Grendel

Grendel is a really interesting book, which will captivate your heart for the antagonist. The author, John Gardener portrayed Grendel as an innocent creature who is force to become evil due to humans and a dragon who steers him wrong. This book is mainly about how Grendel reaches the state in which he becomes total destructive. In the first part of the book Grendel wanted to become friends with humans, but humans feared him due to his physical apperance in which we all notice at first and judge a person by it , instead of what is truly significant their inner being. Grendel's first defense against a brusque universe is solipsism: the belief that the self can know only itself and that it is only existent thing. The main flaw in solipsism is that it contradicts every aspect of human experience. Grendel is unsatisfied and nervous under it's tenuous cover. In the second half of the book, after Grendel visits the dragon he has a different belief in which nothing has meaning;that life is a long series of accidents and is in itself an accident. He becomes the monster everyone portrays him to be. He then kills with no pity and brings raids upon the thanes. In the last Chapters Grendel meets his match Beowulf, who is the only level mind in the entire novel. Beowulf completes the journey that provides Grendel the answer to his puzzle. The meaning of life is in its living. Though it is too late for Grendel to react, he rejects Beowulf and all that the hero represents , and so Grendel's death , like his life, is merely an accident.

I originally read "Beowulf" in high school and found it somewhat dry and very characteristic of the "epic poetry" label. (It is the only epic poem surviving in full, after all.) I was not much impressed with "Beowulf" but found that John Gardner absolutely breathed life into the original story with his own version: "Grendel."

"Grendel" is a novel that explores the psychosis of a creature who is not quite monster and not quite human and, therefore, has no social class at all. He has not one companion in the world and, because of it, questions his own existence; if put on the Earth completely alone, what for? He begins as an existentialist, telling the reader, "I create the whole universe, blink by blink," and mostly content with, if not a bit bored by, his solitude, but is drawn more and more to nihilism as his seclusion grows old. He becomes frustrated with his existence and decides that because the world continues to exist around him the same, no matter what he does, he must fulfill his stereotype as a monster to have any sort of existence at all. Because society treats him like a monster, he decides he has no choice but to be a monster. He gives in to what society thinks he is, rather than fulfill his own unique existence, and experiences a complete one-eighty in viewpoint, hence the line, "Poor Grendel's had an accident."

All the while, Beowulf is depicted as a very two-dimensional warrior, only interested in proving heroic, not unlike his character in the original epic poem (basically, he is the epic hero through-and-through). He never questions what he is told by his fellow thanes once he arrives to defeat Grendel. He is only interested in the kill, showing a complete lack of understanding and compassion. He terrorizes Grendel as he slays him (spoiler, but given, as it's based on Beowulf); that and the other scenes featuring the Anglo-Saxons in the novel poke fun in a dark-humor sort of way at the anthropocentric ways of man and illustrate how a monster like Grendel can, at times, prove more humane than the humans themselves.

This novel is closely related to an infamous Nietzsche quote (surprise, surprise; we have Nietzsche to thank for nihilism):

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

Who is the monster: Grendel or Beowulf?

This book will have you questioning your own existence, much akin to Grendel's own dilemma, for years after reading. It is immensely thought-provoking and a beautiful read. The reader can easily (if not painfully) experience Grendel's emotions throughout the novel with an evolving point of view that perfectly characterizes Grendel's sanity at every moment of the story. First person, third person, and stream of consciousness are all meshed in a masterful way that would make any writer envious. What's more, the chapters all feature symbols of zodiac signs that flow in order, giving each chapter a theme of its own, in addition to the novel's own general theme and motifs. If I had the ability, I would want nothing more than to relive the experience of reading this novel for the first time.

If you are at all interested in philosophy, the zodiac, or the lifelong struggle to force oneself to fit into society, I would vehemently recommend this book.

A brilliant story of pain and the cold reality, and eventuality, of life. Grendel is a sly, thought-provoking being who, at the end, is almost likeable. He is actually more human than he cares to admit. The prose, the first chapter especially, is beautiful, and the book takes on a sort of runic tale of old: a legend. What is life for; the ram is a ram, and the human is a human, and all other things will be themselves. That is the lesson. Even though we try to change we will be ourselves, for good or worse. A touching work by an underappreciated author, marvelous and full of wit.

John Gardner�s Grendel is a story in which the evil monster of the epic poem Beowulf, gets a chance to tell his side of the story. Throughout the story, Grendels tell the reader what Hrothgar�s people do and how they act. Grendel watches them carefully each day and tells of his mead hall raids. After reading the first few chapters you actually start to feel sorry for this human-eating monster. He tells of how lonely he feels and of how he tries to play with the humans yet he scares them off. This little monster doesn�t seem evil anymore, as he did in the epic poem Beowulf. Grendel seems like a furry, cute monster that just happens to eat humans.
This contemporary fiction novel is set during Medieval Times in the country of Denmark. There is basically one main character in the story, Grendel. He is a very odd little creature that you absolutely adore. There are also the people of Hrothgar�s Kingdom who try to kill Grendel but don�t succeed. Ever since Grendel was a little boy he has not like the king Hrothgar, so when he gets older (twelve years old) he decides that he should do something about it. At first he tries to talk with people, but does not prosper. Of course, people are terrified of this creature and try to hurt him. So Grendel ends up venturing off to the dragon. This is where the book gets confusing and boring. I had a little trouble trying to get back into the swing of reading the book at this part. Basically, the dragon explains to Grendel how he is superior to man. Even though this point is short, the dragon goes on and on about it. The dragon also casts a spell upon Grendel so no weapon can hurt him. Grendel realizes this while on his mead hall rampage. Since the people can�t hurt him, Grendel can kill the people whenever he pleases, and this is how it all starts. A few nights each week, Grendel will tear apart the mead hall and consume a few humans for his dinner. This is how the cute little monster at the beginning of the book turn into a terrifying beast.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book even though it did get boring at certain spots. The book does not have a very catchy introduction, and you have to read in about three chapter before you actually get into the book. The ending, well, I can�t give it away but it wasn�t very surprising to me. I think that my peers and older readers would enjoy this book, yet they must be able to think about the events. This story isn�t like the usual, it isn�t all laid out you must be able to think about what is going on to really enjoy the book. Anyone younger probably would get bored with these books, so it�s better if you wait awhile.
Overall this book was interesting, but I wouldn�t rate it as the best book that I have ever read. Only certain people can really enjoy books like this, and I am not one of them. If you enjoy reading books that really make you use your brain, and that don�t lay it our for you, you will enjoy reading Grendel.

