Question

which words best complete the comparison of beowulf and grendel?

readers of beowulf hope that grendel will be destroyed, but readers of grendel are most likely to

• hope that beowulf will be destroyed
• be confused by beowulfs behavior
• understand grendels perspective
• consider grendel a purely evil villain

Explanation:

Analyze the narrative perspectives of both texts

The epic poem Beowulf is told from an objective, third-person perspective that aligns with the heroic values of the Geats and Danes, framing Grendel as a monstrous, purely evil antagonist whose destruction is desired. John Gardner's modern adaptation Grendel is narrated from Grendel's first-person perspective, providing his internal thoughts, existential struggles, and personal history.

Compare reader responses based on perspective

Because Grendel is told from the monster's point of view, readers are invited into his subjective experience, allowing them to empathize with his isolation and understand his motivations, rather than viewing him merely as a flat, external threat.

Evaluate the given options

• hope that Beowulf will be destroyed: Incorrect; the novel does not simply invert the heroic dynamic to make readers cheer for Beowulf's death.
• be confused by Beowulf's behavior: Incorrect; Beowulf's actions remain consistent with heroic archetypes, though viewed through a different lens.
• understand Grendel's perspective: Correct; first-person narration naturally fosters psychological depth and understanding of the protagonist's worldview.
• consider Grendel a purely evil villain: Incorrect; this describes the perspective of readers of the original Beowulf, not Gardner's adaptation.

Answer:

• hope that Beowulf will be destroyed
• be confused by Beowulf's behavior
• understand Grendel's perspective (Correct answer)
• consider Grendel a purely evil villain