Beowulf: Grendel Essay, Research Paper

John Gardner introduces the reader of Grendel

to an intimate side of Unferth unobserved in the heroic poem verse form Beowulf. In Grendel

we behold what a hapless, whining chicken Unferth has become. In Beowulf

all that we see is a covetous asshole. Why did Gardner do the character

of Unferth so different from the original word picture? He didn? T. The lone

alteration in Unferth from Beowulf to Grendel is his realistic word picture

in Grendel.

After the bibulous Danes spring Beowulf his

warm welcome, Unferth unleashes his choler in an onslaught on Beowulf. This

junior-grade announcement which points out Beowulf? s not- so exultant swimming

competition with Brecca, shows the reader ( or hearer ) that Unferth is nil

more than a namby-pamby asshole. In Grendel we find that Unferth? s resentment

is good founded. John Gardner shows Unferth as the most hapless adult male to

of all time name himself a hero. Unferth is degraded one time in the apple conflict

( he was beat by winging fruit for God? s interest! ! ! ) and so once more in the cave.

In the cave Unferth begs Grendel to take his life but Grendel gives him

destiny worse than decease. Grendel leaves him alive and impotent. Unferth knows

that he can non kill Grendel yet he can non be a sufferer to Herot either.

All during the first twelvemonth of Grendel? s

besieging, the odor of apples fresh in the air, Unferth tries to be the Grendel? s

sufferer. Oh the

epic Unferth who died seeking to salvage the people of Herot.

Unfortunately he ne’er got to decease, non even dressed up as a caprine animal, a hog

or an aged adult females. This go oning life of powerlessness lead Unferth to

an huge sense of resentment. Poor Unferth to be at a animal? s clemency for

12 old ages merely to hold Beowulf disembowel Grendel in one dark.

On the beach as Beowulf is about detach

mamma? s caput from her organic structure, Unferth gives Beowulf his blade in a touching

minute of peace between Beowulf and Unferth.

Well that is non rather right. This touching

minute is Unferth? s last effort at lending to his darling Herot.

If he can? t kill the animal at least his blade can. Unferth is making

for martyrdom. Unferth ne’er redeems himself as a hero no affair how unselfish

or heroic he was as he handed over his darling blade. Unferth would ne’er

be a hero once more. His one opportunity of & # 8220 ; interior gallantry & # 8221 ; was gone when Grendel

refused take his life in the cave.

Unferth is the same adult male in both novels,

there is no uncertainty about that. The strands of similarity are to thick to

ignore. He is deceasing to be a sufferer in both Grendel and Beowulf. The lone

difference between Grendel? s Unferth and Beowulf? s Unferth is the item

and deepness to which his character is taken. John Gardner brought a comparatively

little character from Beowulf, and made him the 2nd most defined character

in Grendel.