Don't be misled by the fact that the main character is a monster, "Grendel" is not a book that is solely about some savage beast terrorizing innocent villagers (though it has that too), it is rather a look at a previously untold view of the famous Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, the viewpoint of the epic's main monster, Grendel. Rather than the mindless devourer of "Beowulf", the Grendel we are treated to here has thoughts, feelings, and emotions, many of them oneswe as human beings can identify with. Grendel is painted as a lonely monster struggling with his identity and his meaning in a meaningless world, his smallest and most insignificant thoughts painted with incredible detail, which is the book's biggest failing; the detail which seems so rich and thoughtful at one moment seems cumbersome and pointless the next, it can almost feels forced. Furthermore, one identifies and feels sorry for Grendel right up until the point when he decides to slit the throat of some innocent guard or kill a few people in their sleep. Furthermore, if one is looking at this book, remember two things; first of all, it is not a child's fairy tale, it contains graphic depictions of violence and abstract language. Second, the writing styles of this book and the original epic couldn't be more different, so it isn't a sequel or prequel of the older book, and one will fail to enjoy it if one considers it as such. Otherwise, "Grendel" is an interesting short book that takes a vastly different take on an old classic, but should be enjoyed and evaluated by itself.

I would recommend reading Beowulf before reading Grendel. It is a very insightful and well-written tale of Grendel and his growth as a part of the human world. As the book progresses you begin to see how Grendel really develops as a character and you get a good understanding of where he's coming from. He can't communicate with his mother, his first encounter with humans is not very pleasant and, the only role in society that he has ever and will ever have is the "monster". Along Grendel's physical and mental developmental path he encounters a Dragon and other characters who help him question what he believes and why. Grendel's need for acceptance by something or someone is obviously apparent throughout the novel. The most striking thing about the whole novel must be the many interpretations that can be taken from each of his encounters, whether it was with humans, other animals, or even his mother. I think one of the best things about a book is when you end it with so many different possible interpretations and more questions. This book is a great insight to a character whose story has aspects that are universal and can be understood and appreciated by all.

Grendel's Encounters A Million Little Pieces is a memoir about James Frey, which had been
on Opera's Book Club and a bestseller because Frey provided a new experience and an exclusive point of view about his life crisis. Frey provided insights to a life of a druggie and a serious alcoholic and also the hardship of becoming sober, which are entertaining and interesting to the readers. Although Grendel was not a druggie in Grendel, written by John Gardner, Grendel-like Frey- narrates the story through a new experience and point of view that the readers can appreciate. Grendel is a sophisticated intellectual monster who analyzes and questions human civilization. Therefore, the motif of Grendel's encounters with the humans' society mock that even a civilized society has faults.
Garner uses dark comedy to make the story entertaining, as well as to criticize humans. The shaper is one of Grendel's encounters and when Grendel assailed Heorot, the Shaper, regardless of his blindness, was the only human to have jumped out the back window of the mead hall. The shaper's reaction pokes fun at humans' inherent tendency to lose their mind and all their common sense during moments of extreme stress.
Another example of Grendel's human society encounter is when Grendel is drawn towards the shapers music and he has stepped on a murdered man. He carries the dead man and yells out, 'Mercy! Peace!' to mean no harm, but the humans reacted violently . The humans showed aggression towards Grendel because they couldn't understand what he was saying and they acted on their instincts. Thus, Gardner mocks the habit of humans to make rash judgments of others based on their appearance and also their fear of the unknown.
Another humorous moment of Grendel's human society encounter is when Unferth was introduced. Unferth constantly tried to kill Grendel to meet the expectations of a hero, but he had no success. In one of their fights, Grendel began throwing apples at him in order to humiliate him and strip off his pride in order to prove that heroes were only in poems and fairy tales. Concluding that he had no chance of defeating Grendel, Unferth decided to die "trying" instead of going home without killing Grendel, because he wanted to keep his cherished pride and dignity by being killed by him. Unfortunately Grendel knew that Unferth acted as if "heroism were a golden trinket, mere outward show and hollow", so Grendel carried him back to Heorot and set him in front of the mead hall to toy with Unferth's idea of heroism. Unferth, like many humans, had too much pride and was willing to risk his life in order to maintain it, which is absurd as Grendel compared the idea as if it would be in a fairy tale.
As Grendel watched the human society and their belief system, he mocked the hypocrisy and gullibility of men. As bored as usual, Grendel knocks down eight statues of gods that were placed in a circular shape and a year later, calls himself "The Destroyer". Grendel tricks Ork, the old priest, that "The Destroyer" is real, which shows the gullibility of men (even the high ranked priests) and human dependence on a higher power for protection (from Grendel).
Questioning the beliefs of human society, Grendel mocks once again at the reality of men's religion. Religion plays a large role in Grendel and the Priests are of high class. The Priests do not want to perform their services without the proper payment, which, in turn, allows the rich the most access to 'religion' and God. The citizens of the village are also confusingly polytheistic and monotheistic. When praying to their king, god does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits, which then later they retreat back to beg any god of which they have known for help. This reveals their faith to be not faithful at all but rather faith with doubts. When the other priests find Ork out at dark, they scold him for jeopardizing the image of the "holy" role. When Ork recounts what he has discovered, the other priests worry about the affects of Ork's senility to the group. One of the priest represented the hypocracy of their religion and role when he was angered that the old priest did not have the vision "in public, where it does [them] some good". The priests, except Ork, does not truly believe in their religion and Gods but only act as if they do to put a play for the Danes.
Grendel also encounters the primitive image of humans as he walks along the field disgusted. He was sickened by the dead cows, horses, and men that were "left to rot or burn". Although the humans would be thought to be more civilized than the monster Grendel, he has proven that humans do produce waste on the world they pronounce theirs.
Overall, Grendel has learned about the civilization and the ways of human society, but learned to mock them. The appearance is obviously for an image of reputation and Unferth, the priests and the shaper all represent the aesthetic appeal of their society. Grendel also mocks the truth of the primitive of human society and dependence on a belief of no evidence of truth. Therefore, the motif of Grendel's encounters with the humans' society mock that even a civilized society has faults.

