A parody is defined as an imitation
of a work of literature, art, or music for amusement or instruction. A parody
does not have to be a mockery of an original piece but it almost always is.
“Grendel” is a parody of “Beowulf” because it is the story “Beowulf” told in
Grendel’s point of view. Although, Grendel is narrating “Grendel,” all of the
major events and details are the same. Grendel is still the monster destroying
Hrothgar’s mead-hall, just as in “Beowulf”. Hrothgar is still the king of his
mead-hall, except the locations are different. In “Grendel”, the location of
Hrothgar’s mead-hall is Hart, and in “Beowulf”, the location of the mead-hall
is Herot. Also, Grendel’s mother, Unferth, and a character resembling Beowulf
are present. A scene that connects “Grendel’s” depiction of Grendel and
“Beowulf’s” depiction of Grendel is the origin of the monster. The Shaper tells
us that, in chapter four of “Grendel,” that Grendel’s origin was related to the
curse put on Cain, by God, for killing his brother Abel. This same scenario is
stated in the beginning of the poem “Beowulf”. Another similarity of “Grendel” and
“Beowulf” is the twelve year war between Hrothgar and Grendel. “Grendel” can also be considered a parody
because of Gardner’s use modern terms and gestures that were not even thought
of around the time Beowulf was written. For example, Grendel uses “curse”
words to express himself—not cursed words. While swear words were most likely
used in Anglo-Saxon times, it is doubtless that the words were different. “I
make a face, uplift a defiant middle finger, and give an obscene little kick”
(6). It is very doubtful that the “middle finger” gesture was used in
Anglo-Saxon times as it is used today—it may have been a pinky, for
example. It can be seen that “Grendel” is a mocking of
“Beowulf.”
“Grendel” is also a parody because
it gives the background information of the Grendel character in “Beowulf”, who
we do not learn much about. While the “Grendel” uses lines and events from the
epic, the author, John Gardner, uses unrelated events that precede the events
told in Beowulf. In “Beowulf” we see the
heroism of an Anglo-Saxon man, the ways of a community that should be and that
has been portrayed in poems and song. Contrastingly, in “Grendel” we
see the truth—how heroism is just the need of a man to be something more than
just a man. We see the promiscuity of women. We see how a
community supposedly built on just rules, fairness, loyalty, generosity, and
familiarity is complete opposite. Grendel makes fun of that by satirically
reenacting the ways of the Anglo-Saxon community to make a mockery of
them. Grendel mocks the heroism or Unferth. In the poem “Beowulf,”
we only see the heroism behind the Anglo-Saxon community and how Beowulf simply
defeated Grendel; we never see who Grendel is, why he fights Grendel, or
Grendel’s reason for the murders, we only see Beowulf and his sidekicks
attacking various monsters proclaiming the ways of a hero. The changes to the original story “Beowulf”
makes “Grendel” by John Gardner a
parody.
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