Explain Grendel's Process of Acquiring Self Knowledge In The Novel Grendel

Isaac Atayero

Mr. John Campion

A.P. English Language

October 24 2011

   Grendel’s process of acquiring self knowledge is a journey that begins from that begins from the very start of the novel and comes to a finish at the very end of the novel . During this journey, Grendel makes various stops along the way that teach him lessons that bring him closer to acquiring self knowledge. The journey includes many stops, one of which is Grendel’s experience with the bull. Another important encounter that Grendel faces is the one with the shaper. Grendel’s meeting with the dragon also plays a crucial part in Grendel’s road to acquiring self knowledge. Finally, Grendel’s meeting with the priest serves as a significant event in Grendel’s road to self knowledge.Together all these events contribute to Grendel’s process of acquiring self knowledge.

       Grendel’s encounter with the bull helps him come closer to fully acquiring self knowledge. His encounter with the bull happens rather early in the novel. During this time Grendel was in “the twelfth year of my idiotic war”(5), in which he was trying to find answers.He is angry that God will not answer his questions, in fact Grendel goes as far to “uplift a defiant middle finger”.

Grendel comes in contact with the bull while he is trapped in a tree. Although Grendel screams and yells in noticeable pain, the bull charges at him, ripping his leg up to his knee with its horn. The savage behavior of this bull brings Grendel to the conclusion that he is more intelligent than the bull and many of the animals he coexsists with. The fact that the bull “fought by instinct...fought the same way” each time brings Grendel to the conclusion that  the world is “mechanical chaos of casual brute enmity... i alone exist”(22). This encounter also helps Grendel know that he can feel pain, though it is ephemeral, he can still feel it. The reader can infer this when they read That Grendel screams “Waa! Waaa!” (18) hat he does feel pain. His encounter with the bull brings Grendel to see himself as “an ugly god”(22). Meeting the bull affects Grendel’s view of the world he inhabits greatly and brings him a step closer to acquiring self knowledge .

   Coming in contact with the shaper helps Grendel further down the path of acquiring self knowledge. Grendel first hears the shaper, a blind man, in Hrothgar’s meadhall reciting the story of creation . This story affects Grendel in a strange way because he wants to believe the story, he wants to believe that there is a God and he has a purpose in life. After hearing the recitation of the shaper, Grendel thought that “he had made it all seem true and very fine”(43). Grendel begins to ponder upon the words of the shaper and as he meditates on these words his “mind  aswim in ringing phrases, magnificent, golden”(43). The words of the shaper bring Grendel closer to completely acquiring self knowledge.

   One of the more important events that occur in Grendel is the discussion between Grendel and the god-like Dragon. Grendel goes to visit the dragon in the mountains and during his visit, the Dragon reveals to Grendel his purpose in life. Grendel wants to believe that the Dragon is right because he wants to have a place in the world. The Dragon informs Grendel that he “improve them...you stimulate them...drive them to poetry, science and religion”(73). Grendel now sees himself as a “brute existent”(73), a being with an identity . Grendel was happy to finally have an identity, he proudly proclaims “I am Grendel, Ruiner of meadhalls, wrecker of kings”(80). Finding an identity serves a s a big help for Grendel on his path to acquiring self knowledge.

    Grendel’s talk with the priest is also key to Grendel’s realization of self knowledge . While sitting amongst a set of ring statues, Grendel is initiated into a conversation with a blind old priest named Ork ,who convinces him that he is “The Destroyer”(130). Instead of killing Ork, Grendel asks him what he knows about The Destroyer and the priest’s response is a story about The Chief God and The Destroyer. However, Grendel chronicles that “before i can make up my mind about him i became aware that there are others moving toward the place”(132).This chat with Ork not only helps Grendel come closer to knowing who he really is but also acquiring self

knowledge.

      Grendel’s road to acquiring self knowledge was a long one that ended with a full circle moment for him. Getting hurt by the bull, listening to the shaper, the Dragon and the priest, Grendel starts to understand and acquire self knowledge. The process of Grendel acquiring self knowledge , however long and most times hurtful, helps Grendel realize his place as a being . All these experiences help direct Grendel to the truth of his exsitence and his purpose on earth.