Beowulf - The Psychology of Grendel

Psychologists often ensure to a persons past and elevation to explain the motivation for their actions as givings. Some authors examine the ontogenesis of their characters from youth to adulthood with the use of a Bildungsroman. can Gardner did this in his novel Grendel, a companion to the 8th light speed poem Beowulf. This choice of coordinate allows the ratifier to explore non just one incision of Grendels look, but the entirety of it. The reader sees Grendels development as a sheltered nestling, suffocated by his mother, to an adult facing death. This allows the reader to emplacement the characters in different lights passim the novel.\nThe prototypal stage is his electric shaverhood, which he spends naively exploring, untroubled by any serious eyeshot (SparkNotes). The book begins in reflect which symbolizes growth and rebirth which is only what is happening when Grendel goes exploring, showing his uncontrollable side. Grendels wandering leads to a raw(a) fi nding, his discovery of the lake of Firesnakes and life beyond. It is the first sign of curiosity and prowess and his first step toward adulthood. The bite step, which is considered to have made Grendel an adult, happens when the doodly-squat attacks him, forcing him to realize that the world follows no rules (SparkNotes). When I was a child I truly love: Unthinking love as calm and deep as the North Sea. But I have lived, and now I do not residuum (Gardner).\nAs Grendel ventures moreover and further away from his mother, like virtually teens tend to do, he goes through a snip of depression. He exhibits the behaviors of a nihilist. A nihilist is someone who acts upon total and commanding destructiveness to the world and oneself. Nihilists believe that life has no meaning, purpose, or value. He screamed and begged for his mother to come and avail him right away and it wasnt until he was nearly killed by the odd new creatures, called the humans, that she came for him. For every child there is a time when they get scu...