Philosophical Ideas

Throughout the novel, Grendel, Gardner references several philosophical ideas within the writing. One of the most prevalent is the problem of identity as Grendel struggles to find his place in the world. Whereas the goat lives to climb; the wolf lives to hunt; the humans live to drink, fight, worship, and feast; Grendel's mother lives to be a mindless beast; and the dragon lives to be arrogant and sit on gold; Grendel struggles to have an identity, no place, and no purpose in the world. This all begs the question that many philosophers have asked: is identity an illusion of the human mind or a physical label belonging to each person, and if so, how does one discover his or her identity. This is one of many philosophical questions that may arise while reading Grendel. What other philosophical ideas does Gardner dwell upon in Grendel and how do these ideas pertain to the story-line?