Journal 5

In the classic epic poem Beowulf, Grendel is described as a terribly dark and hateful monster who wants to kill all humans. In Gardner’s Grendel, we see the truth behind Grendel’s loneliness and how he feels the need to be accepted by humans. John Gardner develops the character Grendel by making him a narrator that describes how the Anglo-Saxon culture has developed and been integrated in religion, philosophy and human interactions. Grendel questions the Anglo-Saxon social interactions. Because Grendel is a social outcast, the human’s religion and means of life does not affect him strictly emotionally, but his narration evolves and changes as the novel progress. Throughout the novel, Grendel is in opposition to Anglo-Saxon government and does not understand their religion, but is heavily influenced by the Shaper and his poetic nature. As Grendel continues his study of the Shaper, an evolution in Grendel’s narration occurs, which is specifically shown in Chapters 7 and 8. In these chapters, Grendel’s narration changes from a direct paragraph form to a more poetic usage. Grendel begins to use parenthesis and italics to influence his views or specific ideas. This shows his social and philosophical evolution, which is a general trend in the novel.