Grendel by John Gardner
Notes
The pictures of Grendel at the start of each chapter becomes more and more distinct as the book
progresses.
Chapter 1- Aries, the Ram (p. 5-14)
 5
o Story told in first person
o Grendel is lucid
o He’s in the 12th year of his war, no clarification on what the war is about or
between
 6-7
o Grendel understands that he has killed and eaten people. He hates everything
 8
o He is alone and knows it, no one gives him comfort or joy
 9
o He references “age after age” implies that he is immortal or at least very old
o He cannot resist his urge to kill and eat, so he must give in to it
 11
o He disdains his mother for being fat and unmoving, just sleeping all the time
o He believes his mother has some human in her
o Grendel asked his mother why they are in their underground hole, she cannot
answer him. She doesn’t speak
 12
o Description of the attack on Hrothgar’s Hall, the 12 year war, from Grendel’s
Point of View. He sees himself as a guest and their attacks as humorous
 13
o Grendel sees the humans as dumb animals, ants that have no thoughts. He
watches as they burn their dead and laughs at them
o He mentions conversing with a dragon and the wisdom the dragon told him, but
no clear scene
 Philosophy
o Philosophy is that of the Orphic Sages, that the world is a progression of endlessly
repeating cycles.
Chapter 2- Taurus, the bull (p. 15-29)
 16
o He explores the cave system he lives in until he finds the exit to the world
 17
o He knows that he is his mother’s creation and she loves him
 18
o He gets his foot stuck in a tree, bleeding and crying for his mother
 20
o A bull charges into the tree he’s stuck in, cut his leg with the horn
 21
o Grendel realizes the bull only fights by instinct, cannot think or reason
 21-22
o Realizes he is alone and the world is empty around him
 22-23
o He falls asleep and wakes when the bull is gone, this is the first time he sees men

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
23
o Grendel speaks the same language as men
o He is fascinated by the men
24-26
o The men examine him in the tree, first think he’s a fungus, next a spirit
27
o He tries to speak, but the men take it as a howl and attack
o Mother howls in the distance and the men flee
28
o His mother knows no language
29
o Mama presses him to her flesh, crushing him
Philosophy
o Leaves his cave and enters the world, reference to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave.
o Solipsism, he believes that the world only exists as a mechanical system created
blink by blink
Chapter 3-Geminis, the twins (p. 30-45)
 30
o Grendel has settled on destroying Hrothgar
 31-32
o Grendel watches as the men’s settlements grow and men live their lives
 32-33
o Description of drinking and boasting ritual
 33-34
o Grendel sees the result of a war: dead animals and men, none eaten. Songs say
this has always happened.
 35-36
o He watches a fight, doesn’t understand the point
 37
o Hrothgar consolidates his power over other halls and collects tribute
 40
o Hrothgar’s tribe expands and starts destroying the environment
 42
o A blind harpist appears and fires up the men
 44
o He is affected by the poetry, feels great tenderness for the whole world
 Philosophy
o Shaper changes the world with his songs, makes it better and less brutish.
o This is Sophism, who were believed to be so skilled they could win either side of
the argument.
o Grendel wants to believe the world can change, but his experience tells him
otherwise
Chapter 4- Cancer, the nourisher (p. 46-56)
 47
o Hrothgar creates a great mead hall by the coast
 48
o Grendel hates Hrothgar because Hrothgar is good and Grendel is bloodthirsty
 49
o He doesn’t understand how the singer can change the world

51
o Singer implies that Grendel is from Cain and cursed forever. Grendel believes it
o He also sees that Abel’s descendants are no better

52
o Grendel appears and tries to make friends, they attack. He is hurt and runs


54
o He wants the companionship and goodness then Shaper sings of, but he hates that
he is forever alone
Philosophy
o Shaper details the religion that will nourish the new world he is creating.
o Grendel is listed as one of the evil ones.
o Grendel tries to apologize for his role, but gets attacked.
o Even if it makes him evil, he wants this vision to be true so that he can find order
and purpose in the world.
