Grendel: The True Character of a Gruesome Monster

Overall, I think Grendel by John Gardner is truly a compelling novel that is truly engaging and captivating in its entirety.  I am most definitely a fan of this novel because Gardner’s Grendel never fails to surprise me or shock me continuously. Although many of the philosophies presented throughout the book are exceptionally complex and oftentimes perplexing, Gardner’s writing style definitely engages me to think outside the box and to read between the lines in order to discern the meaning of the novel, just as Grendel is trying to discern the meaning of the universe and his role in it.

With that said, there are many aspects of the novel that are worth addressing such as Grendel’s constantly transforming thoughts and impressions about art. The role of art and the artist in the novel is largely significant throughout the text as Grendel jumps back and forth between the dragon’s ideals and mankind’s enduring beliefs. I think it is so interesting that Grendel falls somewhere between humanity and in a sense, godliness. It is definitely no coincidence that Grendel possesses this impenetrable charm in Ch. 6 that renders him invincible in a way, like God. Throughout the novel, we get the sense that Grendel is just trying to understand the world and how it works, and where he belongs in it, just on a whole other level. We see Grendel still trying to define himself in comparison to humans and their world, then in contrast to the dragon and the infinite universe, then in terms of Grendel himself as a mechanical creature…an animal.

The shift in Grendel’s notions and philosophies regarding his own existence are evident throughout the novel. Initially, Grendel has no concept of the world outside his own mother, who to him, is the source of his being. It is not until Grendel’s monumental realization of his independence (when he gets stuck in the tree in Ch. 2) that we see his impressions of the world transform and modify. Soon enough, Grendel comes to realize the “meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness” of it (Gardner 28). Grendel gradually develops his theory of solipsism, in which he is convinced that only he exists and that everything around him is merely a fabrication of his own mind, and nonexistent.

However, after a brief lapse in Grendel’s notion of good vs. evil through the Shaper’s persuasive art, Grendel’s beliefs quickly change when Grendel encounters the dragon in Ch. 5 (which is arguably his own unconscious mind). After his encounter with the dragon, Grendel is convinced of the dragon’s belief that the duration of time ceases to prolong the importance of things that are important now.  The dragon alters Grendel’s beliefs from being primarily based on solipsism to now centering on nihilism and the idea that everything is unimportant and doomed to perish eventually in the grand scheme of things. This theory resonates with Grendel for a long time (especially throughout Ch. 7), as he progressively builds on the dragon’s ideas and comes to many realizations of his own.

Eventually, he comes to assume his role as the ultimate monster and destroyer of society…he accepts his role as the enemy, the ruiner, the cursed creature. Although Grendel’s notions of art continue to develop incredibly fast throughout chapter 9 and 10, he is still somehow bound to humanity through this mutual recognition of art and its impact.

John Gardner's Monstrous Creation: Grendel

After our brief introduction to John Gardner’s contemporary fiction novel, Grendel, I was curious to see how (according to Gardner) fiction should truly be written: with a purpose. Initially, I did not really regard Gardner to be the gentlest of people, considering that he bashed the majority of fiction writers by degrading their works and everything they have ever achieved in their lifetime. However, after reading the first couple chapters of Grendel, I’m kind of starting to see the more sympathetic side of Gardner and the regret and guilt he felt due to his liability in his brother’s unprecedented death.

Truthfully, I do not blame Gardner for defending his beliefs that fiction should solely be life-affirming and significant, not meaningless and empty. Although I admit he could have been a little less harsh and disrespectful to other writers, his genuine concern for the importance and profound meaning of fiction actually seems valid. With that said, I think it is perfectly acceptable to have any form of fictional work whether it is momentous or not. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and interpretations of fictional merit, but for some reason I can’t help but agree with Gardner in his declaration that a worthwhile piece of literature is so much more inspirational and encouraging to readers than a work of fiction that possesses no relevance to real life at all.

In any case, I am thoroughly enjoying his concoction of the “evil” creature Grendel, who is frequently considered to be an abominable monster who wreaks havoc upon the innocent residents of Denmark in the epic Beowulf. I love the fact that Gardner explores Grendel’s side of the story as an outsider who struggles to discern the meaning of life and his purpose in the universe. I think Gardner makes Grendel’s character very relatable on many levels (which seems highly unexpected actually), as he considers himself an ugly, worthless, detested, and  undesirable creature who has no meaning or sense of belonging in the world. Grendel is a very self-loathing and insecure monster who calls himself a “ridiculous hairy creature” (Gardner 44), who oftentimes cannot bear the existence of other “natural things” like humans (Gardner 8), specifically the Danes.

I found it extremely significant to note that Gardner choses to develop Grendel’s character almost as an equal and an opposite to mankind. This is because Grendel shares a common language with humans, but his efforts to communicate remain futile, as the humans neglect to understand the creature. At the same time, Grendel’s feelings and emotional states also resembles that of humans, such as sentiments of loneliness, despair, pain, and fear. Furthermore, Grendel’s similarities with humans are only overshadowed by their differences that seem to thwart Grendel’s endeavors to befriend them. Thus, as Grendel struggles to discover his identity and role in this chaotic world, we see Gardner unravel the true nature of a lost and self-doubting soul who seeks to discover a sense of community and belonging to the world.