Process In The Novel 'Grendel' By John Gardner

Grendel Essay- Process Paper

In the novel Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel is the main character in the story. He is seen as a murderous monster who has antagonized the Danes for 12 years. Grendel takes the role of the outcast in the human's world and becomes a menace to King Hrothgar and his men. In Grendel's perspective, he faces rejection from every corner. Imagery, allusions, and nihilism, are used in Grendel to highlight Grendel's interactions with the humans, which truly establishes the central theme that ignorance brings out the brute within.

As an illustration of Grendel's identity evolving , Garder uses imagery to exemplify how going through a traumatic experience allows for the brute within to emerge. Grendel referring back to his

The dragon introduced the idea of nihilism. His advice to Grendel was to “seek gold and sit on it” (74) When Grendel was instilled by the dragon that things were meaningless, Grendel became apathetic bringing out the brute within him. Grendel's law is an example of how he started to become more nihilistic which proved the sharpers tales right bringing out the brute “There is no limit to desire but desire’s needs” (93). The limit to his desire is the death of all the men in the mead hall meaning that if he killed everyone in the mead hall there would be nothing for him. This is proving that without having the humans to kill there will be nothing left for him. He is ignorant about how killing the humans gives him meaning to his life. Grendel becomes this savagery violent creature based upon this lack of awareness. Later, Grendel philosophy of nihilism was invalidated by Beowulf. Grendel lives life believing that things are meaningless and causing destruction to others. Beowulf accordingly told Grendel that whatever his view on life he has, life will still go on, as beowulf explained “As you see it it is , while the seeing last, dark nightmare-history, time-as-coffin; but where the water was rigid there will be fish and men will survive on their flesh till spring...Though you murder the world, turn plains to stone, transmogrify life into I and it, strong searching roots will crack you cave and rain rain will cleanse it. The world will burn green, sperm build again. My promise” (170). Beowulf invalidated all of Grendel's thoughts and beliefs. Grendel's ignorant view on drove him to his death. His ignorance is what causes his violent