The novel opens late in the chronological development of a plot. Grendel, a powerful, intelligent monster, has been at war with a band of humans for twelve years. As the novel progresses, he recounts the events of his life that led to the war and the bitter years that followed. .
Grendel lives in a dark and gruesome underground cave with his mother and dozens of cold, unmoving creatures. He is very curious and, in his early years, finds a way to escape this terrible place and enter the world. Every night he wanders outside his cave, exploring the land around him. One night, he gets trapped in a tree. A band of human beings led by King Hrothgar approaches and, after some hesitation, attacks Grendel. They close in for the kill, but Grendel's mother arrives just in time to save him. .
Years after his encounter with Grendel, Hrothgar's power and influence grow until he rules an immense territory. He builds a glorious meadhall, the greatest in the land, and names it Herot. He builds roads to connect his kingdom and hires an immensely gifted Harper to play at special occasions. Grendel is fascinated by the Harper's music and tries to join the humans, but he is attacked by the frightened guards and must flee. Feeling lonely and rejected, he visits an ancient dragon that lives within the kingdom. The dragon speaks for some time, and his wicked, tired cynicism infects Grendel. He puts a charm on the young monster, making him impervious to human blades. After this, Grendel becomes a creature of pure destruction. At the onset of each subsequent spring, Grendel carries out several raids on Hrothgar's meadhall. He is very careful about this, leaving just enough men behind to rebuild and grow for the next spring. .
Several years after he builds his meadhall, Hrothgar discovers that one of his neighbors has become a threat. A young king has risen to power nearby and soon his property will border Hrothgar's. Weakened by Grendel's yearly raids, Hrothgar is afraid he cannot stand against an attack from the new king.
In 1971, American author John Gardner wrote "Grendel." With a mastermind of creativity, John Gardner successfully retells the classic epic poem, "Beowulf." ... On July 21, 1933 John Gardner was born in Batavia, New York. ... A petty character in "Beowulf," Grendel symbolizes "darkness, chaos, and death," says John M. Howell in his book "Understanding John Gardner." ...
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. ...
