Date of Award
Spring 5-2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Degree Program
English
Department
English
Major Professor
Doll, Daniel
Second Advisor
White, Leslie
Third Advisor
Verner, Lisa
Abstract
John Gardner’s Grendel examines the ways in which humans make meaning out of their lives. By changing the original Beowulf monster into a creature who constantly questions the conflicting narratives set before him, Gardner encourages us to confront these tensions also. However, his emphasis on Grendel’s alienation helps us realize that community is essential to creating meaning. Most obviously, community creates relationships that foster a sense of moral obligation between its members, even in the face of the type of uncertainty felt by Grendel. Moreover, community cannot exist without dialogue, which perpetually stimulates the imagination to respond to the tensions contained in a plurality of viewpoints. Gardner encourages us to question narratives which no longer serve us and to use our imagination to tell new stories that cultivate positive ideals such as love and hope.
Recommended Citation
Cooper, Catherine C., "John Gardner’s Grendel: The Importance of Community in Making Moral Art" (2019). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2599.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2599
Included in
American Literature Commons, Literature in English, British Isles Commons, Literature in English, North America Commons, Medieval Studies Commons, Modern Literature Commons
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.