Grendel Essay.

“Grendel”
In the book Grendel by John Gardner, figuring out who the antagonist is quite the challenge. If you take a quick look at the story from different points of views, each character has the characteristics that could relate them, or lead us to think they’re the one causing or about to cause the problem. Beowulf has a different outlook on this subject, as do we all. The monster, more know as Grendel, is facing the rejection from most characters. He strikes one as being a blood thirsty monster, going on rages to kill anything in site, human or animal.
From a different point of view, Grendel views the dragon as a charade. Most people, not only in class, but also online, see the dragon as a God-like figure, but to me, it’s the complete opposite. The way he mocks Grendel leads me to believe that he cannot be taken seriously. Grendel doesn’t know how to react or show any reaction towards this dragon. What would happen if he even chuckled? Would he be burned into fiery shreds? Would God act in this certain manner, scare away and be vicious to people seeking the truth?
When Beowulf and Grendel had their fray, wings and fiery eyes “appeared” on Beowulf’s form. Why would Grendel envision a man who is about to tear him limb from limb as God? Perhaps, the dragon morphed himself into Beowulf to take advantage of such a distorted mind. It seems like Grendel was scared to fight back, like a parents arguing with their child. Grendel held back and just tried to move away from Beowulf’s reach. The way we make ourselves picture Grendel is a humongous beast with sharp razor teeth and the strength of 100 men. If this is so, why couldn’t he have fought away with such an arrogant human. A greater power must have taken over Beowulf’s body, perhaps a devil or the dragon who I am lead to believe are two in one.
I take pity on Grendel for such a mistaken death. This failure of his, wasn’t and wont get away with being “meaningless”. The significance of this failure and Grendel’s realization is as a result of Beowulf’s success and the arrogance it brings to his head, his shoulders weigh down. A heavy shoulder that he cannot do anything about except being the pain upon a creature that can’t even help himself.
Grendel, hopeless and declined, goes back to the place where we first met him at the beginning of the book. The cliff, where he shared a view with animals that would get a joy of watching his painful death. The cliff, where he looked at the world and tried to figure out what message a cruel place could bring. Grendel finally realized he’ll never have an answer, and as for searching, the search is deadly and will rip you apart. The failure of a search and finding emptiness will kill you quicker than a knife itself.