'Grendel" by John Gardner is the ancient story of Beowulf as told by the monster Grendel. Three quarters of the book is about Grendel as he sinks further into insanity and terrorizes Hrothgar and his people. The remaining quarter is about the coming of Beowulf and his conflict with Grendel, as described in the actual book "Beowulf."

"Grendel" is an excellent book. It is absolutely fascinating seeing things from the monster's point of view. Where there is a lack of story involving Grendel in "Beowulf," "Grendel" fills in the blanks with monstrous insanity. The book covers a wide range of intellect, from mindless killer to profoundly deep and surreal beyond that of our human mind. The only problem is the end, which is inevitable since the book follows "Beowulf." Fortunately the ending is executed creatively, bringing a wonderful book to it's end.

I'm disturbed by the amount of people bashing _Grendel_. It's simply an amazing novel. Perhaps those offering sour reviews simply misunderstand the novel--Gardner, from my reading, isn't really attempting a retelling of the _Beowulf_ story. Instead, he's attempting to cast a philosophical statement *against* a philosophical school of thought that was, and still is, gaining ground when Gardner wrote _Grendel_: existentialism and nihilism, which is embraced by the dragon. Gardner just uses the Beowulf story to frame this social commentary. Consider Gardner's philosophical statement: in a time in history when so many were and are embracing the pointlessness of life, Gardner tells us that there is meaning and real in the world around us. Beowulf smashes Grendel into the wall when they finally meet and forces him to sing walls to prove to Grendel that there is meaning and that reality does exist. And what does Grendel do? He sings walls and sees a different kind of dragon. Grendel, throughout that whole novel, searches for something real, something that carries meaning, and Beowulf becomes that. People read this novel and think it's depressing--it's not. In the end there's hope. Yeah, we know Beowulf is going to die, but before he does, he's going to accomplish great things, and there will be other great rulers after him.

If you're looking for an action story, stick with _Beowulf_. But if you're looking for a philosophical novel to controvert the overwhelming onslaught of postmodernism and beliefs that we're in the world all by ourselves and should find gold and "sit on it" as the dragon tells Grendel, _Grendel_ is one of the finest craftings written to date.

Perhaps those who would denigrate _Grendel_ simply do not understand its intent; it's intent isn't to entertain you; it's intent is to teach you and force you to question. And on those grounds, it's really hard to argue that it's not a fantastic book.

This was not a high school assignment, like for so many others. Even as a literature major at University, this did not come across my required reading list. Instead, this book was picked up on the way to the airport. In a mad rush for something, anything, to pass 6 hours of cramped cabin and stale air, Grendel was bought with little thought for literary quality or achievement. Little did I know that this impulse buy would become a page turner with an excellent plot and deeply developed characters.

I never thought, standing in line to purchase this little slim book, that it would become my favorite book to read. It has held that position for well over 10 years now. I have gone through 2 copies in my voracity. I cannot imagine any other book taking its place. There are philosophical debates within the pages of this book. Characters so rich, that they practically jump off the page in their passion. Take the Dragon's speech, on page 64. The dragon does not merely lecture Grendel, rather we are treated to see how this creature thinks and feels. '"Games, games, games!" He snorted fire. "They only think they think..."' And this is just one little example (quoting the whole excerpt seems a bit excessive in length; although in short, it is rife with contempt, anger, and hopelessness amongst other things).

This whole book is filled with action and imagery. How does anyone write like this? It's practically brilliant.

John Gardner really does a nice job with Grendel considering Beowulf really limited what he could do with the character. Gardner was able to write a back-story for Grendel quite well. Beowulf portrayed Grendel as a bloodthirsty monster who only wanted to destroy humanity with every raid he orchestrated on Hrothgar's Mead Hall. Gardner does more than that.

Gardner provides the reader who is familiar with Beowulf the story of Grendel from the monster's view. He shows that even though Grendel does become a bloodthirsty monster, that there is more than that. Gardner shows Grendel as an objective viewer of humanity, taking the role of a shaper. Grendel is shown as he grows up from an innocent kid to a monster. At the same time, Grendel sees his opinion of humans change. At first, they amuse him, but eventually he becomes jealous of them, as they have cast him as an outsider. He knows that he will never be like them.

What Gardner is really doing is making a statement about the human race in general. Grendel continuously refers to the humans in Hrothgar's kingdom as arrogant, cocky, wasteful, and savage. But yet, at the same time, Grendel desperately wants to be a part of their world. It is not until the shaper says that the Grendel's of the world are cursed and bound for hell. Grendel at the same time is unsure of his role as he is being lead by the words of the shaper and of the dragon, which both have different philosophies.

Gardner also makes statements about government. In Chapter 8, when Hrothulf has come to live in Hrothgar's mead-hall, he is talking with Red Horse about government. He says that the role of government is to control the masses, and that the masses are blind to the tyranny of the oppressive government. All the government has to do is cater to the greed of the mass and the rest will follow

I believe what Gardner is saying about the human race as a whole is that while they are cocky, boorish, savage, and arrogant, at the same time everyone harbors the basic abilities to love, to feel compassion, and it is what makes us human, But at the core, humans have become content with their position, that they have become just part of the masses, blind to the oppressive governments, and that humans need to stand up for their individual rights and stand up against oppressive government.

