Similarities Between Grendel and Frankenstein

Introduction

Monsters have been part of stories for a long time, showing us how complicated people and societies can be. Two of the most interesting monsters in Western literature are Grendel from the epic "Beowulf" and Frankenstein's creature from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Even though they come from different times and places, these characters share some surprising things in common. They both start out isolated, interact with humans in violent ways, and make us think about big life questions. This essay will look at these similarities, showing how both Grendel and Frankenstein's creature represent human fears and failures.

'Similarities Between Grendel and Frankenstein'

First off, both Grendel and Frankenstein's creature come from a place of loneliness and rejection. Grendel is related to the biblical Cain, so he's doomed to live alone on the outskirts of human life. His scary looks mean he can't ever fit into the human world he watches from afar. This makes him resentful and angry toward people. In the same way, Frankenstein's creature is brought to life by Victor Frankenstein's experiments but is immediately rejected by his maker and everyone else. The way he looks means no one will accept him, leaving him lonely and longing for friends. For both monsters, it's not their fault they're isolated; society decides that based on what they look like.

Another big similarity is how their interactions with people get more violent over time. Grendel starts attacking the mead hall at Heorot because he's angry at being left out, and each attack just makes things worse between him and the Danes. The violence peaks when Beowulf comes to fight him, eventually killing Grendel, sealing his fate as a true monster. On the flip side, Frankenstein's creature begins more kindly, wanting to understand people and be accepted by them. But constant rejection turns him vengeful against his creator—like when he kills a child by accident—and leads to more deaths among Victor’s loved ones. These acts show how being pushed away by society can have tragic results.

The deep questions both Grendel and Frankenstein's creature bring up really highlight their similarities too. In John Gardner’s novel "Grendel," he thinks a lot about meaning, identity, good, and evil. His thoughts show he's aware of himself and knows his monstrous side is pretty random. Similarly, Frankenstein's creature reflects on himself a lot too—wondering if what he's doing is right or wrong after being created without a choice. At one point, he asks Victor in anguish if he asked to be made—a question lifted from Milton’s "Paradise Lost." This shows his struggle for purpose in a world that doesn't want him. Both characters make readers question what it means to be a monster or creator.

Conclusion

So yeah—in conclusion—Grendel and Frankenstein’s creature might come from different literary worlds but they share deep roots in how they're born, treated by society, and ponder life's big mysteries. Their tales criticize societal exclusion like nobody’s business! They also warn against unchecked science going wild without considering who gets hurt along the way (hello ethics!). Through them we see dark parts about us humans—the prejudices we hold—and hopefully learn something valuable here... Like maybe rethink how we define folks different than ourselves?

References

• Shelley, M., & Wolfson, S.J., (2017). Frankenstein: Annotated for Scientists, Engineers, & Creators of All Kinds. MIT Press.
• Gardner J., (1989). Grendel. Vintage Books.
• Heaney S., (2001). Beowulf: A New Translation. W.W Norton & Company.
• Baldick C., (1990). In Frankenstein's Shadow: Myth Monstrosity And Nineteenth-Century Writing. Clarendon Press.
• Mellor A.K., (1988). Mary Shelley: Her Life Her Fiction Her Monsters. Routledge.