Religion and Grendel
Authors often have to choose between concentrating on
either plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in
John Gardener's Grendel, any notion of a plot is forgone in
order for him to share his thoughts about late sixties-early
seventies America and the world's institutions as a whole.
While Grendel's exploits are nearly indecipherable and yawn
inducing, they do provide the reader with the strong opinions
the author carries. This existentialistic novel can be seen
clearly as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms.
Most easily, the reader will be able to see the blatant
religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and the foolish
faithful. There is also some negativity placed on the notion of
the old being the wise. Gardener deems hero idolization
unacceptable as well; knowledge that the Vietnam War was
prevalent at the time gives additional insight into his
complaints. Religion plays a large role in Grendel. Priests do
not want to perform their services without the proper
payment which, in turn, causes the rich to be able to become
the most 'religious.' The citizens of the village are also
confusingly poly- and monotheistic. When praying to their
king god does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits,
they retreat to begging any god of which they have known
for help. This reveals their faith to be not faith at all but rather
faith that will remain faith as long as it can be proven. A
proven religious faith is contradictory term, for it can only be
placed in a religion that cannot be proven lest it is true faith
no longer. Grendel's interludes with the dragon portray, at
their onsets, the dragon as a worldly, wise creature with
much to share. The dragon haughtily informs Grendel about
his vast store of knowledge as he teases him with how much
he knows. As Grendel's interests are piqued, the dragon
expends the cumulative result of his travails: "Know how
much you've got, and beware of strangers My advice
either plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in
John Gardener's Grendel, any notion of a plot is forgone in
order for him to share his thoughts about late sixties-early
seventies America and the world's institutions as a whole.
While Grendel's exploits are nearly indecipherable and yawn
inducing, they do provide the reader with the strong opinions
the author carries. This existentialistic novel can be seen
clearly as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms.
Most easily, the reader will be able to see the blatant
religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and the foolish
faithful. There is also some negativity placed on the notion of
the old being the wise. Gardener deems hero idolization
unacceptable as well; knowledge that the Vietnam War was
prevalent at the time gives additional insight into his
complaints. Religion plays a large role in Grendel. Priests do
not want to perform their services without the proper
payment which, in turn, causes the rich to be able to become
the most 'religious.' The citizens of the village are also
confusingly poly- and monotheistic. When praying to their
king god does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits,
they retreat to begging any god of which they have known
for help. This reveals their faith to be not faith at all but rather
faith that will remain faith as long as it can be proven. A
proven religious faith is contradictory term, for it can only be
placed in a religion that cannot be proven lest it is true faith
no longer. Grendel's interludes with the dragon portray, at
their onsets, the dragon as a worldly, wise creature with
much to share. The dragon haughtily informs Grendel about
his vast store of knowledge as he teases him with how much
he knows. As Grendel's interests are piqued, the dragon
expends the cumulative result of his travails: "Know how
much you've got, and beware of strangers My advice