Grendel. A "devil" from the hunan's point of view in the great epic Beowulf. But I found a human being from him. Once, he was a child who loved to wander around, then a teen who looked for his root, just like mankind does.
During his beginning of adult time, he found out he couldn't be part of the human's world only because of how he looks. Finally Grendel, " a powerful monster," finds way to be a part of the Herot -- to be " Ruiner of MeadHalls, Wrecker of Kings."
We, all human beings, have two sides of mind -- good and evil. Grendel was not an exception. It was human who emphasized his evil side and de-emphasized the good side. Our prejudice, selfishness, and too much of pride as human being made one sad death scene.
"Is it joy I feel? They watch on, evil, incredibly stupid, enjoying my destruction." Grendel made this comment, putting us, human, in evil's place. Then ending. Not the way I thought the book is going to be. But it made me think for a long time about a mankind. The Grendel was a great chance to look back my life.

Grendel, a god-cursed descendent of Cain, plods about through the night terrorizing towns and villages with his monstrous might and malice. He plundered Hrothgar's mead-hall regularly to satisfy his thirst for steaming meat and blood. Hrothgar's men, being no match for this demon, were snatched up effortlessly and devoured in an instant. But Grendel would soon discover his one worthy opponent-Beowulf.
Half of the time despising the monster, other times in love with him; you get a taste of Grendel's bipolar personality. Giving more depth to this personality, this book takes you into the mind of Grendel, and puts Beowulf into a whole new perspective. This exceptional book should be read by everyone, especially those who have read Beowulf.

_Grendel_ is the sort of book at you either love or hate. And I love it for the beauty, the accuracy, and the intesity of its themes. _Grendel_ is the epic of Beowulf told from the vantage of the grotesque monster Grendel. We are accordingly introduced to the ruthless nature of the beast. Yet there is a certain innocence and lofty understanding that renders Grendel into an unlikely protagonist, caught between a life of unfathomable (read: invincible) suffering and pitiless wrath. There is a chapter in this book, set in a dragon's cave, that is so utterly amazing, so philosophically prudent, it deserves to be read again and again (in fact, it is so dense at first that it most likely will need to be read again and again). A detailed and succulent study in psychology, _Grendel_ deserves to be taught alongside Beowulf in high school literature courses. And it fully deserves a read from anyone searching for something poetically substantial in the prose he/she reads.

When the book first starts off, it is a bit confusing and also in the middle of the things, Then the story goes back to when Grendal was a child and how began to hate humanity and what, Grendal constantly watches the people never really getting close to them until he decides to kill them.

Physically Grendal has people and animals around him but he still is lonely and says that tedium this the worst pain, Grendal knew that he was different from the humans and just to be a parts of the humans and that type of happiness Grendal was willing to take on the role of being the monster. Is Grendal really talking to the dragon or did he make it up it his own imaginary so that he would have some to talk to. Grendal was never able to communicate with others, which is probably the reasons that he allowed himself to be left out.

Although John Gardner gets his point across and as you get it to the story it flows really well. If I had to choose between Grendal and Beowulf I would have chosen Beowulf.

Before I knew who Grendel was, I had read Beowulf in english class. After seeing how Beowulf was written, I immediatley regretted my decision of picking Grendel. But, with high hopes I ventured on and kept reading. It turned out it was written nothing like Beowulf. Told through the eyes of Grendel, it showed a different side to the story; a more interesting one if you ask me. Even though there were some parts that confused me, Grendel, overall, was an easier read than Beowulf.

Since it was told in the first person point of view, it allowed me to really picture what was going on and pretend that I was Grendel. It made it more interactive and not as boring. I didn't give this book 5 stars, because there was one section of the book that was told like a play, which really confused me. But, overall Grendel was a good book.

John Gardner's novel Grendel is different from any other book I have ever read. It tells the story of Beowulf from the perspective of the monster Grendel. Grendel is a lonely one of a kind misfit. He is a being with no conscience and a constantly violent and evil nature. In spite of all this the author makes you feel some pity and understanding for him. Grendel tries to talk to the first humans that he has contact with, but they are so terrified and repulsed that they try to kill him. Grendel talks to a dragon who explains to him that he is different and in his own way superior to man. Grendel comes to believe that only his own existence is important. As he matures he realizes that even his bond with his mother only exists because he is her offspring. Grendel has no relationships in his life except between a murderer and his victims. His feelings of isolation are reinforced by the philosophy of his contact with the dragon. The dragon can predict the future and explains to Grendel that in the grand scheme of time his exsistance means nothing. Grendel gives in to his vicious bloodthirsty side and begins a twelve year war with Hrothgar, King of the Danes, and his thanes. During those years Grendel carried out bloody raids on Hrothgar's meadhall. He killed and ate his victims in these raids. He was careful to never kill off all the Danes although he had the power to do so because his war with them became his only reason for existence. In John Gardner's story of Grendel one can see through the eyes of an insane tortured non-human. The reader can see many of mankinds conflicts and characteristics. I would recomend this book for the serious reader who is willing to try and think about complex things.

Grendel... ah, where do I begin? Grendel is a lavish novel that will transcend the great echoing halls of classic literature for eons. John Gardner's piece puts you, the reader, in a front row seat to one of the finest orchestrations of the classic beast's, Grendel, mind and method to madness.

As the story progresses, we follow closely along with the maturation of the mind of that paradoxically enigmatic, yet so familiar mind that represents the nature of man. Grendel is forced to confront classic ideas in areas such as epistemology (the power of perception), government (the tyranny of despotism, the nature of revolution), theology (the purpose of religion as a metaphysical limit), and many others.

As great pieces of literature have transcended the wear of time into the glorious mead hall of classics, they have all shared something in common; they have all spent years and years of their pre-existence to their conception fermenting and nourishing themselves within the mind of the author in hopes to one day question and console man's great journey and epic tale of self-awareness. Grendel accomplishes this perfectly.

