Similarities Between The Monster And Grendel

Grendel vs. “The monster” Grendel in the novel by John Gardner is very similar to “the monster” in Frankenstein by Mary Shelly because both Grendel and the monster feel like outsiders, they kill humans, and they both are able to learn new things. Grendel feels like an outsider because he knows he is different and he wants to know the truth of why he is what he is and why God made him that way. Grendel asks his mother “Why are we here?” which means that he is doubting his existence. Grendel kills humans in the mead hall while they are asleep. “Swiftly, softly, I will move from bed to bed and destroy them all, swallow every last man.” He kills them because he was affected by the shapers death. Grendel is capable of learning new things.

All the monster wanted was company, but because he feels alone. He tries to make friends with the people, but every time someone saw him, they would scream and run away from him. When he talks to Frankenstein, he tells him “I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me.” The monster first kills Victor 's little brother because he is mad at Victor for creating him the way he is. Later on Justine is accused of a killing victor’s brother and she didn’t do it so she goes through a trial and they decide to kill her. At the end the monster kills Victor’s wife named Elizabeth because he is angry that victor wouldn’t create a companion for him. The monster learns to speak and read from the people. He would listen to them speak and he would watch them all day. He later began to understand what they were saying. “So that in two months I began to comprehend most of the words uttered by my protectors.” He found a few books that were in the woods and he begins to read them. In the end they both end up dying because of their actions. Grendel was defeated by Beowulf, “I whisper. I will fall” and the monster decides to kill himself “I shall die, and what I now feel be no longer