Significance of Grendel

Centered around the epic poem, Beowulf, John Gardner's Grendel is a recent peek into dark, unknown times. The significance of the title is found not deep within the the story. Our narrator, Grendel, retells this ancient fantasy from his own point of view.

Grendel, whose name translates broadly in Old Norse into words like storm, to bellow, and destroyer, is quite the monster, complete with napped fur, razor teeth, and vicious claws. But he is also equipped with a sense of sick humor, a strange outlook on the universe and himself.

At the bottom of the lake he lives with his mother, unable to speak, yet she can communicate to Grendel that she loves him. As far as the story goes, they are the only of their kind.

Believed in Beowulf to have descended from Cain, Grendel offers a separate view of his life, feelings, and struggles. Truly, and sadly, Grendel is alone, compassion for him strikes early in the novel. One can almost befriend him, his thought process is intriguing, his actions misunderstood, but his purpose stated.

Alone, and due to obscure reasons, revengeful, and resentful, Grendel compares himself with a god: powerful, alone, sometimes miscommunicated or misunderstood, with all the potential for complete destruction.

Emotionally a storm, and physically a destruction, the title of Grendel suits this particular narration perfectly. Alone with himself, confused with humans and their own society which is objectionable of him, he battles on until his curiosity builds him up, his ego drives him on, and his strength lets him down.