If you are in search of a novel that will question and push your mind and perception to new heights, I would most certainly recommend John Gardner's Grendel.

In the novel Grendel, the story of Beowulf is told in Grendel's point-of-view. In this novel, Grendel, the monster, goes and is trying to destroy Herot Hall. After many of Grendel's attacks, Beowulf comes to Hrothgar's kingdom to help fight Grendel. Beowulf does not realize what a challenge this would be in fighting many battles.
In Beowulf's first battle with Grendel, he does not use any weapons. This symbolizes the fact that Beowulf is trying to gain more fame and glory without the help of people. In the second battle, Beowulf fights Grendel's mother after she attacks Herot Hall to find Beowulf. This fight is symbolic because it is Grendel's mom heart that Beowulf is fighting against. In the third battle, Beowulf fights the dragon that had helped Grendel at one time.
The novel Grendel is a well-written novel and the author does a very good job of answering questions pertaining to the story.
It is a good idea to read this novel after you have read the epic Beowulf.
The background of the story is well set according to the novel.
The author makes the reader feel involved in the story, which makes it feel more fun to read. The reader feels the emotions of Beowulf and knows his struggles going into battle.
I enjoyed this novel very much and I think anyone who reads it will too.

It would not come too soon if this book would appear 500 or 5000 years ago to present the pesky humans with OUR view of their "world", their "kings" and "heroes". But finally the justice has been done to Grendel and through his memory to us all in this book by a human writer with unusually sharp eye and nose for all things beastly. A book no monster should be without.

John Gardner really does a nice job with Grendel considering Beowulf really limited what he could do with the character. Gardner was able to write a back-story for Grendel quite well. Beowulf portrayed Grendel as a bloodthirsty monster who only wanted to destroy humanity with every raid he orchestrated on Hrothgar's Mead Hall. Gardner does more than that.

Gardner provides the reader who is familiar with Beowulf the story of Grendel from the monster's view. He shows that even though Grendel does become a bloodthirsty monster, that there is more than that. Gardner shows Grendel as an objective viewer of humanity, taking the role of a shaper. Grendel is shown as he grows up from an innocent kid to a monster. At the same time, Grendel sees his opinion of humans change. At first, they amuse him, but eventually he becomes jealous of them, as they have cast him as an outsider. He knows that he will never be like them.

What Gardner is really doing is making a statement about the human race in general. Grendel continuously refers to the humans in Hrothgar's kingdom as arrogant, cocky, wasteful, and savage. But yet, at the same time, Grendel desperately wants to be a part of their world. It is not until the shaper says that the Grendel's of the world are cursed and bound for hell. Grendel at the same time is unsure of his role as he is being lead by the words of the shaper and of the dragon, which both have different philosophies.

Gardner also makes statements about government. In Chapter 8, when Hrothulf has come to live in Hrothgar's mead-hall, he is talking with Red Horse about government. He says that the role of government is to control the masses, and that the masses are blind to the tyranny of the oppressive government. All the government has to do is cater to the greed of the mass and the rest will follow

I believe what Gardner is saying about the human race as a whole is that while they are cocky, boorish, savage, and arrogant, at the same time everyone harbors the basic abilities to love, to feel compassion, and it is what makes us human, But at the core, humans have become content with their position, that they have become just part of the masses, blind to the oppressive governments, and that humans need to stand up for their individual rights and stand up against oppressive government.

Grendel. A "devil" from the hunan's point of view in the great epic Beowulf. But I found a human being from him. Once, he was a child who loved to wander around, then a teen who looked for his root, just like mankind does.
During his beginning of adult time, he found out he couldn't be part of the human's world only because of how he looks. Finally Grendel, " a powerful monster," finds way to be a part of the Herot -- to be " Ruiner of MeadHalls, Wrecker of Kings."
We, all human beings, have two sides of mind -- good and evil. Grendel was not an exception. It was human who emphasized his evil side and de-emphasized the good side. Our prejudice, selfishness, and too much of pride as human being made one sad death scene.
"Is it joy I feel? They watch on, evil, incredibly stupid, enjoying my destruction." Grendel made this comment, putting us, human, in evil's place. Then ending. Not the way I thought the book is going to be. But it made me think for a long time about a mankind. The Grendel was a great chance to look back my life.

Grendel, a god-cursed descendent of Cain, plods about through the night terrorizing towns and villages with his monstrous might and malice. He plundered Hrothgar's mead-hall regularly to satisfy his thirst for steaming meat and blood. Hrothgar's men, being no match for this demon, were snatched up effortlessly and devoured in an instant. But Grendel would soon discover his one worthy opponent-Beowulf.
Half of the time despising the monster, other times in love with him; you get a taste of Grendel's bipolar personality. Giving more depth to this personality, this book takes you into the mind of Grendel, and puts Beowulf into a whole new perspective. This exceptional book should be read by everyone, especially those who have read Beowulf.

_Grendel_ is the sort of book at you either love or hate. And I love it for the beauty, the accuracy, and the intesity of its themes. _Grendel_ is the epic of Beowulf told from the vantage of the grotesque monster Grendel. We are accordingly introduced to the ruthless nature of the beast. Yet there is a certain innocence and lofty understanding that renders Grendel into an unlikely protagonist, caught between a life of unfathomable (read: invincible) suffering and pitiless wrath. There is a chapter in this book, set in a dragon's cave, that is so utterly amazing, so philosophically prudent, it deserves to be read again and again (in fact, it is so dense at first that it most likely will need to be read again and again). A detailed and succulent study in psychology, _Grendel_ deserves to be taught alongside Beowulf in high school literature courses. And it fully deserves a read from anyone searching for something poetically substantial in the prose he/she reads.

When the book first starts off, it is a bit confusing and also in the middle of the things, Then the story goes back to when Grendal was a child and how began to hate humanity and what, Grendal constantly watches the people never really getting close to them until he decides to kill them.

