year. In the opening scene, Grendel seems exasperated when encountered by the Ram, as if he has already dealt with a situation where he could not communicate with another creature. The novel starts in the season of spring. This is the month of hope, jolliness, exploration, maybe even a new beginning. However, the introduction takes a psychological turn when Grendel begins pondering over how wild animals like deer and rabbits live. Feeling sorry yet more superior than them, he describes their lives as “buried in it like crabs in mud” (8), then proceeds to say "except men". Just like men, Grendel believes he can observe life in a detailed and sophisticated way, that everyone should stand in dignity including creatures like himself. Yet again, he’s more similar to humans than he is to other creatures so he is faced with a self-realization