The Dragon’s Role in Grendel’s Death
In the European Mythology novel, “Grendel” by John Gardner, the Dragon symbolizes a satanic influence on Grendel, whom inevitably dies by the hands of ‘fate’. Grendel was attached to humans and was confused about his position in the world; therefore he took a journey to visit the Dragon and becomes a demonic monster. Although the Dragon only appears in one chapter of the novel, his influence is evident beyond Chapter 5 because Grendel is caught in the dragon’s flames after their last meeting.
Meeting with the Dragon, Grendel was immediately frightened and alarmed, realizing his ugly appearance can be related to the beast that hovers before him. ‘My heart shook. His eyes stared straight at me. My knees and insides were so weak I had to drop down on all fours. His mouth opened slightly. Bits of flame escaped.’ (49) Grendel was told that the shock and fright that he’s experiencing before the Dragon is the same shock and fright the humans experience before him. Grendel was a lost soul after listening and half believing what the Shaper sang, however, the Dragon forced him to realize what he really is, and the fact that he’ll never be able to be friends with humans. Grendel thought, ‘From now on I’d stay clear of them. It was one thing to eat one from time to time – that was only natural: kept them from overpopulating, maybe starving to death, come winter – but it was another thing to scare them, give them heart attacks, fill their nights with nightmares, just for the sport.’ (52) But the Dragon was all-knowing, and all willing to steer Grendel to the wicked and demonic side, ‘Why not frighten them?’ (52) Although Grendel has his doubts, ‘I was sure he was lying. Or anyway half-sure. Flattering me into tormenting them because he, in his sullen hole, loved viciousness.’ (62), Grendel was unable to escape from the path that laid before him and the fate the Dragon had drew upon him.
Grendel was now unable to do and think as he wishes, because the Dragon had laid a charm on him that prevented weapons from killing him. ‘But there was one thing worse. I discovered that the dragon had put a charm on me: no weapon could cut me. I could walk up to the meadhall whenever I pleased, and they were powerless. My heart became darker because of that. Though I had scorned them, sometimes hated them, there had been something between myself and men when we could fight. Now, invulnerable, I was as solitary as one live tree in a vast landscape of coal.’ (65) Before Grendel’s visit with the Dragon, he was still able to have a connection with the humans, now after his visit; Grendel was isolated and became a monster on a leash, as if following the Dragon’s every order. ‘And now at last the grim laughter came pouring out, as uncontrollable as the dragon’s laugh, and I wanted to say, “Lo, God has vanquished mine enemies!”‘ Grendel is no longer able to control himself and the darkness growing inside of him, planted by the dragon. ‘I fled with the body to the woods, head churning – boiling like a flooded ditch – with glee.” (69)
After Grendel’s meeting, the Dragon’s influence increased Grendel’s wickedness, and even until Grendel’s death, the Dragon still left a mark on the misguided creature. During his fight with Beowulf, Grendel caught glimpses of fire, as if the Dragon’s breath is telling him, it is time to die. His syllables lick at me, chilly fire. His syllables lick at me, chilly fire. His syllables lick at me, chilly fire. His syllables lick…’ Grendel tries to fight to the end, but a last reminder that his time to live is up, Grendel stares at Beowulf and is lectured by the same logic, ‘He laughs as he whispers. I roll my eyes back. Flames slip out at the corners of his mouth.’ (149)
Poor Grendel’s had an ‘accident’ or maybe fate? The Dragon can see the past, present and future, yet the Dragon played the biggest role in Grendel’s death. Grendel’s visit with the Dragon steered him towards the destructive nature of which caused his death. The Dragon’s influence on Grendel did nothing but grow during the proceeding chapters of the novel, and was lastly seen in Beowulf, where they shared the same logic and same wicked breath of fire.
Novel:
Grendel by John Gardner 1971
Reference:
- www.amazon.com/Grendel-John-Gardner/dp/0679723110
- www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grendel-john-gardner/1100608839
