Seeing through Grendel's eyes
Grendel is the point of view capable of turning the whole story around. Those who’ve read Beowulf assume that Grendel, because of his internecine nature, is the villain. Gardner realized that in order to get a different feel for the same plot, the point of view would have to be from a character very different from Beowulf. Who could be more different from the protagonist than the antagonist? This view, along with the truths Gardner gives the story makes it a great read – which is what Gardner was aiming for.
Grendel’s status as a monster interestingly affects the way he tells the story. Without much involvement with the humans, the story is must be told almost solely through Grendel’s thoughts and the actions of the characters. This is different from Beowulf because it is less straight-forward and it requires more attention on Grendel personally. It allows the reader to better identify with Grendel and understand why he does the things he does.
Grendel’s status as a monster interestingly affects the way he tells the story. Without much involvement with the humans, the story is must be told almost solely through Grendel’s thoughts and the actions of the characters. This is different from Beowulf because it is less straight-forward and it requires more attention on Grendel personally. It allows the reader to better identify with Grendel and understand why he does the things he does.