Grendel Watches an Old Ram Stand at Edge of Cliff

GRENDEL NOTES

John Champlin Gardner was born in Batavia, New York, on July 21, 1933, to John Champlin, a dairy farmer and lay Presbyterian preacher, and Priscilla Gardner, an English teacher. A few months shy of his twelfth birthday, Gardner inadvertently killed his younger brother Gilbert in a gruesome accident, running him over with a heavy farm machine. The incident haunted Gardner for the rest of his life in the form of nightmares and flashbacks, and the deep psychological wound it caused inspired and informed much of Gardner’s work.

Grendel was, in fact, the first and only Gardner volume to receive near-unanimous critical acclaim. Grendel, one of Gardner’s more stylistically and thematically postmodern novels, is an example of a metafiction—fiction about fiction. The plot and characters of the novel come from the sixth-century Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, a text that Gardner had been teaching at the university level for some time.

CHAPTER 1 (ARIES – I AM)

-GRENDEL WATCHES AN OLD RAM STAND AT EDGE OF CLIFF

-GRENDEL YELLS AT RAM, STAMPS FEET, THROW STONES AT IT

RAM DOESN’T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE GRENDEL
GRENDEL HOWLS HORRIBLY, FREEZES WATER AT HIS FEET
RAM DOES NOT MOVE
SPRING HAS ARRIVED

-ENCOUNTER FORESHADOWS GRENDEL’S ONE-WAY COMMUNICATIONS

-GRENDEL IN 12TH YEAR OF CONFLICT WITH HUMANS (STUPID, POINTLESS)

-GRENDEL COMPLAINS ABOUT ANIMALS’ LACK OF DIGNITY

GRENDEL CONSIDERS HIMSELF NO NOBLER THAN BRAINLESS ANIMALS

-DURING SPRING, GRENDEL JOURNEYS TO SEE WORLD OF MEN
GRENDEL’S MOTHER CAN’T SPEAK; SUFFERING FROM SOME SECRET CRIME; ANOTHER ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION

-GRENDEL OFTEN ATTACKS HROTHGAR’S MEADHALL

GRENDEL TAKES BODIES AND EATS THEM IN WOODS
FILLED WITH GLOOM AFTER MEAL

-GRENDEL HEARS DANES BLAME ATTACK ON ANGRY GOD

-GRENDEL ANGERED BY FUNERAL

-GRENDEL HAS SERIOUS IDENTITY ISSUES

HE DOESN’T KNOW WHO HE IS OR WHO HE SHOULD BE
SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT HE DOES IS WRONG
LIVES FOR RUSH OF KILL
HAS SERIOUS SELF LOATHING
POWDER KEG OF RAGE

CHAPTER 2 (TAURUS – I HAVE)

-START WITH FLASHBACK INTO UNKNOWN NUMBER OF YEARS IN PAST

-YOUNG GRENDEL IS EXPLORING, FINDS POOL OF FIRESNAKES

GRENDEL GRADUALLY CROSSES INTO HUMAN WORLD

-GRENDEL THINKS OF STRUGGLE WITH MOTHER; ARE THEY ONE ENTITY?

-GRENDEL SMELLS CALF, FINDS SELF TRAPPED IN TREE

-THINKS HE SEES HIS MOTHER BUT HE IS ALONE

SPENDS NIGHT AND INTO NEXT DAY TRAPPED
KEEPS HOPING MOTHER WILL SAVE HIM

-A BULL CHARGES AND RIPS GRENDEL’S LEG

-GRENDEL OUTSMARTS BULL; TWISTS BODY AWAY

-WORLD IS CHAOS OF VIOLENCE

-GRENDEL IS ON HIS OWN; LEAVING CHILDHOOD

-GRENDEL FALLS ASLEEP AS BULL STILL ATTACKS

-HUMANS THINK GRENDEL IS FUNGUS IN TREE; TREE SPIRIT

-GRENDEL LAUGHS, HUMANS ATTACK

OFFERED FOOD, NOW VIOLENCE
GRENDEL REALIZES HUMANS ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANIMALS

-GRENDEL’S MOTHER ARRIVES TO SAVE HIM

-GRENDEL TALKS TO MOTHER; GETS FRUSTRATED, SUFFOCATED

HE IS HIS OWN GOD
HAS REASON TO HATE HUMANS
HAS LOYALTY TO MOTHER

CHAPTER 3 (GEMINI – I THINK)

