Grendel Adaptations

From the film Beowulf directed by Robert Zemeckis, Grendel is portrayed quite similarly to the one found in the epic poem. One of the things that the film accurately captures of Grendel from the poem is the characterization of the ugly brute. The Grendel in the film is indeed ugly, with a lopsided mouth, little eyes, long limbs and ridiculously huge. In addition, his inhuman strength is also shown, as he rips apart Hrothgar's thanes like dolls and throws them across the meadhall as if they were tennis balls. In the poem, there isn't really much about Grendel's appearance besides the description of the arm, and the director seemed to have re-imagined what Grendel looks like. However, in the novel Grendel by John Gardner, there is a more detailed description of Grendel as hairy and ugly (judging from the reactions of the Danes). It seems almost as if Grendel in the film is a walking corpse, with a body pockmarked with holes. It also seems like the Grendel's body is a mass of tendons and muscles, and not covered by skin, giving the impression of a walking corpse. In addition, Grendel's bloodlust and rage is also captured with the unearthly screaming as he enters the meadhall. He proceeds to rip apart the thanes as they try to bring him down, completely demolishing them. This is a big part of Grendel's personality shown in the epic poem as a bloodthirsty monster that hates men and tries to destroy mankind at every turn. Just as a side note, Grendel doesn't end up eating anyone in this part of the film, but may have eaten later. The film clip has basically embodied the character of Grendel, in the sense that Grendel is bloodthirsty, strong and ugly. However, the one thing that the film fails to include is the fact that Grendel is impervious to any sort of weapon that the Danes use against him.

The comic strip from Beowulf: Dragon Slayer Issue #1 portrays the appearance of Grendel as an ugly brute as well, with long canines and sharp claws. Similarly to the film clip from Beowulf directed by Robert Zemeckis, Grendel has claws instead of fingers. In addition, in the comic strip, Grendel is able to lift two men like they were pillows and throw them around like he was having a pillow fight with himself. Similarly in the film, Grendel is able to throw around full grown men as well. Thus, the comic strip also accurately captures the strength and ugliness within the poem. In addition, the comic strip also shows the big part of Grendel's character, which is a bloodthirsty monster who wants to kill mankind. While it is only comic violence and no blood or gory bits are shown, it could be inferred that Grendel has at some time killed the thanes of Hrothgar in his raids in his rough treatment of them. Thus, the comic strip also, like the film, embodies Grendel's basic character as a bloodthirsty monster that is strong and ugly. However, the comic strip is completely missing the part that Grendel is impervious to weapons, and while it may show it later, the comic strip, in so far, fails to show the almost invincible nature of Grendel. An interesting thing is that in the comic strip, Grendel is capable of thinking as he schemes and complains of the Danes. This is also shown in the novel Grendel by John Gardner. The Grendel portrayed in the novel is capable of cognitive thinking, as well as speech. However, the language that Grendel speaks is not exactly the same as the language of the Danes, but it is similar enough that the Danes, particularly Unferth, one of Hrothgar's thanes, can understand him. Technically, this is not a failure to embody Grendel, but since the poem does not show that Grendel is able of thinking, it could be considered a "failure". So far, throughout the comic strip, the character of Grendel has been portrayed relatively accurately, only leaving out some of the details.