The Heavens and Destiny in Grendel

In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare wrote, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Humans constantly search for justification of their fate, whether in stars, tealeaves, or themselves. Likewise, in John Gardner’s Grendel, Grendel and others search both the sky and their hearts for meaning in their existence when mortality sentences them to death. The repeating images of sky in Grendel reveal that humanity has a constant …

…Clearly, the sky imagery reflects the rewards of taking responsibility for one’s fate. Life possesses whatever amount of importance an individual is willing to give it. Every human has the same death-sentence, but whether a person views the journey towards the ultimate fate with hope, bitterness, or resignation is what truly matters. In Grendel, the description of sky signifies different attitudes toward fate. Thus, the sky motif reflects the search for consequence in being.