Is Grendel A Good Villain?

One 8 feet tall, put together by multiple people's body parts, the other a giant, angry, man eating monster, the monster from Frankenstein and a monster named Grendel. Grendel is a fictional character first introduced in the novel Beowulf. He is the protagonist to Beowulf, exiled from civilization. Grendel was born an outcast from society then slowly became what he was always told he was, a monster. What makes Grendel such a successful villain is his lack of remorse for anything. The Monster from the novel Frankenstein, is the creation of Victor Frankenstein, an elite scientist trying to bring back the dead. He was born eight feet tall, an assortment of body parts, and completely abandoned. Grendel is the superior villain, compared to the

One of the attributes to make a “good” villain would have to be an evil demeanor or just lack of remorse. Grendel has this, in contrast to the monster who feels everything he does. He does not kill just to kill, he wants revenge on Victor Frankstein. In chapter 8 of Frankenstein the monster says, “There was none among the myriads of men who existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No, from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who had formed me, and sent me forth to this insupportable misery”(Shelly). The monster is describing how he believes the murders are not all completely his fault. He places the blame on the humans because of how horribly they treated him. This quote from the monster shows that he knows how to reason and his audience can better understand why he does what he does. This quality makes the monster less evil and less of a villain. As opposed to Gredel who just kills to kill, whose first instinct is to slaughter humans. Another statement the

The monster's backstory is a miserable one. Victor Frankenstein created him on a rainy November night. When he came alive Victor was terrified of him. Victor was so scared he fled the house and left the monster, completely new to the world, alone and confused. This caused the monster to become violently angry towards Victor. In chapter 7 the monster says, “He had abandoned me: and, in the bitterness of my heart, I cursed him”(Shelly). He was enraged with Victor for making him one of his kind, and at humankind for treating him terrible just because of what he looked like. This information about the monster’s past helps the reader understand his actions, why he does what he does. It helps the reader feel sympathy for the monster, seeing him as less of a villain and more of the product of his surroundings. Grendel on the other hand has quite the opposite effect. We are not told much about Grendel, most of what we are told pertains to his mother not speaking to him, and being away from civilization his whole life. The more backstory a character is given, the more the audience is able to sympathize/pity the character. Due to Grendel not having a sad backstory, something to help reason with his actions, he is the more villainous and evil character in comparison to the