Analysis Of Grendel And The Novel The Land Of Stories

When the lens created by the anglo-saxon society is removed the main antagonist in the classic Beowulf, Grendel, is revealed to be a tortured beast who is targeted by a religion crazed society. As stated by Chris Colfer in his novel The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell â€Å"A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told,† yet for many this lesson falls on deaf ears (9). For many Grendel is a thing of nightmares, a beast straight from hell that no villain can match. But when the society that villainizes Grendel is examined more closely one realizes that Grendel is really just an animal who is poked and prodded by an unrelenting society of savages. This savagery is seen in the way that the society calls the animal an anthropomorphic†¦show more content†¦Grendel’s visual hallucinations could be a result of schizophrenia, migraines, or Charles Bonnet syndrome, but whatever the cause of his hallucinations it is clear that Grendel needs help (WebMD ). Instead of ripping the arm off of schizophrenics, a common treatment is therapy (Mayo Clinic). Rather than outcasting those with Charles Bonnet syndrome most doctors instead treat the syndrome by encouraging patients to spend time outdoors (Mayo Clinic). In one of the causes of Charles Bonnet syndrome is social isolation (Mayo Clinic). Perhaps if the anglo-saxon society gave an attempt to accept Grendel and teach him their societal norms than they would realize that Grendel is just an injured animal that needs help. Not only did the anglo-saxon society cause Grendel to develop Charles Bonnet syndrome and treat Grendel as a social outcast, but they also torment the already hurt beast. When hunting, most hunters aim for the quickest and most painless kill, but when Beowulf hunts Grendel he chooses one of the longest and most painful methods to kill Grendel. It is stated that Grendel let out â€Å"horrible shrieks of pain and defeat,† (Raffel 17). Beowulf was meant to serve as an exterminator, but instead he becomes the devil of Grendel’s personal hell. He causes â€Å"tears [to tear] out of Grendel’s taut throat,† a ferocious beast who is known for being tough is brought to tears by a man who was simply there to get Grendel awayShow MoreRelatedThe Theme Of Fight In Beowulf798 Words   |  4 Pagestime of enemy land, air or naval formations. Learn more about. In the book Beowulf we witness 3 fights, this theme is therefore the articulation of the book. Indeed, these fights that Beowulf delivers, the hero of history, intrigues the reader. Thats why I chose this theme. During the fighting the reader can feel suspense, will the hero come out victorious? Is that as in all the epic story the hero will surpass his enemies? Plans for questions in perspective for this Beowulf analysis. 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