Chapter 5- Leo, the dramatizer (p. 57-74)
 57
o Grendel goes to visit a dragon, seems to be the dragon Beowulf will fight later
o The dragon speaks like an old man, and quietly. He sits on top of a hoard of gold
and gems
 59
o The dragon likens Grendel’s fear here to men’s fear of Grendel.
o The thought makes the dragon laugh uncontrollably
 60
o The dragon sobers instantly and menaces Grendel when Grendel picks up a gem.
Dragon is obviously covetous
 63
o The dragon knows all things, past, present, and future. He reaffirms free will, just
because the dragon knows what is going to happen does not mean he causes
anything to happen
 64
o Men have little vision, they think they have a system, but they don’t really know
 65
o Shaper has power because he makes connections between things seem real. Men
need this to survive.
 66
o Dragon explains time and space as simply a matter of magnitude
o Everything looks small or large, depending on what it is compared to
 68-69
o Dragon tries to explain the universe in simple terms. Written as clearly over
Grendel’s head and the readers’
 70
o The dragon says everything will be destroyed in time, nothing will and or begin
but merely be destroyed and then reform in a different way
 72
o Grendel asks why he shouldn’t stop scaring men. He wants to improve himself
 73
o Dragon explains that Grendel helps men by creating an Others, a comparison by
which men explain themselves
o If Grendel were to disappear, then he would be instantly replaced by something
else
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
74
o The dragon says to “Know thyself.”
o His final advice is not to Wait and See or make the world better, but to seek out
gold and then sit on it
Philosophy
o Dragon is materialistic and nihilistic by turns
o Dragon is a metaphysician
o The problem here is that Grendel can understand Shaper and he can’t understand
dragon
o Dragon does, however, make Grendel think of a more complex world
Chapter 6- Virgo (p. 75-90)
 75
o The dragon put a spell on Grendel and now he is invulnerable to weapons
 76
o At first Grendel thinks this is great, but comes to realize it is another way in
which he is alone.
 77
o Shaper sings of the greatness of Hrothgar and his people, and this enrages Grendel
because he is offended by their hope
 78-79
o He is discovered by the guards and attacked. No one can hurt him and he grabs a
guard and bites off the guard’s head
 80
o Grendel begins raiding. He feels born again; he is Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls,
Wrecker of Kings.
o He is alone totally alone.
 80-81
o Grendel raids the hall and describes the encounter with the thanes
 82
o Grendel encounters Unferth.
 83-84
o Unferth challenges Grendel with high words, Grendel speaks to him and Unferth
understands. Unferth is unnerved by the beast speaking
o Grendel toys with Unferth, mocking him and throwing apples
 86
o Grendel leaves Unferth bleeding in a pile of apples and heads to his cave
o Unferth arrives 3 days later
 87
o Unferth lies on the floor of the cave, waiting for death. He wants the honor of a
good death, doesn’t want to actually fight
o Grendel sits and watches
 88
o Unferth doesn’t believe in poetry, but he believes in inner heroism
o Unferth contradicts his earlier statement about songs being sung of him, Grendel
notices this
 89
o Unferth is here for a chance at killing Grendel, he thinks heroes are the ideal that
makes life worth living


90
o Grendel carries the sleeping Unferth back to Hrothgar and refuses to kill him ever.
It’s Grendel’s way of mocking heroes
Philosophy
o Existentialism: Grendel understands his place in the world. He has created himself
as the one who will destroy Hrothgar.
o Skepticism: Grendel questions everything that men create with all his moral
being. He believes that all of the organizations of men blind them from the truth
o Grendel references virgins that Unferth, the hero, will be able to gain by his fame.
