FREE ESSAY ON GRENDEL A PHILISOPHICAL POINT OF VIEW

GRENDEL A PHILISOPHICAL POINT OF VIEW

Grendel follows the philosophical evolution, from solipsism to nihilism, of a socially
isolated creature, a monster. It is an examination of human supernatural curiosity and
its many dangers, specifically the tendency toward blind cynicism. Grendel is a censure
of the rapid growth of this cynicism in twentieth century society and the consequent
widespread distrust of abstract ideals.
In investigating his own nature, the monster in the story destroys himself. He realizes
that the universe is determined, accidental, and so he loses faith in his own importance.
With time, he becomes a beast, until eventually his soul has wholly left him. He does not
die for love, or for passion, or for freedom. His spirit dies instead simply, hopelessly,
mired in boredom and anger, without courage or sadness. Grendel is dead long before his
body fails him. He fades away, and the most important theme in this novel is that such
self-destruction, though tempting, is not the only answer.
Grendel's first defense against a brute universe is solipsism: the belief that the self
can know only itself and that it is the only existent thing. As the novel clearly
demonstrates, solipsism is a weak defense. However loudly a creature may declare its
godhood, the universe continues to function independently. However a creature may deny
the reality of outside factors, outside factors will continue to impose themselves upon
his everyday existence. The main flaw in solipsism is that it contradicts every aspect of
human experience. Grendel is justifiably unsatisfied and nervous under its tenuous
cover.
After his visit to the dragon, Grendel finds a more solid shield, nihilism: the belief
that nothing has meaning; that life is a long series of accidents and is in itself an
accident. As a philosophy, nihilism is complete. It provides an answer to every
metaphysical why?. Whatever the concern, a nihilist can conclusively state, There is no
way to truly know, but it does not matter anyway. As a system of values for a living
being, however, nihilism leaves much to be desired. It destroys the self, quickly and
totally, with a single fall of a cynical whip. Grendel is utterly unhappy, because his
life is empty and devoid of meaning. Notice that he projects this meaningless onto the
thanes. He ridicules their actions and their passions, rendering them absurd in the
reader's eyes. In truth, Grendel has a certain respect for human beings. He envies their
capacity to dissolve into pure belief, and most of the hostility he exhibits toward them
is actually derived from hostility toward himself.
The human hero Beowulf represents an alternative to hopeless nihilism and cynicism, an
alternative that Grendel never finds. Beowulf is the embodiment of regeneration and
purity. Though Grendel thinks he is insane, Beowulf is the only level mind in the entire
novel. Beowulf completes the philosophical journey that shapes this novel by providing a
perfect answer to Grendel's puzzle. The meaning of life is in its living. The
justification of truth is in truth. The reason for beauty is beauty. It is too late for
Grendel, however, as he has lost too much of himself. In the final battle he rejects
Beowulf and all that the hero represents, and so Grendel's death, like his life, is
merely an accident.