The Metamorphosis of Grendel :: Grendel Essays

The Metamorphosis of Grendel     The majority of John Gardners Grendel revolves around a monster-like char answerer named Grendel. The reader is allowed access to Grendels subconscious and inner monologue, self-aggrandizing one the sense of a very close relationship with the main character.   This tends to beguile one into sympathizing with him and thinking of him as a protagonist because historically in literature the main character of a novel has always been the good guy.  However, he proves himself to be very much the anti-hero in the novel many measure over.  Grendels social contact with the world is extremely limited, but his persona is greatly influenced by each brief encounter with another character.   The first major prestigious character Grendel encounters is The Shaper, a blind old wise man.  The first mention of him is in Chapter 1 when Grendel is attacking Herorot.  While all the towns men, women and children are froze n in awe and horror, The Shaper is able to think quickly and jump out the window of the building he was in and run away.  Grendel admires him for his ability to think and act quickly, as well as for possessing vast knowledge he can only dream of ever acquiring.  Grendel wishes he had the mind of the Shaper and begins to feel jealous, so he subconsciously tries to become more like him.  The Shapers songs teach Grendel a lot about the humans in the surrounding regions and how they think and live.  Everyone loves and respects him, which makes Grendel fatality to be like him even more.  As he realizes the Shapers popularity and goodness, he begins to realize why people dont like him.  Grendel spends a lot of time thinking and realizes the flaws in his character, subconsciously deciding that he doesnt really care if the humans hate him because he isnt a human and doesnt have to live by the same standards or expectations as they do.  He was born a monster, and as a monster he has a job to do to frustrate all established aim and terrorize the humans.    In Chapter 5, we meet the Dragon for the first time.  Prior to seeing the Dragon, Grendels mother was the only thing he had seen that was more powerful than him.