-GRENDEL TALKS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF MEN

BATTLE LIKE ANIMALS, KILL OWN SPECIES
BOASTFUL STORIES, LIES

-GRENDEL IS DISGUSTED AND FASCINATED BY MEN

MEN WASTE FOOD
MEN WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER, DESTROY

-GRENDEL FINDS HALL BURNED AND ROBBED

-HROTHGAR RISES TO POWER

VERY CLEVER; UNITES MEN AROUND HIM
OVERPOWERS CHALLENGERS
GRENDEL GETS ANGRY, JEALOUS

-SHAPER ARRIVES AND SINGS PROPAGANDA SONGS

GRENDEL KNOWS THEY ARE FALSE

-GRENDEL STRUGGLES WITH INNER CONFLICT

HE RESPONDS TO SHAPER’S SONGS, FALSE ART
HE KNOWS BETTER; RATIONAL THOUGHT

CHAPTER 4 (CANCER – I FEEL)

-HROTHGAR PLANS TO BUILD GLORIOUS NEW MEADHALL - HART

CALLS FOR HELP FROM OTHERS
HROTHGAR DOING GOOD FOR PEOPLE

-GRENDEL REALLY SPLIT IN TWO

MAN SEEMS TO BE CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS
GRENDEL WANTS TO BE PART OF IT; WILL MAKE CONTACT

-GRENDEL WONDERS ABOUT SHAPER’S POWER; FEELS DARKNESS

SNAKE SYMBOLIZES EVIL
BIBLE REFERENCES: CAIN AND ABLE
SNAKE TRICKED ADAM AND EVE

-GRENDEL CAN’T RECONCILE YOUNG COUPLE, DEAD, ROBBED MAN

-GRENDEL HEARS SHAPER’S SONG ABOUT DARK AND LIGHT

GRENDEL CURSED
GRENDEL DECLARES SELF FRIEND; HUMANS ATTACK

-GRENDEL LOOKS FOR THEIR GOD; BELIEVES SHAPER

-GRENDEL CALLS SHAPER’S RELIGIOUS SYSTEM FALSE BUT IS DRAWN TO IT

-GRENDEL FEELS SINISTER FORCE; GRABS SNAKE

-GRENDEL IS BEING PULLED TO DARKNESS

CHAPTER 5 (LEO – I WILL)

-GRENDEL VISITS HUGE DRAGON GUARDING MASSIVE TREASURE

-DRAGON ENJOYS GRENDEL’S FEAR

GRENDEL IS LIKE HOW HUMANS REACT TO GRENDEL

-GRENDEL STARTS TO THROW GEM, RECONSIDERS

-DRAGON CAN SEE BACK AND FORWARD IN TIME

-DRAGON CAN READ GRENDEL’S MIND INSTANTLY

DRAGON IS ALTERNATE GRENDEL PERSONALITY

-DRAGON KNOWS GRENDEL IS CURIOUS ABOUT SHAPER

EXPLAINS FLAWS IN HUMAN THINKING
SHAPER HELPS FLAWED SYSTEMS SEEM REAL
ORDERED SYSTEM BUT MADE UP

-DRAGON TRIES TO EXPLAIN HUMANS, ANIMALS

HUMANS HAVE LIMITED IMPACT
HUMANS’ CENTER IN HEAD; UNILKE ROCK; VEGETABLE

-DRAGON: MAN’S SYSTEMS WILL FADE; RIPPLE IN STREAM OF TIME

-DRAGON LAUGHS AT GRENDEL TRYING TO IMPROVE HIMSELF

-DRAGON: GRENDEL IS BRUTE EXISTENCE; DRIVE MAN TO LOFTY ART

-DRAGON: FIND GOLD AND SIT ON IT

-DRAGON IS GRENDEL’S RATIONALIZATION

IT IS OK TO KILL HUMANS

CHAPTER 6 (VIRGO – I DISCRIMINATE)