Physically Grendal has people and animals around him but he still is lonely and says that tedium this the worst pain, Grendal knew that he was different from the humans and just to be a parts of the humans and that type of happiness Grendal was willing to take on the role of being the monster. Is Grendal really talking to the dragon or did he make it up it his own imaginary so that he would have some to talk to. Grendal was never able to communicate with others, which is probably the reasons that he allowed himself to be left out.

Although John Gardner gets his point across and as you get it to the story it flows really well. If I had to choose between Grendal and Beowulf I would have chosen Beowulf.

Before I knew who Grendel was, I had read Beowulf in english class. After seeing how Beowulf was written, I immediatley regretted my decision of picking Grendel. But, with high hopes I ventured on and kept reading. It turned out it was written nothing like Beowulf. Told through the eyes of Grendel, it showed a different side to the story; a more interesting one if you ask me. Even though there were some parts that confused me, Grendel, overall, was an easier read than Beowulf.

Since it was told in the first person point of view, it allowed me to really picture what was going on and pretend that I was Grendel. It made it more interactive and not as boring. I didn't give this book 5 stars, because there was one section of the book that was told like a play, which really confused me. But, overall Grendel was a good book.

John Gardner's novel Grendel is different from any other book I have ever read. It tells the story of Beowulf from the perspective of the monster Grendel. Grendel is a lonely one of a kind misfit. He is a being with no conscience and a constantly violent and evil nature. In spite of all this the author makes you feel some pity and understanding for him. Grendel tries to talk to the first humans that he has contact with, but they are so terrified and repulsed that they try to kill him. Grendel talks to a dragon who explains to him that he is different and in his own way superior to man. Grendel comes to believe that only his own existence is important. As he matures he realizes that even his bond with his mother only exists because he is her offspring. Grendel has no relationships in his life except between a murderer and his victims. His feelings of isolation are reinforced by the philosophy of his contact with the dragon. The dragon can predict the future and explains to Grendel that in the grand scheme of time his exsistance means nothing. Grendel gives in to his vicious bloodthirsty side and begins a twelve year war with Hrothgar, King of the Danes, and his thanes. During those years Grendel carried out bloody raids on Hrothgar's meadhall. He killed and ate his victims in these raids. He was careful to never kill off all the Danes although he had the power to do so because his war with them became his only reason for existence. In John Gardner's story of Grendel one can see through the eyes of an insane tortured non-human. The reader can see many of mankinds conflicts and characteristics. I would recomend this book for the serious reader who is willing to try and think about complex things.

Grendel... ah, where do I begin? Grendel is a lavish novel that will transcend the great echoing halls of classic literature for eons. John Gardner's piece puts you, the reader, in a front row seat to one of the finest orchestrations of the classic beast's, Grendel, mind and method to madness.

As the story progresses, we follow closely along with the maturation of the mind of that paradoxically enigmatic, yet so familiar mind that represents the nature of man. Grendel is forced to confront classic ideas in areas such as epistemology (the power of perception), government (the tyranny of despotism, the nature of revolution), theology (the purpose of religion as a metaphysical limit), and many others.

As great pieces of literature have transcended the wear of time into the glorious mead hall of classics, they have all shared something in common; they have all spent years and years of their pre-existence to their conception fermenting and nourishing themselves within the mind of the author in hopes to one day question and console man's great journey and epic tale of self-awareness. Grendel accomplishes this perfectly.

If you are in search of a novel that will question and push your mind and perception to new heights, I would most certainly recommend John Gardner's Grendel.

In the novel Grendel, the story of Beowulf is told in Grendel's point-of-view. In this novel, Grendel, the monster, goes and is trying to destroy Herot Hall. After many of Grendel's attacks, Beowulf comes to Hrothgar's kingdom to help fight Grendel. Beowulf does not realize what a challenge this would be in fighting many battles.
In Beowulf's first battle with Grendel, he does not use any weapons. This symbolizes the fact that Beowulf is trying to gain more fame and glory without the help of people. In the second battle, Beowulf fights Grendel's mother after she attacks Herot Hall to find Beowulf. This fight is symbolic because it is Grendel's mom heart that Beowulf is fighting against. In the third battle, Beowulf fights the dragon that had helped Grendel at one time.
The novel Grendel is a well-written novel and the author does a very good job of answering questions pertaining to the story.
It is a good idea to read this novel after you have read the epic Beowulf.
The background of the story is well set according to the novel.
The author makes the reader feel involved in the story, which makes it feel more fun to read. The reader feels the emotions of Beowulf and knows his struggles going into battle.
I enjoyed this novel very much and I think anyone who reads it will too.

It would not come too soon if this book would appear 500 or 5000 years ago to present the pesky humans with OUR view of their "world", their "kings" and "heroes". But finally the justice has been done to Grendel and through his memory to us all in this book by a human writer with unusually sharp eye and nose for all things beastly. A book no monster should be without.

This book is a glance into the life of the monster Grendel in the epic poem of Beowulf. In this book however, he is sort of depicted as the "good guy". He is not a "monster" or a heartless killer but a creature that has feelings, emotions, and a purpose in life.

Having read the epic poem Beowulf, I thought the book did a good job of introducing the character, conveying its feelings, and explaining the "horrible" actions that he took in the epic (as well as connecting them to the moral dilemmas he's going through).

I thought it was striking that the book was written in such a way that even makes you feel sorry for Grendel at times. It is written in first person, from Grendel's point of view. Gardner goes into detail about what Grendel is going through, his values, his dilemmas, and his convictions. However, I also think parts of the book (particularly the poems) are a little confusing and don't quite connect with the rest of the story. While some parts had me engaged, other parts left me a little confused. That's why I gave this book 3 stars. Otherwise, this is a solid, well-written book.

