individual. Evil is typically perceived as the dualistic opposite of good. While many characters in literature throughout history are conceived as evil‚ two distinct characters stand out from the rest; Macbeth in Shakespeare’s definitive tale Macbeth and Grendel in the legendary masterpiece Beowulf. These two literary figures both exemplify traits of gullible ambition‚ avaricious guilt‚ and true wickedness. The two pieces of literature depict the terrible effects that these traits‚ as well as many others
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A Misunderstood Little Monster: Grendel of Beowulf Oftentimes‚ those who are seen as monsters may turn out be misfits‚ lonely‚ misunderstood and cast out of society. In the epic poem Beowulf‚ the sympathetic portrayal of the monster Grendel serves as a reminder of society’s cruel and unforgiving treatment of outcasts. Grendel‚ lonely and suffering‚ lashes out at any opportunity he comes across‚ putting all his aggression into his attacks. Indeed‚ he is first introduced as “living down/In the darkness”
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Grendel in the novel compared to Grendel in the epic poem Beowulf is presented as the complete opposite or more evolved due to the point of view in both the novel and epic poem‚ descriptions of events he has encountered in the novel and his reactions to them‚ and how Grendel in the epic poem is described as ruthless towards mankind. The epic poem Beowulf is told from a third person point of view while Grendel the novel is told from Grendel’s very own perspective. Both stories due to the different
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first impressions are important‚ but these characters find themselves in an unfortunate plight. In the original and famous poem‚ Beowulf‚ GRENDEL is the evil‚ most abominable creature on the planet. His grim and naturally monstrous appearance haunts the Danes and people of the mead hall. His heart is heavy and dark‚ according to Beowulf‚ but in John Gardner’s Grendel‚ he explains in much detail how he truly feels about himself and his actions. Being raised alone (occasionally by his mother)‚ Grendel’s
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Grendel as a sympathetic character in Grendel Can you imagine being born and automatically being considered evil? This is what happens to Grendel. Throughout the book everyone’s feelings towards Grendel is that of a bad person or creature. In Grendel my sympathy for Grendel fluctuates. Grendel starts out as a sympathetic character because he is an innocent curious child with a mother who doesn’t talk‚ and lives in a cave. As the story moves on Grendel is misunderstood then starts to make decisions
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Beowulf‚ who leads a company of soldiers to Denmark‚ in order to assist the King of the Scyldings‚ Hrothgar‚ by slaying an evil creature named Grendel. However‚ a parallel version of the well-known epic was later produced‚ titled Grendel‚ and it told the tale of Beowulf from the perspective of the antagonist‚ Grendel. This version of the tale follows Grendel from his early childhood when he first started interacting with humans‚ until his ultimate demise at the hands of Beowulf. Grendel’s discussion
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Grendel as a Ridiculous Character Probably one of the greatest questions of the 19th century comes directly from John Gardner’s novel Grendel. Given a world with no inherent meaning‚ how should one live his or her life? Grendel lives in a world that he is not supposed to be in‚ acting out on emotion. Grendel represents the animalistic traits of humans. His actions are primitive and based around society’s acceptance throughout the novel. Grendel portrays a ridiculous character that is convinced
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Throughout the novel Grendel by John Gardner‚ the monster Grendel has many different encounters that change his view on the world‚ but it becomes unequivocally clear that his true way of life is through nihilism. Grendel starts out in life as a nihilist where everything is meaningless to him. However‚ he longs for meaning. His only dilemma is within himself because he cannot see how an animal like him has any true purpose. As Grendel matures and leaves his mother he becomes interested in looking
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Elements of a Series Grendel‚ a prequel to the popular epic Beowulf‚ provides a look into the dismal life of the unearthly monster. Grendel and Beowulf are clearly similar but also show striking differences in the elements of each story through the formulation of the setting‚ the portrayal and development of certain characters‚ and the depiction of motifs. In both Grendel and Beowulf‚ the stories take place in the land of the Gaets‚ ruled by Hrothgar. The Gaet people living in the town experience
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Heaney’s translation of Beowulf depicts Grendel as a demon‚ a beast. The writer makes Grendel powerful‚ merciless‚ and a source of pure evil. The author shows this while describing Grendel and by making him commit heinous acts. The narrator takes away any sign of humanity in him. This makes the God-cursed brute one of the most evil villains in literature. The attributes that the author gives Grendel describes him as one of the most chaotic antagonist. When Grendel is introduced the author uses the words
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