Grendel

Describe Grendel’s relationship with his mother. How might a psychoanalytic reading of the novel as a whole interpret this relationship?

Some scholars consider Grendel a postmodern masterpiece. Consider the characteristics of postmodernism, and evaluate this statement.

The tone of the novel is whimsical, and many surrealistic elements contribute to its fanciful nature. Identify three surrealistic elements in the novel and explain how they heighten the dream-like atmosphere.

Gardner was a cartoonist and illustrator as well as a prolific writer. How does his depiction of Grendel work as a kind of literary cartoon character? In this character analysis, include quotes to support your arguments.

Grendel is fiction about fiction, a literary category known as metafiction. By retelling the story of Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic poem about a selfless warrior hero, through the voice of its villain, what is Gardner saying about the nature of evil?

The epic Beowulf contains both pagan and Christian imagery. Locate evidence of paganism and Christianity in Grendel, and discuss its significance to the novel as a whole.

Why do Hrothgar, Unferth, and other Danes meet the Stranger’s arrival with such ambivalence? Support your response with evidence from the novel.

Select one moment from the novel when Grendel confesses an emotional response to beauty. Perform a close reading of the paragraph(s) that describe this moment. What does your analysis reveal about Grendel’s character?