What if you could see into the mind of Grendel, the terrifying creature of the night from Beowulf? Well, with this book by John Gardner, you can. Brutal at times, irreverent at others, and very cynical at others, Grendel wanders around for many years watching the development of the various human tribes and the emergence of Hrothgar as a sort of king among them. He spends twelve years in a unique relationship with the king, trying first to make friends with the Danes (he is attacked) and later making raids and killing the most drunken of Hrothgar�s thanes. The notorious coward Unferth (the one who later insults Beowulf) is also developed here--Grendel has such contempt and pity for Unferth that he will not kill him (thus giving him a hero�s death) despite Unferth�s repeated attempts to fight him.

In the poem Beowulf, Grendel is a very flat character. He is, in fact, the epitome of evil, unfeeling and cruel. He comes, he kills and eats people, he leaves. Then he comes back. This book gives Grendel a personality. He knows he is a member of the fallen (Cain�s) race, and accepts that fact. He is lonely, and cannot even get companionship from his mother, who has long ceased to communicate. In fact, his only real �friends� are the Danes he kills. Still, he knows he is dependent on Hrothgar�s survival. �If I murdered the last of the Scyldings,� he muses, �what would I live for?�

This book gives excellent insight into the character of Grendel, and will definitely change the way you look at the poem Beowulf. Gardner�s Grendel is a creature who determines to kill Beowulf for the honor of Hrothgar, so that his thanes will not have been outdone by a newcomer. I highly recommend this short work for anyone interested in the great old English epic.

I remember being impressed with this book when I read it in the 1970s but I'm not any more. Under the flashy prose, it seems like a lot of literary posturing-- making fun of a magnificent old epic without trying to connect in any positive way with its eerie atmosphere and mythic background. Portraying Grendel as a kind of loitering monster-crybaby and having pagan priests and dragons spout academic philosophy might be clever (if academic philosophy weren't so boring) but it seems a trivial response to one of English literature's deepest sources. Grendel WAS something-- we can't be sure what-- perhaps a demonized vestige of old totemic shamanism, but the kind of super-sophisticated dungeons and dragons games this author plays with him just trivialize the mythology. The author's rendition of Grendel's mother-- probably a more important figure in the mythology-- is also quite unimaginative. So the point seems to have been to make a publishing-academic splash using a sensationalized subject.

John Gardner's _Grendel_ is an amazing book and one of the most engaging, confusing, difficult and beautiful books of our time. It is a fantastic fusion of elements of nihilism and Taoism, faith and disillusionment. This story follows the original antagonist of the classic epic _Beowulf_ through his struggles to find meaning and to decide whether he is willing to live in a world where meaning must come from within. The literary style blends seamlessly with the content of the story; seemingly fragmented and convoluted but with a subtly powerful cohesiveness. When I finished this book I felt as if I had awoken from a gripping dream: exhausted but exhilarated and full of questions I could only make half-conscious. If Dostoevsky, Salinger and Lao Tzu wrote a book together, this would be it. I cannot recommend it too highly.

And

Through Grendel's eyes we see the good people of Hrothgar in new light. We see the young drunken king consolidate his lands through a brutalizing reign of terror on near-by peoples. We see him age and wizen--from blood thirsty rogue to political king. We (as Grendel) see them grow through the years. We see their souls and know their folly. It is ours also; no one escapes it.

None of this does any justice to the book. However, more than anything else, it shows that life is meaningless--lest you give it meaning. And even that does not matter in the end.

I bought this book thinking it was going to be kind of goofy and funny. When I started reading it, it suprised me with it's beauty. It's a lyrical, interesting story as near to poetry as a novel can get. Don't get me wrong, there are several hilarious parts to it that are just so engaging and clever. I loved it--and I highly recommend it.

John Gardner's "Grendel" is a fictional story based on fiction. The storyline in this book of what Grendel encounters and what his fate will be is based on the storyline of Beowulf but from Grendel's point of view and experience. Throughout this book you get a sense of man's search for meaning through Grendel's experiences, which is interesting because Grendel is no man, he is a monster.

In this book you find out about Grendel's childhood, his relationship with his mother, and his interactions with man and his thoughts to all of this and how he deals with it. His childhood experiences taught him that man was dangerous, his mother represented his innocence, and his interactions with man showed him heroism, love, search for meaning, politics and government, religion and faith, and death.

Grendel is a 'monster', who lives with his mute mother inside of a cave. As Grendel grows and becomes more curious he comes into contact with humans, and begins to watch them from afar. Grendel sees the humans as ignorant and wasteful and begins to torture their villages. Grendel knows that no matter what he will always be the 'monster' to the human race and his only existence in life is to scare the humans.

John Gardner does an excellent job trapping Grendel in the meta-fictional story. The story was interesting and kept me wanting to know what Grendel would do next because he was constantly changing his mind. The writing style that Gardner uses is very different from any of the books that I have read. The way he shows Grendel maturing by the way the grammar changes with each passing chapter. Another thing was the way Gardner combined Beowulf and the more in depth story of Grendel by adding a sort of modern touch to it. I found that that made the book a lot easier to read.

If you have not already read the great epic Beowulf, you are defeating the intentions of John Gardener. Grendel takes you on a philosophical journey through issues like the meaning of life and acceptance among the majority in the mind of a lonely "monster". Throughout Grendel's journey, he encounters many schools of philosophical thought trying to piece together his beliefs of the world around him. Gardener truly captivates the reader with Grendel's perspective on all sorts of issues while making the reader ask the question "Who is the real monster?" Gardener does a superb job of making Grendel seem so human and even gathers sympathy from the reader when it is obvious that Grendel just wants to be accepted by any means necessary. This piece of metafiction is very creative indeed, but at times hard to grasp because of the very contemporary style of writing, but this should not stop anyone from picking up a copy.

I'm not going to give you some long explanation about this book, its plot and every little metaphor in it. We recently read an excerpt from it in my 12th grade English class (our school couldn't afford the actual book), and I really enjoyed it. If you hated the format of Beowulf, but maybe liked the story, then this is for you. It gets into the mind of the monster, Grendel, who sees and observes everything in human life. Instead of Beowulf's Old English format, this is written in actual book form, easy to read and understand. I like getting to know Grendel better, it leads to a sense of sadness for him when he meets his demise.

