Beowulf

            John Gardener's novel, Grendel retells the epic of Beowulf from Grendel's point of view. Grendel lives in a large cavern under a lake with his mother in Hrothgar's kingdom. For twelve-years Grendel has been at "war- with Hrothgar, king of the Danes, intent "on destroying him "slowly and cruelly."" When Grendel first meets Hrothgar he has no plan to destroy him, but after watching Hrothgar and the other kingdoms systematically destroy each other while wasting so much Grendel turns on Hrothgar. While Grendel is the anti-hero he flourishes in the Danish world because he sees the weaknesses of the Danes. John Gardener is able to show the reader his view of human society through Grendel's thoughts and observations of the social, religious, and psychological aspects of human life. Through Grendel's observations of the Danes, Gardener makes mankind out as cruel, weakminded, and apathetic. In the epic of Beowulf the author portrays the social life of the Danes while talking about the feasts and stories of the men. The author also touches on the idea of the psychology of th eDanes when talking about the Shaper. In Grendel, John Gardener likewise writes about the social and psychological world of the Danes while also commenting on religion. Gardener accomplishes this by telling the epic from the anti-heroe's, Grendel's point of view. Grendel is developed as the anti-hero through his actions and thoughts. Grendel tells the reader of the times he has killed the outcasts from Herot because their presence by his home annoys him. The reader also learns of his nihilistic view that there is nothing worth existing for. Lastly, the reader meets Grendel's teacher, the dragon, who tells Grendel that the humans are fools and Grendel would be best suited to leave them alone and then go out to "find gold and just sit on it."" While Grendel is an anti-hero Gardener does build up some sympathy for Grendel so the reader will seriously listen to his critique of the humans.