-GRENDEL SEES WORLD AS MEANINGLESS PLACE

-GRENDEL WARMING UP TO KILL AGAIN; DRAGON TALK WORKED

PICKS OFF STRAGGLERS AND KILLS THEM

GUARD SURPRISES GRENDEL; OTHERS JOIN

GRENDEL HAS CHARM; CAN’T BE HURT BY WEAPON
DELUSION; HE’S TOUGH TO KILL
GRENDEL BITES OFF HEAD OF GUARD WITH GLEE AND RUNS

-GRENDEL LAUNCHES FIRST RAID; STARTS 12-YEAR WAR

-UNFERTH CHALLENGES GRENDEL WITH TRASH TALK

GRENDEL SURPRISES WITH HIS USE OF LANGUAGE, TAUNTS
MAN CAN’T EASILY UNDERSTAND GRENDEL

-GRENDEL MOCKS UNFERTH; UNFERTH CRIES

-THREE DAYS LATER, GRENDEL AWAKES TO FIND UNFERTH AT HIS CAVE

UNFERTH, GRENDEL ARGUE ABOUT HEROISM
UNFERTH NEEDS TO SAVE FACE; WANTS TO DIE
GRENDEL RETURNS UNFERTH TO HALL TO FACE CONSEQUENCES
GRENDEL SPARES UNFERTH AT EVERY RAID

GRENDEL LOVES RUSH OF KILLING; WONDERS WHY HE WASN’T DOING IT ALL ALONG

GRENDEL LOVES MENTAL TORTURE EVEN MORE

CHAPTER 7 (LIBRA – I HARMONIZE)

-WEIRD TYPE AND NONSENSE WORDS SHOW GRENDEL’S BREAKDOWN

-GRENDEL WEARING DOWN HROTHGAR; ANOTHER LORD RISES UP

-HROTHGAR GATHERS ARMY TO CONFRONT RIVAL LORD

-UNFERTH HAS REBUILT HIS STATUS AS A WARRIOR

-TWO KINGS NEGOTIATE; HROTHGAR GETS KING’S DAUGHTER WEALTHEOW

-GRENDEL SMITTEN BY WEALTHEOW; STOPS ATTACKING HALL

GRENDEL’S FEELINGS FOR WEALTHOEW CONFLICT WITH DRAGON’S LIFE IS MEANINGLESS SPEECH
HE HAS FEELINGS SIMILAR TO HOW HE FELT WITH SHAPER

WEALTHEOW TRANSFORMS HROTHGARS KINGDOM

EVERYONE CALM; LORDS SERVING LOWER CLASS

-GRENDEL GRABS WEALTHEOW; LOOKS AT HER UGLY HOLE – WILL COOK IN FIRE

-GRENDEL’S ACTIONS ARE MEANINGLESS; SPARES WEALTHEOW

DANES CONFUSED BY GRENDEL

CHAPTER 8 (SCORPIO – I DESIRE)

