CarolMarinSanabria

2ndPeriod
Grendel:Washetrulyevil?
JohnGardner's
Grendel
providesthementalityofamisunderstoodcreatureasevil
fightingagainstgood,asruthlessmonsteragainstinnocentandgoodheartedhumans.This
providesaviewofhowpeoplechangedthemonsterslife.OnceGrendelcameintocontactwith
humans,herealizedhowcrueltheworldisthebrutalitythatpeoplecaused,their
quickwittedness,andthemoralhypocrisytheyhadprovokedGrendeltobecomeapatheticand
angry.Also,heismisunderstoodbecauseitwasnothisnaturetoterrorizeuntiltheDarkness
calledhim.TheDarknessbeckonedhimtowardstheDragon,whouponmeetingGrendel,tells
himthatlifeispointlessandthateverythingthathappensisonlyasmallportionofthelong
puzzlethatistime.ThismeetingwiththedragonchangedGrendelfortheworse.Heis
misunderstoodasamonster,buthewasnotbornthatway:hewasshapedtobevillainous.
Grendelunderstandshisdarkside,buthedidnotbecameamonsteronpurpose.
Someevilinsidemyselfpushedoutintothetrees.IknewwhatIknew,themindless,
mechanicalbrutenessofthings,andwhentheharper'sluredrewmymindawaytohopeful
dreams,thedarkofwhatwasandalwayswasreachedoutandsnatchedatmyfeet(Gardner54).
ThisexpressesthatGrendelhasacomplexrelationshipwithhisdarkside.Hementionsthatthe
darknessreachedoutandsnatchedhisfeet,whichshowsthatitisnothisintentionforhimtobe
diabolical:theDarknessbeckonedhim.Aspeopleantagonizehimasaruthlessvillainagainst
civilization,heismisunderstoodbecause,ashesays,hecanlifthimselfandseebeautyinthe
harperssong,likeanyhumanthatlistenedtoit.Assuch,thisimpliesthatGrendelismore

humanthantheDanesareabletocomprehend.Heispulledintothedarknessunwillingly,which
remindshimthathecanneverfullypossessthehappinessthatpeoplehave.
Inaddition,Grendelshowshistruecolorswhenheisneardeath.Itwasanaccident,...
Iwillclingtowhatistrue.Blind,mindless,mechanical.Merelogicofchance,(Gardner173).
Inthis,heconveysthathewascorrupted.ThedragonatthebeginningofthestorytellsGrendel
thateverythingissetinstonebutthateverythingintheuniverseisanaccident,whichlaterturns
Grendelsheartcold.Bysayingthathisdeathisanaccident,itshowsthattheinvincibilitythe
dragongavehimcausedhimtogrowfiendishandbelievethatfatewasonhisside.Hebelieves
thatBeowulfbeatinghimwasnotfatedtohappen,whichshowsthathehadgrowntobemore
vicious,butwhenhisdefeatcame,hecommunicatedthebeliefhedevelopedwhenhewas
younger:everythingonearthischaoticanddespicable,andeverythingandeveryoneisbornwith
somemechanicalevilinthem.Thisshowsthathewas,atonepoint,veryinnocent,untilthe
dragonanddarknesscorruptedhim.Grendelwasshapedtobevillainous.
Inconclusion,whileGrendeldidbadthingsandmaybeconsideredavillain,hewasnot
trulytheembodimentofevil.HeinitiallydidnotwanttoterrorizeHeorot,hewasdepraved
throughouthislife.