Grendel and Irony

In the first three chapters of the novel Grendel by John Gardner, the reader is able to notice that some things about Grendel's character, from the epic poem Beowulf, are reiterated and reinforced in the novel. However, there are some things about Grendel that are new, surprising and unexpected. For example, the fact that Grendel is a sentient and intelligent being is extremely unexpected because in Beowulf, Grendel is shown as a savage monster that lives only for the hunt for humans, the satisfied feeling of being well-fed, and the salty taste of human blood. The fact that Grendel is a sentient and intelligent being is also part of an ironic situation in the story. An event that is ironic is when it does not turn out to your expectations, but on the contrary, turn out to become the opposite of your expectations. In the case of Grendel, when he gets stuck in the tree and met humans for the first time, it is ironic that even though Grendel and Hrothgar (and his entourage) are sentient and intelligent entities, they don't realize that they are similar until much later, and only Grendel makes the connection. The confrontation ends with all hell breaking loose as Hrothgar hurls a battle axe at Grendel, while Grendel's mother comes charging down the mountain. You would expect Grendel to realize immediately that Hrothgar and his entourage are also capable of thinking, much like how he is, but he doesn't realise until they start attacking him. He realises with a sudden jolt that mankind wasn't a "dull mechanical bull" but were "thinking creatures, pattern makers, [and] the most dangerous things [he'd] ever met." (27). As Hrothgar's thanes attack Grendel, he shouts "'You're all crazy,' [he] bellowed, 'you're all insane!'" (27). This is ironic because Grendel doesn't realise that he is basically the same as the humans in all but appearance only. You would expect Grendel to understand this when he hears them talking, but he doesn't until it's too late. Eventually, Grendel comes to the conclusion that humans are the monsters, while the humans are coming to the conclusion that Grendel is the monster.