Grendel

Vintage, 1989, Paperback

Product Description

The first and most terrifying monster in English literature, from the great early epic BEOWULF, tells his side of the story.

Amazon.com Review

Grendel is a beautiful and heartbreaking modern retelling of the Beowulf epic from the point of view of the monster, Grendel, the villain of the 8th-century Anglo-Saxon epic. This book benefits from both of Gardner's careers: in addition to his work as a novelist, Gardner was a noted professor of medieval literature and a scholar of ancient languages.

Product Details

Title: Grendel
Sales Rank: 1658 in Books
Author: John Gardner
Publisher: Vintage, 1989-05-14, Paperback, 192 pages, ISBN: 0679723110
Package Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches, 0.45 pounds

Customer Reviews

''Things Fade; Alternatives Exclude": I think it's important to mention up front that 'Grendel' is not so much a re-telling of the Beowulf saga from the monster's point of view as it is a philosophical exploration into personal meaning. Readers who are unprepared for such an examination or who are expecting an updated adventure tale are likely to be disappointed, if they elect to finish the book at all. Neither of the two reviews on the… More reviews

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a ... Furry Arm Nailed to the Wall!: I originally read "Beowulf" in high school and found it somewhat dry and very characteristic of the "epic poetry" label. (It is the only epic poem surviving in full, after all.) I was not much impressed with "Beowulf" but found that John Gardner absolutely breathed life into the original story with his own version: "Grendel."
"Grendel"… More reviews

Existentialism in Grendel: The tale of Grendel is much more than just a story about a monster. Through Grendel's interactions with the humans, the wise dragon, and his mother, Grendel's understanding of the meaning of life and his role in the world bring up universal, philosophical questions. Grendel's intelligence as well is outstanding, often being more reasonable than the humans themselves. He comes to understand… More reviews

Recommended for Beowulf/Philosophy Fans: Grendel is a retelling of Beowulf from the monster's point of view. The monster is an outsider who spies on men from trees and cliffs, able to understand them and even speak a rudimentary form of their language, so he knows he is related to them. But when he tries to join them, he is attacked and driven away. He finds the cave of an ancient dragon, and they have a conversation. Because… More reviews

See the Other side of the story...: Have you every heard or read the legend about the Hero Beowulf, who fought the horrible troll Grendel and saved King Hrothgar's golden meed hall?
This brilliantly written story by John Gardner tells the story a tad bit different, from Grendel's point of view. It is a lovingly humorous and warm story that makes you both… More reviews