Beowulf is a story of our cultural archetypes. The glory and heroism of Beowulf's triumph over Grendel is a classic tale of the supremacy of the virtuous man. Yet Gardner in "Grendel" gives us the view from the creature's perspective. Grendel finally tells his side of the story: of his misunderstood attempts at friendship; of his captivity in his mythical role; of his disdain for his roots. Gardner tells the story of Grendel's world, and we are made to feel the eyes of the Dragon upon us as we move toward our destiny.

I was so excited when I saw this book at the library. I thought the concept of the story seen from Grendel's eyes was a fascinating one. But, I was unable to get into the story after 2 chapters. I'm not sure why, but the author was unable to connect with me and make me care about this Grendel...well, how do you care for a troll you might ask...well, I didn't even dislike him enough to keep going...does that make it clearer? Again, not sure why it didn't grab me. I wish it had.

In Grendel, Gardner develops the monster from the Beowulf story, a monster that is wrecked and oedipal, an "I" seeing only "Its," an unredeemed scion of Cain as complex as Frankenstein or Dracula. Anyone with an interest in the origins of English literature will recognize the scenery, and philosophy lovers and science-fiction readers will appreciate the Dragon. There's also wicked humor and reflections on the nature of reality and mythmaking. This book is one of the great `new' classics.

This novel not only provides an alternative viewpoint for the Beowulf epic, but is a brilliant experiment in style and structure. Each of the twelve chapters represents a different school of Western philosophy, showing how each is applied and contributes to the Grendel character. The chapters also each represent a sign of the zodiac and the implications thereof. Gardner often changes styles within the book, effectively exhibiting the change of the Grendel character. Defenitely a worthwhile read.

Grendel of Beowulf fame observes man's practices
and conduct. Grendel's reflections convey a dishearting summation of man's character and his mental processes. Intellectually presented with philosophical insights,John Gardner weaves in the legend of Grendel"s exploits to add alacrity to the profundity. A thought provoking romp of pitting beast against "beast", and without bias, the reader wouldn't know who to cheer. If you prefer books with impact,then put on a helmet for this mind jostler.

OK... so this book has me really confused. I'm halfway through with no plan to stop. The writing is beautiful, even poetic. My sister got the book for my birthday because she thought the cover was hilarious (and it is). So while I am enjoying the read, there are certain aspects that are somewhat infuriating. I love Beowulf, and Northern European history... and I feel like the author did zero research. Also, the manner in which the characters speak is... ugh, insulting. Grendel drops an f-bomb and I *almost* threw the book at the wall. SERIOUSLY???!!! Like I said before, the writing has a poetic quality... but the lack of historical accuracy and downright pathetic use of vulgar language definitely won't win my heart.
If you are going to make it "modern", commit to it. The dialogue and setting should match... perhaps Grendel needs to zoom around on a hoverboard, ripping people's heads off.

those who find this a depressing or negative book should remember who is telling the tale- an alienated, whining, confused, monster. the reader must not confuse gardner with grendel (though i admit, i did the first time reading it). this is beatiful, life-affirming work of art. and it's damn funny too. i first read it with only the tiniest bit of knowledge regarding that old english tome- beowulf. this is a book of marvelous imagery, a prose-poem really. it's unfortunate that all of gardner's other books are out of print, but this one is the best. check it out.

i thought this was an awesome read, and i loved the connection to beowulf. i think this had a great storyline as well as an interesting message regarding the unknown. it is a bit of a mind bender, but that is likely what made me like it so much.

Liked it. I'd give it 3.5 if able but ill give it the benefit of the doubt. Some parts were a bit difficult to get through. I'm glad I stuck it out but the beginning was a bit slow to me. Grendel's dialogues and rationales were more interesting than not.

If you ever wanted to enter the mind of a serial killer, then this is the book for you. No story is simple. Grendel came to the point he did after much contemplation and injury. The intriguing part of the story comes from your sympathy for his character. It's a contemplation of life and living and what is real and isn't.

Grendel was an excellent book. It is the epic story of Beowulf from the monsters point of view. John Gardner uses very descriptive scenes that make it very easy to picture the many actions and emotions grendel is going through. It can be read again and again. Each time getting a different meaning and purpose out of the text. You are able to truly connect to Grendel throughout his struggle to find himself, as well as, his place in the world. Grendel discovers the many questions that arise when one is faced with the challenges of faith and communication with others. Grendel seems to be on a quest of the meaning of being.

Like many of you I was forced to read Beowolf in high school Lit. class. Then my teacher gave us Grendel, and I fell in love. What fun to get another perspective on the whole dreadful business. Even today it's one of my forever-favorite books, and my dog is named Grendel as well! When someone's face lights up when they hear his name, I know they're kindred souls. And I can get a private laugh at the neighborhood kids calling me "Grendel's Mom." Friends don't let friends read Beowolf without this one!

...and such a good trick it was, and JG might/could/should have stopped with this one astonishing feat of prestidigitation, but we jumped on when he beckoned us along for Mr. Toad's wild ride, finally dumping us down in the gravel of a southern tier curve. We pulled ourselves up, stunned, scraped and bloody while he finally decided to just sit one out.

John Gardner's Grendel takes the antagonist, Grendel, from the epic poem Beowulf and gives his side of the story. Grendel gets an actual personality in this novel. He has feelings, interests, and desires. He is interested in humans and, more than anything, tries to understand how and why things work the way that they do. Through Grendel's eyes, the novel makes some interesting observations about human nature and folly. However, above all, this novel is entertaining. Grendel is such a novice that you can't help but laugh out loud at him sometimes. I would definitely recommend this novel, whether you have read Beowulf or not.

Loved the story. I was really laughing and enjoying myself through most of the story. The only part I didn't like were the parts of the story where philosphy was being discuss. Lucky, that was a very small part.