Post by chrisb on Sept 3, 2013 6:42:24 GMT
This post was originally written to be a response to Grace Park’s post, “Questioning the Universe,” but I ended up writing enough so that I figured I could use it as a separate thread.
Although the plot events in Grendel, alone, portray the universe as "one-dimensional, cold, [and] indifferent" (Park), Gardner uses the perspectives of different characters to provide a more detailed portrayal of the universe.
The Dragon, given the timing of his appearance in the book, dominates the discussion on the meaning of the universe. His perspective generally adheres to the portrayal of the universe suggested by the plot: “A swirl in the stream of time” (70), or a pool of blood on the ground, can dictate the course of an expanding universe. Despite Grendel’s refusal to agree with the Dragon during their meeting in the cave, the Dragon’s own words – “A certain man will absurdly kill me” (70) – resonate at the end of the novel as Grendel complains of the “mindless chance” (171) that ultimately kills him in his fight against Beowulf.
Gardner portrays the Dragon as omniscient, and thus encourages the reader to accept his perspective on the universe. A closer look at the biases held by both the Dragon and Grendel, however, reveals room for different perspectives on life and death. Both characters live sinful lives, focusing their efforts on wealth and destruction, respectively. Therefore, it is in their favor to perceive death as a matter of chance rather than as a matter of judgment. Although neither the Dragon nor Grendel look forward to death, they would rather view death as a swirl in the stream of time than a reflection of their own sinful lives. As soon as that realization is made, the Dragon’s theory loses its credibility, and the reader can reevaluate the purpose of death in Grendel.
In the final scene of the novel, Beowulf provides his own view on the purpose of death. Standing above Grendel as he nears his imminent death, Beowulf exclaims, “Time is the mind, the hand that makes (fingers on harpstrings, hero-swords, the acts, the eyes of queens). By that I kill you” (170). While the Dragon perceives time as random force that holds billions of accidents and pointless evolutions, Beowulf views time as a force fueled by the desire for improvement and goodness in the world. Thus, even if time may trigger specific events through chance and accident, the greater scheme of such randomness lies in the gradual path towards the betterment of the world through honest judgment.
That said, the portrayals of the universe and life/death are still very much open to interpretation, but I believe Gardner ultimately intends, through the wisdom of Beowulf, to depict death as a matter of judgment rather than as a matter of indifference and chance.
In the context of Grendel, do you think the universe is entirely one-dimensional and indifferent? Do you think Beowulf’s hopeful perspective is worth considering despite the brief nature of his appearance? Or does the Dragon’s perspective hold more weight as a result of his extensive knowledge and foresight?
Although the plot events in Grendel, alone, portray the universe as "one-dimensional, cold, [and] indifferent" (Park), Gardner uses the perspectives of different characters to provide a more detailed portrayal of the universe.
The Dragon, given the timing of his appearance in the book, dominates the discussion on the meaning of the universe. His perspective generally adheres to the portrayal of the universe suggested by the plot: “A swirl in the stream of time” (70), or a pool of blood on the ground, can dictate the course of an expanding universe. Despite Grendel’s refusal to agree with the Dragon during their meeting in the cave, the Dragon’s own words – “A certain man will absurdly kill me” (70) – resonate at the end of the novel as Grendel complains of the “mindless chance” (171) that ultimately kills him in his fight against Beowulf.
Gardner portrays the Dragon as omniscient, and thus encourages the reader to accept his perspective on the universe. A closer look at the biases held by both the Dragon and Grendel, however, reveals room for different perspectives on life and death. Both characters live sinful lives, focusing their efforts on wealth and destruction, respectively. Therefore, it is in their favor to perceive death as a matter of chance rather than as a matter of judgment. Although neither the Dragon nor Grendel look forward to death, they would rather view death as a swirl in the stream of time than a reflection of their own sinful lives. As soon as that realization is made, the Dragon’s theory loses its credibility, and the reader can reevaluate the purpose of death in Grendel.
In the final scene of the novel, Beowulf provides his own view on the purpose of death. Standing above Grendel as he nears his imminent death, Beowulf exclaims, “Time is the mind, the hand that makes (fingers on harpstrings, hero-swords, the acts, the eyes of queens). By that I kill you” (170). While the Dragon perceives time as random force that holds billions of accidents and pointless evolutions, Beowulf views time as a force fueled by the desire for improvement and goodness in the world. Thus, even if time may trigger specific events through chance and accident, the greater scheme of such randomness lies in the gradual path towards the betterment of the world through honest judgment.
That said, the portrayals of the universe and life/death are still very much open to interpretation, but I believe Gardner ultimately intends, through the wisdom of Beowulf, to depict death as a matter of judgment rather than as a matter of indifference and chance.
In the context of Grendel, do you think the universe is entirely one-dimensional and indifferent? Do you think Beowulf’s hopeful perspective is worth considering despite the brief nature of his appearance? Or does the Dragon’s perspective hold more weight as a result of his extensive knowledge and foresight?
