Grendel's Spirits

Grendel is a very odd creature. While reading the first four chapters, I always notice that there are some spirits around him whether it’s a “dark chasm”, watchful “eyes”, or a menacing “presence.” What really do all these spirits mean? I think that they are simply manifestations of Grendel, revealing implicit aspects of him. For example, the “dark chasm” could possible represent the existential void, which is part of Grendel’s philosophy. On the next page, the “stars…torment [his] wits towards meaningful patterns that do not exist.” Grendel’s beliefs surely follow the existential philosophy as he can’t (or will not) see meaning in anything. Perhaps, the existential void parallels an internal void within Grendel. Since Gardner is an anti-existentialist, it wouldn’t be surprising that he describes the existentialist Grendel as having a void. Such an interpretation begs the question: What is that void? At the end of Chapter 1, there are subtle clues that point to an emptiness within Grendel. When the townspeople “wail…with a single quavering voice,” they express joy and some sort of communion even after Grendel murdered their fellows. Such a communion torments and even makes Grendel “shake with rage.” His rage is a product of his envy and loneliness. He longs for that camaraderie, the lack of which is creating a void within him. Looking even further into the “dark chasms” also reveals Grendel’s views towards a higher power. Grendel demands the dark chasms to “seize” him “to [its] foul black bowels and crush [his] bones.” If the dark chasms represent God or a higher being, then Grendel is challenging it. After Grendel comments that the chasms have “missed him”, Grendel is mocking God’s lack of power to punish or “seize” Grendel. Clearly, Grendel is skeptical of any notion of a higher power. Thus, when he starts seeing stars in meaningful patterns, Grendel has tormented “wits” because the patterns give evidence to a higher being that creates meaning in the world.


The watchful “eyes” are also a very interesting part of the novel. First, there is definitely a distinction between those eyes and Grendel’s mother’s eyes as he says, “Then all at once there they’d be again, the indifferent burning eyes of strangers. Or my mother’s eyes.” Honestly, I still have a hard time grasping who the eyes are or what the eyes represent. I do have a theory that all the eyes are, in a way, Grendel’s eyes—his search for meaning throughout the world. Before the tree incident, Grendel’s existential philosophy isn’t present, and Grendel really finds meaning in his mother. Thus, “Of all the creatures [Grendel] knew, in those days, only my mother really looked at me.” Since only his mother looked at Grendel instead of through him like the others, Grendel’s mother is the only one that has meaning for him. During the tree incident, the absence of his mother (and “her” eyes) shows that Grendel can no longer see meaning within his mother. Finally, I want to consider that mocking “presence” within Chapter 4. To me, even the “presence” is internal and a part of Grendel. It isn’t an external entity, and is perhaps a manifestation of Grendel’s own self-doubt. The presence responds with “Why not?” to Grendel’s thoughts about the Shaper’s influence and how the “Shaper could enrage [him] so.” It is almost as if Grendel is responding “Why not?” to his own thoughts and beliefs. The Shaper changes men. Why not? The Shaper changes Grendel. Why not? The Shaper changes the world. Why not? With all of the Shaper’s change, he becomes a new God or higher being for Grendel, which contrasts from Grendel’s existential theories. Thus, Grendel doubts his own theories and, as a result, doubts himself.