An Examination of the Beautiful Masterpiece of John Gardner, Grendel
On the surface Grendel a novel written by John Gardner can be considered nothing but a written perspective of the monster who was defeated by Beowulf. But with a closer look many can see how this novel is packed with symbolism, philosophy, and belief. Many of us know the tale of Beowulf, it is an old epic poem that survived damage from a fire in 1731, it is known as one of the most important works of old English literature. John Gardner took this story, flipped it, and created the novel Grendel. On the surface Grendel can be considered nothing but a written perspective of the monster who was defeated in Beowulf.
But with a closer look many can see how this novel is packed with symbolism, philosophy, existence, and belief. John Gardner was born in New York on July 21st 1933 to John Champlin and Priscilla Gardner. When Gardner was eleven years old he was driving a tractor back to his family’s farm with his brother and sister. On the way home the tractor ran out of gas on a slope and launched young Gardner’s brother, Gilbert forward, crushing him under steel rollers that weighed over a ton. This haunted Gardner in configurations of nightmares and flashbacks of his brother’s death. According to Washington’s Post Between the Lines Gardner said that at a breaking point in the event, Gardner had to make a decision of either reaching for the brakes and leaving his brother paralyzed or just letting him die entirely.
Many critics imply that this gruesome event inspired Gardner’s writings, especially one of his novels Stillness and Shadows which was published in 1986. According to the Paris Review, John Gardner entered the world of literature with quite an impact. His first four novels, “The Resurrection (1966), The Wreckage of Agathon (1970), Grendel (1971), and The Sunlight Dialogue (1972) gave critics and readers an exhilarating and fresh feeling, it was a completely different style compared to modern writing that was presented at the time. But what was Gardner trying to accomplish with Grendel? The Twelve Traps in John Gardner’s Grendel presents an interview between Joe David Bellamy and Gardner himself. When Joe asked Gardner his intentions with Grendel, Gardner states “In Grendel, I wanted to go through the main ideas of Western Civilization – which seemed to me about…twelve? – and go through them in a voice of a monster with the story already taken care of, with various philosophical attitudes and see what I could do, see if I could break out. That’s what I wanted to do.”
And this, I believe Gardner accomplished. But where did the basis of Grendel come from? Several critics, myself included, believe Grendel harbored from Gardner’s own thoughts, in On becoming a novelist by John Gardner he writes “I was conscious that what I was about to do (or dramatize, or seek to get clear) was an annoying sometimes painful disharmony in my own mental experience, a conflict between a wish for certainty, a sort of timid and legalistic rationality on one hand, and, on the other, an inclination toward childish optimism, what I might now describe as an occasional flickering affirmation of all that was best in my early experience of Christianity.” Reading this we can obviously tell how Grendel was created through the inner thoughts of John Gardner. There were several reoccurring themes throughout this novel such as purpose, consciousness, existence, the power of words, pain, suffering, men as monsters and good vs. evil. Grendel is on what seems to be an endless quest to find out who and what he is, as well as why and where he belongs.
Grendel’s undying obsession to find this out blocks out any other possible suggestions. An old and wise being, the dragon tried to guide him and yet Grendel stays stubborn and somehow tries to alter what the dragon tells him is his reality, he continues to search without consideration of the Dragon’s words or anybody’s words for that matter. From a child, Grendel creates and revolves his world around one theory, as Grendel claims “I understood that the world was nothing; a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears.
I understood that, finally and absolutely, I alone exist. All the rest, I saw, is merely what pushes me, or what I push against, blindly—as blindly as all that is not myself pushes back. I create the whole universe blink by blink.. (22)”, In other words, solipsism. Gardner isolates Grendel and it makes us readers think, who are we? What is our purpose in our life? Consciousness, existence and purpose follows and even in a sense torments Grendel throughout the entire novel. The power of words, another constant theme throughout the novel. Grendel can be compared to a lost little boy in the woods with no direction. Grendel seeks purpose and meaning in the world, he wants someone to understand, appreciate him and give him some type of warmth. Grendel wanders through the woods of his life curious and easily influenced, words impact him greatly.
