Comparing Beowulf And Grendel

Every world has a monster - each unique in their own way. They come from different beginnings, possess different traits, and have their own desires. However, they share one similarity: perception. Regardless of crime or victim, monsters are always perceived with paranoia and fear. Little to no consideration is paid to the emotional and mental states of these hell-bound creatures. Condemned for life, cursed by god, these beings spend their days pathetically wallowing in their shameful existence, scornful of the present and hateful of past. Grendel, a lonely monster who despises the world as much as it despises him, is one such being. Leaving the ill-fated waters of his pond, Grendel plagues the world of King Hrothgar and the Danes. Coming every night, Grendel massacres Hrothgar's people in the Herot, a famous hall of music and riches. This murder and terror continues until the arrival of Beowulf, a warrior with the intents of defeating Grendel once and for all. Courageously,
Every world must have a monster. In “Beowulf”, the poem “Afterwards” by Whitehead, and the excerpt from John Gardner’s novel Grendel, Grendel serves as the imperfection in the otherwise virtually-perfect world of Beowulf. Grendel accomplishes this by separating himself from the ideal and perfect world through his appearance and actions, by perceiving himself and the world around him through a shade of darkness and frustration, and by disturbing the otherwise perfect world from its peace. In the end, the world of Beowulf cannot exist without Grendel. Without Grendel there would be no imperfection in Beowulf’s world, creating a world that is perfect and ideal – an impossible