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Theme Of Diction In Grendel

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In Grendel by John Gardener, the author describes a humane-minded monster’s, Grendel, struggle to find a purpose due to his isolation with the world. Gardener uses exuberant techniques of diction and sensory imagery to depict the theme. The utilizations capture every single detail of Grendel’s thoughts and struggles for existence. The beginning of the novel introduces the readers to Grendel’s past and his uprising conflicts with humankind due to their unacceptance of him. Grendel and his mother are unable to communicate and he feels the “shocking separateness” between them. As a child, he wants someone to talk to, but it is too near and too far away. According to Grendel, of all the creatures, “only my mother looked at me … stared at me as …show more content…

Even though Grendel knows the Shaper’s stories are not indeed true, he becomes fascinated by stating, “yet I swept up… my heart became light with Hrothgar’s goodness… I backed away, crablike, further into the darkness” (48). The Shaper’s stories give Grendel an even worse impression of himself; whereas, he is portrayed as the bad one. Grendel feels even more isolated from the ones he wants to collaborate and be friends with. The humane-minded, Grendel, then approaches the dragon to seek advice, the advice that will make him more isolated and lonelier in the world of humankind. After the encounter, he describes that the dragon has put a “charm” in him and that is he indeed undefeatable because humans are “powerless”. Grendel, according to him, has transformed into a “darker” being and is “invulnerable”. The choice of diction by Grendel above creates a significant shift in the thoughts by claiming that life is meaningless and transforms him into a real monster. It is only due to the unacceptance, the unacceptance of a humane-minded being with only a different

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The dragon’s views about the world had finally gotten to him. After witnessing a goat mindlessly climb a mountain, and the death of the Shaper, Grendel’s final outlook on life becomes clear. “Nihil ex nihilo, I always say" (Gardner 150). This statement translates to nothing can come of nothing; it becomes clear Grendel views life as meaningless and pointless. His internal battle of philosophical beliefs came to a final halt, and never changed once he accepted nihilism.

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I was younger then. Still playing cat and mouse with the universe." (10). Grendel’s mother doesn’t speak to him, and she remains in the cave all the time. She doesn’t interact with society, and

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Yet I was swept up.” (Gardner 48) Grendel, as much as he dislikes humanity cannot seem to pull away or forget the shapers’ words. This shows that Grendel liked and even believed in what the shaper was saying, and was for a moment enticed by his words. These two creatures both took pleasure in the sounds and stories that were told by

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The dragon tells Grendel that he believes that life is meaningless and everything will come to an end at some point in time. “ The beginning, the present , the end. Everything. You now, you see the past and the present, like other low creatures” (Gardner 62-63). Grendel then leaves the case with a large sense of pride in himself as he feels even further justified in what he is doing to the Danes, because he begins to take on the Dragon’s ideas that life is meaningless and he feels that nothing in life is meaningful so he can continue his killings because neither him nor the Danes will be affected by what he does according to his newfound views.

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One of the most famous historical texts in literature is the tragic play, Oedipus Rex. The main character, Oedipus, ironically kills his own father without knowing it. He cursed the man who did the killing, without knowing it was himself. This curse lead to his downfall; showing how downfalls are caused by accidents. This goes with the three books, Grendel, Beowulf, and the novella, the Metamorphosis.

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In the novel Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel’s largest internal conflict is whether or not he can overcome his predestined status of monster. Throughout the course of the story Grendel is influenced by both sides, human and beast, through the dragon and the Shaper. Although Grendel initially wants to align himself with the humans, no matter how he tries to communicate with them as an equal they will not accept his company, causing him to become lonely and angry. Grendel’s anger turns to violence, which makes the humans turn further against him and, as he is alienated from any sense of humanity he ever had, he eventually discovers that he has no choice and must fulfill his role as the enemy to humans. Initially, Grendel’s free will

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Argument Essay: Beowulf and Grendel Many people have read or heard of the epic poem of Beowulf, which spins a tale of Grendel, the monster, attacking the admirable Danes and their king, Hrothgar. Some may not be as aware of a book titled Grendel written by John Gardner in 1971. Gardner’s book tells a completely different account of the more familiar tale of Beowulf, from the perspective of Grendel, the monster. The narrator from Grendel portrays a more plausible, powerful story than the excerpt from Beowulf by drawing the reader in with a more emotional viewpoint from the character Grendel, making him more relatable by giving him humanlike qualities, and clarifying why certain events took place in Beowulf.

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The dragon is able to manipulate Grendel into using a charm to become more powerful by telling him that he improves and stimulates the people by attacking them, making them think and scheme. After Grendel is charmed he is “born again [as] Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings,” but he was also alone. This illustrates the fallacy of power equating to happiness. The power the monster develops eventually leads to his death, as Beowulf, the leader of the humans’ tribe, displays his physical and intellectual mastery over Grendel when he tears off his

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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

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He continues to be portrayed as a one-dimensional viciousness throughout the book, “…There in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies, the blood dripping behind him, back to his lair, delighted with his night’s slaughter” (36-40). The differences of Grendel within the two writings is more apparent due to the stark contrast in the use of first-person versus third-person. The humanization of Grendel is a direct result of first-person narration. It is when we are able to step into the shoes of a character we have access to their innermost thoughts, feelings, and insecurities.

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Beowulf is an adventurous and fierce account of the trials and tribulations of the Anglo-Saxon era. In this epic poem the main character, Beowulf, encounters grim monsters and must battle them for the betterment and safety of his loyal people and comrades. Each of these monsters Beowulf battles has distinct characteristics from one another. All three monsters are enraged and fighting for different reasons: Grendel is an angered, social outcast; Grendel’s mother is out to avenge her son’s death; and the dragon is furious after being burgled. Grendel is an outcast and a loner of the Herot society.

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Does morality make you a monster? The epic poem, Beowulf by Seamus Heaney describes how Grendel is cursed with Cain's prior actions by society, which makes him an outcast in the community, thus leading to his actions. Rage and vengeance lead this character down a road of murder, hate, and revenge. This essay contests the fact that Grendel is an existential character whose humanistic ways do not outway the monstrosity qualities of his actions and self.

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Grendel is classified as a monster due to his outsider status of being an outcast, unreligious, and dishonorable, which establishes him as the antithesis of Anglo Saxon culture. As an outcast of society, Grendel represents the idea that in Anglo Saxon culture unity and cooperation is what holds society together. In a world classified by kinship and strong family lineage, Grendel is “conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God” (Heaney 22). In a society focused upon blood lineage and strong family ties, to be related to a “monster“ in any form is something sinful, and cause enough for complete hatred.

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Grendel by John Gardner has captured the attention of all who have read it and expresses the eventual loss of Grendel’s innocence. Grendel is depicted as a mass murderer in the original Anglo-Saxon epic poem and under normal circumstances one would not second guess that Grendel’s death was well deserved. However, opinions may change when one discovers that the monster is unaware of morals or has dealt with issues that corrupt his innocence. Grendel grew up lonely and his childhood was rather negative, ultimately changing his views of the world.

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Grendel in the novel displays the idea that he is far more superior than mankind. He mentions, "I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bonfire" (Gardner 167-168). Grendel knows that that the people fear him because he is different and he uses that to his advantage. The "Monster", Grendel, seems to be fascinated in attacking Meadhall and is not frightened at all. Although he is brave in the novel, Grendel in the epic poem is described in being scared and weak on the attack at Meadhall.

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