The shaper takes Danish myths and writes history, twisting information as he pleases. The shaper plays the harp of life being completely filled with righteousness giving the Danes a sense of purpose and meaning to their lives. “My heart was light with Hrothgar’s goodness, and leaden with grief at my own bloodthirsty ways. I backed away, crablike, further into the darkness—like a crab retreating in pain when you strike two stones at the mouth of his underwater den. I backed away till the honeysweet lure of the harp no longer mocked me. Yet even now my mind was tormented by images. (48)”
Grendel is desperate to believe the shapers words, he knows that they’re lies but the art the shaper creates is tempting and seduces Grendel. Grendel is frantic to make sense of his own existence, throughout the novel he is hopelessly piecing his identity together, grabbing at whatever is available, sewing it together and trying to come to a conclusion, this makes the Shaper dangerous to Grendel’s psyche. The Shaper promotes humans and how amazing they are, in the process putting Grendel down and ultimately twisting the perspective of the Danes to dislike and fear him. Pain, suffering and loneliness is a constant in not only Grendel but the universe of this novel as well. Grendel cannot communicate with anyone, he only has his thoughts to keep him sane, which we can all agree can lead to overthinking and can become dangerous at times. “And so begins the twelfth year of my idiotic war.
The pain of it! The stupidity! (5)” Grendel is a monster and an outcast, he is completely isolated from society in which he is forced to play the “villain”. Men as monsters and good vs. evil is a very interesting theme presented in this novel. Gardner takes our understanding of good and evil and changes it entirely, the concept of good conquering evil is flipped. Perhaps the monster in this story has more morals than humans themselves. “All the bands did the same thing. In time I began to be more amused than revolted by what they threatened. It didn’t matter to me what they did to each other. It was slightly ominous because of its strangeness-no wolf was so vicious to other wolves-but I half believed they weren’t serious. (32)”
In this novel humans are unbelievably cruel, even to themselves. Even to a monster, humans are absolutely terrifying. Grendel made a clever observation, Humans are powerful, they create ideas and carry them through, but instead of using those abilities for the greater good they use it to kill, hurt and take advantage of the ground they live on. In this novel, it’s difficult to tell who the real monster is. Motifs are like themes, but are far more constant. One motif is found from beginning to end in this novel. Grendel is made up of twelve chapters which correspond to the twelve zodiac signs.
The first chapter is Aries, Aries are represented by a ram which Grendel happens to encounter in the beginning of the novel. Aries are well known for being naïve, impulsive, and primitive, in this part of the story, young Grendel possessed all these traits. The second chapter, Taurus, the bull, this animal actually ended up attacking Grendel. The Zodiac sign Taurus is known for being loyal, this could express Grendel’s remaining loyalty to his mother. Chapter three is next, Gemini. Gemini’s minds are in constant war with each other, this could equate to the mind of Grendel once the shaper’s stories begin to affect him.
Chapter four is Cancer, which is represented by the crab. Once Grendel hears the words of the Shaper he backs away “like a crab retreating in pain”. Leo is chapter five and can refer to the dragon who surrounds himself with treasures and gold, the stone and color for this zodiac sign is also gold. Virgo is chapter six, which is represented by Unferth’s and Grendel’s encounter with him. As Grendel states “So much for the harvest virgin.” Chapter seven is the Libra, the sign of balance and ease, this chapter definitely belongs to Wealtheow. Chapter eight, the Scorpio, the zodiac sign that is known for being extremely territorial and self-centered. Hrothulf is introduced in chapter eight and wants the throne to himself, what better character to serve this chapter? Chapter nine, the Sagittarius, which represents a centaur, half-human and half-horse, with a bow and arrow. The fascinating thing about centaurs is that they’re made from two different natures, they both coexist.
This fact is similar to how the priests are contradictions to themselves, they preach something that they don’t believe in, giving faith to fellow Danes while at the same time knowing that such hope is false. The pessimistic Capricorn is chapter ten, goats correspond to this zodiac sign. In this part of the novel, Grendel happens to encounter a goat as well. This zodiac sign can also refer to Grendel’s encounter with nihilism on his philosophical journey. Chapter eleven is the Aquarius, the well-known water-bearer. People who bear this zodiac sign are well known for showing much interest in life’s mysteries.
Grendel’s “Aquarius” tinted philosophical quest is coming to an end. The end of the novel, chapter twelve brings Pisces, the fish, another double sided zodiac sign. Beowulf embodies this zodiac sign and finally kills of Grendel with his “Pisces” like-will to wipe out any conflict faced. Grendel has been destroyed by Beowulf, his absolute opposite. Grendel can be seen as a novel of endless competing notions. Each character tries to make sense of the world in their own way. These characters are symbolic and represent different philosophies throughout the novel.
