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Although the promotion of Gardner's first novel "The Resurrection" (1966) wasn't a hit at all, and "The Wreckage of Agathon,"(1970) apprehended a mixture of reviews. It was the appearance of Grendel in 1970, however, that brought him true fame and recognition. Richard Locke of the New York Times called Gardner "a major contemporary writer" and other viewers were just as enthusiastic (Howell 2). John Michael Howell comments that though "Grendel" may have been written in a short period of time, its natural resonance suggests that the monster-hero (Grendel) has been lurking in Gardner's imagination for a great deal of time (Howell 61). Which in all reality not only makes the story successful but also intriguing. .
"Beowulf" is an epic poem that was originally told between the eighth and eleventh centuries. It is the first surviving epic to be written in the English language. The single existing copy dates from around the tenth century, but some scholars believe its dates from the early eleventh century. It was found in a large volume that contained stories about mythical creatures and people. It is said that two different scribes copied the poem, most likely using an existing copy (Heaney 6). During the period of 1066 and the reformation the volume stayed in a monastic library, until Sir Robert Cotton came to power and withheld it for his own personal pleasure. In the eighteenth century a fire broke out in Sir Cottons library nearly destroying the copy (Heaney 6). However, the copy did survive and still does exist today. There is no definite knowledge about the about the poet. Furthermore what is known is that Beowulf is a heroic narrative, containing more than three thousands lines, pertaining to the deeds of a Scandinavian prince (Heaney 6). .
Even though the poem was written in England the events described are set in Scandinavia. Its unique hero Beowulf, is the greatest leader among the warriors in the land of Geats (southern Sweden).
Context: John Champlin Gardner was born in Batavia, New York, on July 21, 1933, the eldest of four children. His father, John Champlin, was a dairy farmer and Presbyterian preacher. ... Thurston became Gardner's mentor, and under his direction, Gardner decided to become a writer. ... Grendel brought Gardner instant national recognition. ... In 1980, Gardner divorced Joan and married Liz Rosenberg. ...
John Champlin Gardner was born in Batavia, New York, on July 21, 1933. ... Gardner uses the characters to retell the story of Grendel and Beowulf in his novel, Grendel. ... (John Champlin Gardner) Gardner was explaining to the critics that he does believe in God and they should keep in mind that this was a fiction story and it is not real. ... John Champlin Gardner was an American writer, teacher, lecturer, and prolific writer of fiction, children's books, and poetry. Grendel is Gardner's most famous work and Grendel is the retelling of a poem Beowulf. ...
Grendel by John Gardner is a book that explores the essence of being a human. ... The book Grendel leaves one with the confusion of which creature is more vile: humans or Grendel. ... Within this book the real monsters are humans and not Grendel. From the beginning of the book, Gardner causes the reader to identify with the human qualities of the beast Grendel. ... Within this book, Gardner tackles the issues that have puzzled the human psyche throughout time. ...
However, in John Gardner's Grendel, an entirely different point of view pervades throughout the novel. ... When Grendel wrecked the sacred images of the Scyldings? ... In a larger sense, Gardner implies that we as humans cannot allow our religious beliefs to[gaze] thoughtfully at nothing? ... Not only does Gardner present a complete lack of faith in the priests, but he also indicates a total distrust in the Scyldings gods, especially the Great Destroyer. ... and Ork, Grendel's priest friend, 'sat shaking his head in dismay?...
Grendel; Foe or Friend John Gardner's novel Grendel gives the reader a new perspective on the classic "Good vs. ... Grendel expresses absolutely no hostile intentions towards these "ridiculous- (Gardner, p.24) creatures that "moved by clicks-. (Gardner, p.24) The men do not understand what Grendel is and are very nervous about the whole situation. ... - (Gardner, p.50) in the hope of salvation from men. ... (Gardner, p. 73) He further explains that without Grendel the "men would have nothing to which to compare their lives-. ...
(Gardner 150) These are the words of the infamous Grendel from the novel, Grendel, by John Gardner. ... (Gardner 35) In this quote, Grendel is talking about what he sees only. ... (Gardner 52) This was the event that finally turned Grendel into a nihilist; it mattered not what he did, the humans were determined to hate him. ... (Gardner 73) Grendel stubbornly blurts out that he does not want to be the brute. ... (Gardner 150) ...
In the novel Grendel by John Gardner, Grendel was misunderstood and often mistaken for a monster. ... The question is, is Grendel truly a monster? ... For instance, the line "I let out a howl so unspeakable that the water at my feet turn sudden ice and even I myself am left uneasy" (Gardner pg.5) implies that not even Grendel is aware of the extent of his abilities. ... In comparison to Grendel, Grendel has been raised his whole life with virtually no interaction from his mother. ... The works of both John Gardner and Dr. ...
John Gardner's Grendel is seemingly a story based on the poem Beowulf. ... Gardner uses the dragon to illustrate the internal struggle within Grendel. ... Grendel is always questioning his existence. ... Grendel does not believe himself to be special. ... It is easy for one to see that John Carpenter's character of Grendel is representative of the belief of existentialism. ...