Chapter 7- Libra (p. 91-110)
 91
o Grendel does not destroy Hrothgar entirely because then he would have no
purpose or role in the world
 93
o Grendel will not kill, because he has reached his quota. He is raising the men like
cattle
o The Queen is introduced
 95-98
o A new king gains power to challenge Hrothgar, he builds an army. Hrothgar
meets him and defeats him without any bloodshed. The new king submits to
Hrothgar
 100
o Hrothgar does not accept any gifts to leave, so the young king offers his sister,
Wealtheow to Hrothgar
o She comes with dignity, like a sacrificial virgin
o Grendel is deeply affected, like he was by Shaper’s songs. He hates himself for it
 102-103
o Wealtheow is a servant of the men, but she brings them more civilization, calm
and beauty than they had known
 104
o Someone calls out Unferth for killing his brother while drunk. He is affected.
o Wealtheow says “That is past.” And it absolves Unferth of his gift
o Grendel is torn between amazement and scorn
 106
o When Wealtheow’s brother brings his band to Hrothgar the King and Queen are
both very happy. They seem to be of one mind
 109-110
o Grendel is in love with Wealtheow. He wants to destroy her for this, but when he
has her in his power, held up by her feet with her legs apart he can’t do it
o He resolves not to kill her
 Philosophy
o Libra is the conciliator. Wealtheow balances her faith with Grendel’s skepticism
o Wealtheow has brought peace both between the Danes and Helmings, but also
among the village
o Grendel will sacrifice nothing, whereas Weatheow has sacrificed everything
o Shaper was the old testament, Wealtheow is the new
o Grendel believes in chaos and futility, Wealtheow believes in order and purpose
Chapter 8- Scorpio (p. 111-124)
 112
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o Hrothulf, Hrothgar’s nephew, comes to Herot when his father is killed.
o He is 14 and brooding, seems to be a problem coming
113-114
o Description of the violence inherent in the system.
o Villagers think themselves lucky to be under the nobles, do not realize the
exploitation
117
o Hrothulf meets with an old peasant named Red Horse to learn. They meet in the
woods in secret
118-119
o Red Horse advocated revolution as creation.
o Tells Hrothulf to be brutal for the common good and use the system to his
advantage by rewarding those he needs and killing the rest, but legally
119
o The state is defined as the monopoly on legitimate violence. Only violence gives
authority
120
o Red Horse believes that all governments are monstrously evil
121
o Hrothgar knows the danger is coming, he can see Hrothulf’s plan as well as the
other dangers that he is exposed to at all times. Being old has taken his strength,
but left his cunning
123
o Grendel sees Hrothgar as his creation, Hrothgar has become a king because of the
fear the people have of Grendel
Philosophy
o Hrothgar’s kingdom has shifted from a city-state to a nation-state
o Hrothulf’s appearance signals the shift to the modern age, it is all about gaining or
maintaining power
o Red Horse is parroting Machiavelli’s ideals
o Sentiments, obligations and love play no part in the government of the modern
nation-state.
Chapter 9- Sagittarius (p. 125-137)
 125-126
o Grendel is in winter, he sees nothing alive. The children make snow angels
 126-127
o The slow motion act of a bowman hunting a deer.
o Grendel captures it in his mind and senses a riddle in it
 127-129
o The pagan priests call on their wooden gods to save the men from Grendel.
Grendel watches and is not attacked.
o Grendel sees that only the priests believe, the rest just follow along out of habit or
ignore the gods completely
 130
o Grendel sits at midnight in the center of the ring of gods.
o A blind, old priest appears and Grendel speaks to him
 131
o The priest explains the King of the Gods, the ultimate limitations and irrationality
 132-133
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o The power of the King of the Gods is that he makes men think the world is worth
something. The King shows that it is not simply time passing and things falling
away
133-134
o Three priests find Ork, they don’t see Grendel. They are cynical. They think that
Ork is being crazy and want him to save his vision for when people can see it to
give alms
o Even the priests do not believe, they just follow the ritual.
135
o A fourth, younger priest appears; he believes Ork.
o The fourth priest thinks that rationality limits the possibilities of the world. He
wants ecstasy and imagination.
o The other priests pity him.
