journal 6

At the beginning of the story, Grendel is formulating a world- view as if he was a child. In chapter two Grendel begins to form a solipsism that one’s own mind is all that exists. The shaper has an ability to make others believe what he says. He sings about the origins of the Earth and the bringing together of people. Grendel believes the shaper when [the shaper] says Grendel and his mother descended from Cain in the bible. Cain is a biblical character who murdered his brother because of jealousy. This is believed to have created a race of devils. God casts Cain to wander the Earth without rest and nothing will grow at his hand. Grendel wanted to join the human society after this, but the people attacked him when he showed to repent and join them. This is how Grendel believes he is the only one that exists in the world.

At chapter five Grendel is introducing Alfred Whitehead’s philosophy of natural existence consists in and is best understood in terms of processes rather than things –of modes of change rather than fixed stabilities. This is because of the dragon that Grendel goes to visit. The dragon tells Grendel about the importance of material things. Grendel rejects materialism in favor of a philosophy centered on the “concepts of life, organism, function, instantaneous reality, interaction, and order of nature.”  

At chapter six Grendel accepts that other beings do exist, but he marked them as his enemies. Wealthlow in chapter seven is like the zodiac Virgo, she is the server of the cup, and she brings a symbol of hope and unity. This is also a sign of Christianity- communion and fellowship, with Wealthlow being a peacemaker. Grendel was infatuated by Wealthlow and wanted to take her from Hrothgar and the Danes. When the moment came to where he would take the woman and kill her he let her go and then fled.

Chapter eight introduces a character named Hrothulf, whom symbolizes Machiavellian Statecraft. Machiavellian is typically a term claiming that an action is cruel, manipulative, or overly dictatorial. Ork is introduced in chapter nine and brings the hypocrisy of young priests. Ork tells that: the king of Gods is the ultimate limitation; his existence is the ultimate irrationality. No reason can be given for the nature is the ground for rationality. The ultimate evil is that time is perpetual perishing, and being actual involves elimination. The nature of evil may be epitomized in two propositions: Things fade and alternatives exclude (132-133).

Chapter ten incorporates the pessimism of Nietzche . Nietzche is a nihilist. He believes there was no longer any real substance to the traditional social, political, moral and religious values. In chapter eleven and twelve Grendel’s evolved philosophy is nihilism. Humans are isolated in an accidental world where God does not exist. Man must create his values, even though these values have no meaning outside the individual consciousness.