-HROTHGAR’S BROTHER HALGA IS MURDERED

HALGA’S 14-YEAR OLD SON HROTHULF COMES TO STAY

-HROTHULF TALKS ABOUT SOCIALISM; SULKS

-HROTHULF FRUSTRATED WITH GULF BETWEEN RICH AND POOR

-HROTHULF HAS MENTOR, RED HORSE, LIKE GRENDEL’S DRAGON

RED HORSE: GOVERNMENT IS EVIL
SPIN REVOLUTION AS HEROIC NOT BLOODY TO RECRUIT

RED HORSE A MOUTHPIECE FOR GARDNER

-HROTHGAR CONVINCED HROTHULF WILL RISE AGAINST HIM

HROTHGAR SEES MULTIPLE THREATS; IS PARANOID
HAS LOST STRENGTH; AT END OF LINE

-GRENDEL; HIS ATTACKS GIVE SAD MEN DIGNITY

HIS ATTACKS CREATED ARMY; HE CAN TEST THEM

-HROTHULF RESEMBLES GRENDEL

CHAPTER 9 (SAGITTARIUS – I ASPIRE)

-WINTER ARRIVES; EVERYTHING IS DEAD

NORMALLY DISLIKES WINTER BUT THIS IS WORSE

-GRENDEL PONDERS MEN’S RELIGION

MORE PERFORMANCE THAN SUBSTANCE
HE DESTROYED STATUES; PRIESTS REBUILD
GRENDEL ALLOWED STATUES TO STAND

-GRENDEL TRICKS ORK, BLIND OLD PRIEST, TO THINK HE IS DESTROYER

-ORK: GOD PROVIDES MEANING, NOTHING IS WASTED

-GOD IS IRRATIONAL FOUNDATION TO CONCRETE SYSTEM

-ORK’S THEORIES BRING HIM TO TEARS

-GRENDEL NOW UNSURE WHAT TO DO; THREE PRIESTS APPROACH

-PRIESTS DON’T BELIEVE ORK, TEASE HIM FOR BEING SILLY

-YOUNG PRIEST ARRIVES; HAPPY THAT ORK HAS CHANGED MIND

-GRENDEL SPARES ORK’S LIFE; UNUSUAL POST DRAGON

CHAPTER 10 (CAPRICORN – I ACHIEVE)

-GRENDEL WATCHES GOAT CLIMB CLIFF; YELLS AT IT

-GRENDEL THROWS TREES AND STONES AFTER GOAT WON’T STOP

GOAT’S HEAD SPLIT; STILL CLIMBS
LIKE GRENDEL; MINDLESS

-OLD WOMAN EXPECTS A GIANT; PEOPLE KNOW SOMETHING IS COMING

-SHAPER DIES; GRENDEL SHAKEN

THINKS ABOUT HOW PAST CAN’T BE CHANGED
FOCUS ON NOW

-GRENDEL’S MOTHER GETS CRAZIER; FEARS FOR GRENDEL

TRIES TO KEEP GRENDEL IN CAVE WITH JIBBERISH

-GRENDEL ATTENDS SHAPER’S FUNERAL

-GRENDEL FEELS SENSE OF DREAD

-GRENDEL WAKES IN TERROR; FEEL HANDS ON THROAT

CHAPTER 11 (AQUARIUS – I KNOW)

-IT’S BEOWULF

HE’S COME TO KILL GRENDEL

-GRENDEL CAN’T HELP EXCITEMENT OVER ARRIVAL OF GEATS

-GRENDEL WANTS TO BE RELEASED FROM HIS BURDEN

-THEORIES CAN BE DESTROYED BY ACT OF VIOLENT TRUTH

-BEOWULF TELLS OF DEFEATING MONSTERS DURING SWIM RACE

-BEOWULF TELLS UNFERTH HE WILL BE IN HELL FOR KILLING HIS BROTHERS

-GRENDEL THINKS BEOWULF IS INSANE; DARKNESS SIGNALS GRENDEL’S TIME

CHAPTER 12 (PISCES – I BELIEVE)

-GRENDEL EXCITEDLY RAIDS HALL

USES TABLECLOTH AS NAPKIN AS HE EATS ONE MAN

-NEXT MAN, BEOWULF, GRABS GRENDEL’S WRIST

-BEOWULF DOMINATES GRENDEL

GRENDEL HALLUCINATES (BEOWULF WINGS, SPITS FLAMES)