Philosophy
o Moving more toward modernism. The last metaphysician, Ork, is ignored and
believed to be a crackpot.
o Shaper’s dualism of good and evil has been replaced by process and hypocrisy
Chapter 10- Capricorn (p. 138-150)
 139
o The Shaper is sick, mentioned that he had a fever in the last chapter
 139-140
o A goat is climbing toward Grendel’s mere. Grendel yells at it to go back, he is
protecting his private place.
o The goat does not turn around, because it cannot reason. Its job is to climb and it
will.
o Grendel kills it by throwing rocks and trees off the ledge. Even when the goat is
dead Grendel is threatened by it.
 141-142
o Life in winter described. Everything is mechanical and unloving. No uses are
found for the men on watch or the women in the house
 144
o Shaper dies in the presence of the king and queen
 145
o Mother is more and more crazy, she just runs around the cave and tries to keep
Grendel inside
 146
o Grendel muses on the past, how it only exists in his memory as words.
o He remembers but does not understand how he was affected by Shaper’s words
when he first appeared
 149
o As he watches the pyre burn the Shaper he feels that he is alone in the world.
Something serious has left.
 150
o Chapter ends with nihil ex nihilo
 Philosophy
o Grendel develops a Nietzschean philosophy. He is the only one moved by the old
priest’s ideas and the only one moved by Shaper’s death.
o He sees that Shaper was the one who made the world real. Without him the world
is dead and empty.
o Like Nietzsche facing the death of god, Grendel faces the death of Shaper.
Chapter 11- Aquarius (p. 151-166)
 151
o Beowulf arrives by sea. Grendel is excited at the new meat
 154-155
o The Geats are described in mechanical terms, almost as if they are not human
o Beowulf is likened to all inhuman things. Chest like an oven, arms like beams,
belly like a shark, etc.
o Grendel is afraid and fascinated by Beowulf
 156-157
o Grendel doesn’t know if he is afraid of the new men, but he is more aware of
everything around him
 158
o He realizes the dragon’s philosophy, he alone exists in the world, he is the thing
that does not fit the order
o He knows that he could just stay away and wait until Beowulf leaves, but that
does not fit into his worldview.
o He goes to the mead hall and listens
 159
o Hrothgar’s thanes are unhappy about Beowulf’s arrival. It is dishonorable to be
bailed out by another group
o The priests are unhappy because they always said the gods would finish Grendel
 160
o Unferth’s challenge to Beowulf.
 161-162
o Beowulf’s response to Unferth, describing the battle with the sea monsters
o Grendel believes that Beowulf is insane.
o Beowulf ends by calling out Unferth for killing his brothers and says he will go to
hell for it.
 165
o Grendel is becoming more and more afraid of Beowulf, but also more and more
eager to fight him
 166
o Everyone goes to sleep. Grendel knows it is time to fight.
 Philosophy
o Grendel has become an existentialist. He sees himself as the center of the world
and everything else only existing in relationship to him.
o He believes he has total free will because he creates with world.
o This shifts his focus now that Shaper (God) is dead
Chapter 12- Pisces (p. 167-174)
 168-169
o Beowulf grabs Grendel’s arm and pulls at it. The pain blinds Grendel, he
hallucinates and can’t think straight
 170-171
o Grendel sees Beowulf as the dragon, forcing his philosophy onto Grendel and
killing him
 173
o Grendel welcomes death when he sees it cannot be avoided.
 Philosophy
o Beowulf beats Grendel into empiricism. Grendel cannot believe that only he
exists after he has his head smashed against a wall.
o This contact between existentialism and empiricism creates poetry, Grendel’s
song about the wall.
o When Beowulf is satisfied that Grendel understands, Beowulf allows Grendel to
leave to bleed to death.
o Grendel, finally, recognizes nothing but experience.

The growth and decline of the village itself follow the same progression. Shaper builds it
into a great place, but his death starts its decline. Hrothgar is too old to be a great leader,
and with the death of Grendel even the fight against nature is over. The village will fade
and devolve into politics and rationality.