Grendel is on a self-discovering journey to find out what he believes in, but being a monster who is easily influenced makes this expedition difficult. In chapter five, Grendel meets a dragon in a cave who lays on top of gold. Grendel is in complete awe of the dragon who is huge and frightening, the dragon ends up making an ironic comment saying that now Grendel knows how the humans felt when they saw him. The dragon is definitely a symbol for nihilism. To the dragon the world is meaningless, he says “My advice to you my violent friend, is to seek out gold and sit on it.” (74) The dragon sees no point in religion, poetry or anything that man has created in order to make the world seem more significant and fulfilling. When Grendel asks about the Shaper, the dragon claims that the shaper creates illusions to give hope to the Danes.
Grendel wants to find meaning and questions the dragon in hopes of there being answers with more purpose, but the dragon refuses to let Grendel be so naive. Grendel is tired of the cards he has been dealt with and continues to question the dragon, Grendel asks “Why shouldn’t one change one’s ways, to improve one’s character?” But the Dragon says “You improve them, my boy! Can’t you see that yourself? You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme. You drive them to poetry, science and religion, all that makes them what they are as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves.
The exile, captivity, death they shrink from—the blunt facts of their mortality, their abandonment—that’s what you make them recognize, embrace! You are mankind, or man’s condition: inseparable as the mountain-climber and the mountain. If you withdraw, you’ll instantly be replaced. Brute existents, you know, are a dime a dozen.” (72-73) As much as the dragon preaches that the world is meaningless, to a certain degree, he was giving Grendel meaning. Instead of pushing Grendel to change his ways, he pushes him to embrace his inner monster. He sheds a positive light on Grendel’s reality. Grendel is a monster and what is the fate of a monster necessarily? “Why bother changing your destiny? If everything is meaningless anyways” This is the exact thought process of the dragon. The dragon lingers throughout Grendel’s head for the rest of the novel, some say that the dragon could possibly be an external presence of Grendel’s mindset.
The Shaper re-writes history as he pleases. Although he doesn’t necessarily represent a philosophy, he is symbolic for pure illusion. As I’ve mentioned before the shaper sings songs that give the Danes a transcendent and mystical meaning to their lives, making them feel as if they are a part of something much greater. But the shaper overdoes it and twists reality at times, most of what he sings are just lies. Beowulf is never clearly named in the novel, but by reading the context we can make a strong assumption. Beowulf is symbolic for existentialism and perhaps a step towards a new philosophy.
“As you see it, it is, while the seeing lasts, dark nightmare-history, time-as-coffin; but where the water was rigid there will be fish, and men will survive on their flesh till spring… though you murder the world, turn plains to stone, transmogrify life in to I and it, strong searching roots with crack your cave and rain will cleanse it; the world will burn green, sperm build again. My promise.” Beowulf tells Grendel whether you fantasize to make more meaning of the world like the Shaper or sneer at life like the dragon, it is meaningless because life goes on. The dragon sees humans as so insignificant to this vast world, while Beowulf believes the complete opposite. The world doesn’t even exist without men according to Beowulf, he sees humans as gods, in which they fabricate the world as they see fit. Beowulf’s notion can be a new evolution of philosophy. The dragon constantly pushes Grendel toward a lucid and cruel intellectualism.
While the Shaper entices Grendel’s mind away to more abstract thoughts of love, beauty, and false misconceptions. Beowulf shrugs and pretty much says that whichever side you’re on, it doesn’t matter, the only way to counter this nothingness is by finding meaning in life and embracing one’s existence. Gardner created a true masterpiece, a novel that makes us question ourselves and the world around us. Do I have a philosophy? What am I looking for in life? What is my definition of monstrous or evil? If one has ever wondered about their purpose or place in the universe then this novel can be easy to relate to. Gardner created a book that has it all, he tackles issues that Beowulf couldn’t put forward clearly while giving us options. Is there perhaps a Grendel somewhere within all of us? Only a fool would say that this novel doesn’t carry a greater meaning. With all its allegories, philosophies, and themes, the novel Grendel is anything but a dragon’s idea of meaningless.