-BEOWULF TALKS OF WORLD AS DUST; GRENDEL CRIES FOR MOM

-GRENDEL: BEOWULF HAS UPPER HAND DUE TO ACCIDENT

GRENDEL SLIPS ON BLOOD HE CREATED

-BEOWULF SMASHES GRENDEL INTO WALL; OBSERVE THE WALL

-BEOWULF FORCES GRENDEL TO SING SONG

-BEOWULF RIPS GRENDEL’S ARM FROM SOCKET

-GRENDEL CALLS FOR MOTHER; STANDS AT CLIFF FROM CHAPTER 1

-GRENDEL SENDS SELF INTO ABYSS

ANIMALS GATHER TO WATCH HIM DIE
“POOR GRENDEL’S HAD AN ACCIDENT SO MAY YOU ALL

SETTING: 400 A.D.; DENMARK

POINT OF VIEW: 1ST PERSON; AS OTHER CHARACTERS

PROTAGONIST: GRENDEL

INTERNAL CONFLICT: GRENDEL STRUGGLES TO FIND HIS PLACE IN THE WORLD AND DEFINE HOW WORLD IS SET UP.

EXTERNAL CONFLICT:HROTHGAR’S MEN, BEOWULF

FORESHADOWING: UNRESPONSIVE RAM FORESHADOWS UNRESPONSIVE HUMANS – GRENDEL’S COMMUNICATION ISSUES

DARK PRESENCE IN WOODS FORESHADOWS DRAGON

GRENDEL AND HIS MOTHER SENSE BEOWULF’S ARRIVAL

IRONY:GRENDEL SLIPS ON BLOOD IN FIGHT THAT HE SPILLED

GRENDEL SPARES UNFERTH TO MENTALLY TORTURE HIM

GRENDEL SPARES ORTH AFTER RELIGIOUS TALK

CHARACTERIZATION: INSIDE GRENDEL’S HEAD; LITTLE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER CHARACTERS – HROTHGAR MOST DEVELOPED

THEMES:

FIGHT BETWEEN REASON AND EMOTION

POWER OF STORIES/PROPAGANDA

PAIN OF ISOLATION

RESPONSE #1: MEET THE BEAST

1)EXPLAIN GRENDEL’S PERSONAL IDENTITY. HOW WAS IT FIRST CREATED?WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON HIS LIFE?

2)EXPLAIN WHY GRENDEL KILLS HUMANS? HOW DOES HE FEEL ABOUT THAT?

3)EXPLAIN AN EXAMPLE OF FORESHADOWING FROM THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS.

4)EXPLAIN WHAT CREATES GRENDEL’S PERCEPTION OF HUMANS.

5)DESCRIBE GRENDEL’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER.

DUE NEXT CLASS

EACH ANSWER NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST FOUR SENTENCES.

RESPONSE #2: DANGEROUS INTENTIONS

1)EXPLAIN GRENDEL’S INTERNAL CONFLICT.

2)WHAT EVENT SPURS GRENDEL TO TRY AND MAKE CONTACT WITH MEN?

3)EXPLAIN HOW GRENDEL SPLITS INTO TWO PERSONALITIES.

4)WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE DRAGON?

5)EXPLAIN ONE RATIONALIZATION GRENDEL USES FOR HIMSELF.

DUE AT END OF CLASS

EACH ANSWER NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST FOUR SENTENCES.

RESPONSE #3: BACK ON THE DARK SIDE

1)EXPLAIN WHAT GRENDEL DOES AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DRAGON. BE SURE TO TALK ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR TO THE MEN.

2)EXPLAIN GRENDEL’S RELATIONSHIP WITH UNFERTH.

3)EXPLAIN GRENDEL’S INTEREST IN THE QUEEN. HOW DOES THAT GO?

4)DESCRIBE GRENDEL’S MENTAL STATE.

5)EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF THE QUEEN ON HROTHGAR’S MEN.