Post by davidqin on Jul 11, 2013 18:02:57 GMT
OK, so I've read about a quarter of the way through the book, but I cannot stop thinking about Grendel's hypocrisy. First impressions do count, and Grendel's behavior right from the beginning characterizes his faults and draws attention to his inconsistencies in telling us his side of the narrative.
After his fight with the ram, Grendel asks the sky "'why can't these creatures discover a little dignity?'" (2). He proceeds to act in an undignified manner to the sky, flipping the middle finger and cursing the sky's ignorance. Subsequently, Grendel then defends himself by saying "Not, of course, that I fool myself with thoughts that I’m more noble" (2). But does he actually not fool himself here? I feel that Grendel's actions speak much louder than any words (or roars) of his, and therefore this after-the-fact defense of his behavior (and lack of dignity) is effectively moot.
Another point to make, which closely follows his little self-defense of his lack of dignity. Grendel exclaims, "'Ah, sad one, poor old freak!' I cry, and hug myself, and laugh, letting out salt tears, he he! till I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It’s mostly fake.)" Note he says "it's mostly fake." Now are those tears of sadness mostly fake, or has Grendel added the little afterthought in to cover his tracks and save face? Again, his credibility is doubtful to me, even on the very opening pages of the book.
One of the things I will be looking at closely throughout the rest of the book is how Grendel attempts to reconcile reality with his version of events. How does he portray himself, the beast, when he attacks the helpless humans? I remember he says he kindly knocked on the door to Hrothgar's hall, though humans may describe that knocking as a brutal battering-down of the front door. Again, I hope you all will be paying attention to Grendel's inconsistencies as a narrator and maybe even drawing some parallels to the original work, Beowulf.
After his fight with the ram, Grendel asks the sky "'why can't these creatures discover a little dignity?'" (2). He proceeds to act in an undignified manner to the sky, flipping the middle finger and cursing the sky's ignorance. Subsequently, Grendel then defends himself by saying "Not, of course, that I fool myself with thoughts that I’m more noble" (2). But does he actually not fool himself here? I feel that Grendel's actions speak much louder than any words (or roars) of his, and therefore this after-the-fact defense of his behavior (and lack of dignity) is effectively moot.
Another point to make, which closely follows his little self-defense of his lack of dignity. Grendel exclaims, "'Ah, sad one, poor old freak!' I cry, and hug myself, and laugh, letting out salt tears, he he! till I fall down gasping and sobbing. (It’s mostly fake.)" Note he says "it's mostly fake." Now are those tears of sadness mostly fake, or has Grendel added the little afterthought in to cover his tracks and save face? Again, his credibility is doubtful to me, even on the very opening pages of the book.
One of the things I will be looking at closely throughout the rest of the book is how Grendel attempts to reconcile reality with his version of events. How does he portray himself, the beast, when he attacks the helpless humans? I remember he says he kindly knocked on the door to Hrothgar's hall, though humans may describe that knocking as a brutal battering-down of the front door. Again, I hope you all will be paying attention to Grendel's inconsistencies as a narrator and maybe even drawing some parallels to the original work, Beowulf.
