Post by keelycorrigan on Aug 25, 2013 23:42:16 GMT
Disclaimer: Forgive me, dear reader, if I am (unknowingly) repeating a sentiment already expressed by another student. I also, and must honestly confess as it could potentially alter my perception of this topic, have not finished the book (yet the pages that remain resemble a pinch of salt in size). Now on to the literary conversation: It seems to me that Grendel’s relationship to humans is extremely—and justifiably-- complicated. Moments of this novel pulsate between Grendel’s obvious disdain for the humans that he watches, kills, and or maims in the city and for their civilization/ system of governance. Many of my fellow classmates have astutely gathered that Grendel influenced by the Dragon’s pessimism toward the humans. The Dragon persuades Grendel into seeing humans, those who are “other” to the monster and to the dragon, as being on a lower plane of consciousness than those like Grendel or the Dragon. The Dragon’s attitude is disheartening to Grendel. I believe that this is because Grendel is just as much of a person as the human beings that eat and war in the villages. The difficultly in expressing this idea is because of its possibility into teetering into the dehumanization of animals. Not to put too much attention on me, rather than the novel, but I WHOLEHEARTEDLY believe that animals have souls and that they can also exhibit or manifest characteristics of humanity: love, compassion, friendship, etc. That is not what I am getting at when I talk about Grendel. For me, Grendel is different. I mean that I think Grendel has a twisted, malnourished human soul born to and then mutilated by his monstrous body. Because, as the timelessly applicable adage goes, perhaps all monsters are human.
For example, Grendel becomes infatuated with Hrothgar’s new Queen, but unable to sort out his internal battles with meaninglessness, attempts to find power a meaning by hurting or killing her. Gardner writes, “So much for the meaning as quality of life! I would kill her and teach them reality. Grendel the truth-teacher, phantasm-tester! It was what I would be from this day forward—my commitment, my character as long as I lived--- and nothing alive or dead could change my mind! I changed my mind. It would be meaningless, killing her. As meaningless as letting her live. It would be, for me, mere pointless pleasure, an illusion of order for this one frail, foolish flicker-flash in the long dull fall of eternity. (End quote.),” (109-110). Grendel’s actions are guided by a terrible rage that is propels his monstrous being into empty, violent actions such as this one. But, as Grendel becomes more and more aware of his own human characteristics because of his battles with the Danes and other ancient Europeans, he realizes that the construct or identity that he lives with is irrevocably flawed as it cannot capture the complexity of his soul, instead focusing on the brutality of his fist or bite.
I believe that Grendel shows his eerily human soul in the frequent situations in the novel when he craves to have or be touched by distinctly human characteristics, including language and relationships. The reason why he craves these things is that Grendel lives in a primitive void of the things that make humans or beings with human-like souls, like Grendel, healthy and happy. Grendel makes contact with his mute and unaffectionate mother, hostile and dangerous men of the local villages, and the animals that he admires and preys on for sustenance. Grendel is a human in a monsters body who lives a tortured life. Yet, he still disdains humans and their petty, narrow ways. Why do you think Grendel has this complicated relationship to humans and civilizations? Where do you see this frustration manifest itself in the novel (his actions or situations or other places)? Or, if you don’t see a frustrating or a complex relationship, explain how you think that Grendel, in his current state or otherwise, relates to humans and the significance of that relationship.
For example, Grendel becomes infatuated with Hrothgar’s new Queen, but unable to sort out his internal battles with meaninglessness, attempts to find power a meaning by hurting or killing her. Gardner writes, “So much for the meaning as quality of life! I would kill her and teach them reality. Grendel the truth-teacher, phantasm-tester! It was what I would be from this day forward—my commitment, my character as long as I lived--- and nothing alive or dead could change my mind! I changed my mind. It would be meaningless, killing her. As meaningless as letting her live. It would be, for me, mere pointless pleasure, an illusion of order for this one frail, foolish flicker-flash in the long dull fall of eternity. (End quote.),” (109-110). Grendel’s actions are guided by a terrible rage that is propels his monstrous being into empty, violent actions such as this one. But, as Grendel becomes more and more aware of his own human characteristics because of his battles with the Danes and other ancient Europeans, he realizes that the construct or identity that he lives with is irrevocably flawed as it cannot capture the complexity of his soul, instead focusing on the brutality of his fist or bite.
I believe that Grendel shows his eerily human soul in the frequent situations in the novel when he craves to have or be touched by distinctly human characteristics, including language and relationships. The reason why he craves these things is that Grendel lives in a primitive void of the things that make humans or beings with human-like souls, like Grendel, healthy and happy. Grendel makes contact with his mute and unaffectionate mother, hostile and dangerous men of the local villages, and the animals that he admires and preys on for sustenance. Grendel is a human in a monsters body who lives a tortured life. Yet, he still disdains humans and their petty, narrow ways. Why do you think Grendel has this complicated relationship to humans and civilizations? Where do you see this frustration manifest itself in the novel (his actions or situations or other places)? Or, if you don’t see a frustrating or a complex relationship, explain how you think that Grendel, in his current state or otherwise, relates to humans and the significance of that relationship.