Thematic Deconstruction of Grendel by John Gardner
Thematic Deconstruction of Grendel by John Gardner
Talking, spinning a spell, a web of words telling the story of the hero and the damned. It is often said that History is written by the winners. John Gardner takes that view and deconstructs the winning story in Beowulf and transforms it into the story Grendel. This story shows the many questions that lie in the text of Beowulf. By using the answers to these questions, Gardner is able to deconstruct the story of Beowulf.
To understand the deconstruction that Gardner performs; the reader would have to know how Grendel was portrayed in Beowulf. In the Old English classic, he is described as a “dread monster.” He is viewed during the whole story as an evil monster that was damned by God because he descended from Cain. He was evil incarnate and had been ruthlessly attacking the mead hall for twelve years. He had enormous strength and could not be harmed by any weapons.
John Gardner takes this Grendel and asks the question of what Grendel was really like. He delves into the character and doesn’t take for granted the stories told about this creature. To Gardner, Grendel becomes a misunderstood creature. In the beginning of Grendel, he is depicted to be almost more humane than a human. One example of this is when he won’t kill the dear because cows are easier to catch and he only catches for food. This shows that he kills out of necessity and not sport; an activity than man participates in. This touch of humanity strips away at the view that Beowulf portrays and indirectly strips away from the deed of Beowulf himself. Grendel shows a love for things and a search for a purpose. These characteristics make him a human in character and, if not for his outcast status, normal. As the character of Grendel gains more and more humanity, the deed of Beowulf looks less like a heroic act and more like a misunderstanding.
Gardner deconstructs the telling of the tale in Beowulf, by using the “shapers.” These men were able to weave the tale of history into something that was more pleasing to the listeners. That is why it is said that the winners are the ones who write history....