The Deconstruction of the Heroic Ideal in John Gardner's Grendel

The heroical ideal is perhaps the most important verbal expression of the Anglo-Saxon tradition. The poetry and literature of the Old English get on with celebrated heroic deeds and encouraged those listening to emulate heroic values at any and all opportunities. The desperate poem Beowulf sets out to articulate this heroic code, which values capability, courage, and homage in its warriors. In contrast, John Gardners novel Grendel establishes a deconstruction of this heroic ideal. Through its exploration of various veins of philosophical thought, including nihilism and solipsism, Gardners work introduces alternatives and challenges to the practicality of heroism.
The primary goal of the Anglo-Saxon warrior was to act in accordance with the heroic code and to hopefully perform an action worthy enough to be remembered passim history, passed down from generation to generation within poetry. The code encompasses some(prenominal) values that men of this era were expected to observe: fearlessness in battle, loyalty to king and kinsmen, and selfless acts that could help to action a greater good. This code was paramount to these societies as a means of understanding their places in the world and the threats that hovered alfresco their established communities.



All peoples moral judgments stemmed from the role model of the heroic code and heroic ideals; individual actions could be judged in a clear-cut manner as either conformist to or violating the code. In this way, the code was an important source of stability for a people whose very society was perpetually in a precarious state, constantly threatened by outside invading forces.
The text of Beowulf exhibits several instances that support the idea of a heroic code. Beowulf himself can be seen as the archetypal hero. For example, Beowulf demonstrates the heroic virtue of fairness by refusing to bring weapons with him to a vie with Grendel, as Grendel is known to rely on brute strength alone (Beowulf, 32). He desires a fair fight, even with the primary...If you unavoidableness to get a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



If you want to get a full essay, wisit our page: write my essay .