Grendel and Zodiac

The zodiac in Grendel

March 21 - April 19

"The old ram stands looking down over rockslides, stupidly triumphant" (5).

The sign of Aries is marked by bravery with a mindset that all tasks should be completed immediately. Generally Aries can organize and lead with a mentality of readiness as soon as they awake. In their routine lifestyle they have the tendency to act before thinking.

Aries marks the beginning of a new cycle that is similar to the cycle that has previously ended. "Last year at this time, and the year before, and the year before that," Grendel realizes that he is caught in the same endless pattern. As he has done several times before, he will continue to venture to Hrothgar's kingdom, knock down the door of the mead hall's entrance, and attack the people inside. All of this has happened before and will happen again.

April 20 - May 20

"Then some thirty feet away, there was a bull. He stood looking at me with his head lowered, and the world snapped into position around him, as if in league with him" (19).

Someone that is placid, calm, and contented marks the sign of Taurus. Usually people of this sign are peace loving and reliable but also stubborn with a narrow mind frame. When the time comes that change should occur, beware.

Taurus represents Grendel existing as a single being in the world. When Grendel realizes that his mother is not coming to save him from the bull, he concludes "that the world was nothing: a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears. I understood that I alone exist. . .I create the universe blink by blink." When the men surround Grendel and begin to torture him, he screams for his mother yet again and this time she comes. Back in the cave he states, "The world is all pointless accident. . .I exist, nothing else."

May 21 - June 21

"It was late spring. Every sheep and goat had its wobbly twins" (44).

The sign of Gemini is marked by someone who is quick-witted, fun-loving, and loves playing with words. Once a person of the sign Gemini is bored with their current activities, a transition to a new one is very simple and easy. Those who are marked by the sign of Gemini are nosy and want to know what is happening, where, and why.

Gemini are versatile, superficial, and inventive which all become party of the Gemini's dual nature. The character Shaper represents all these characteristics; he is so skilled at arguing that he could argue whatever side he chooses and win. This is similar to the Sophists who remade the world with arguments as the Shaper does with his songs. The Shaper's listeners believe every word he sings, even though they know what really happened. Grendel wants to believe the Shaper but cries out "Lost!" because he cannot let the dream replace the reality of his own existence.

June 22- July 22
“I backed away, crablike, further into darkness- like a crab retreating in pain when you strike two stones at the mouth of his underwater den” (48).

The sign of Cancer is marked by those who are creative, close to their family, and who are as sensitive to the feelings of others as they are to their own. Moody can often describe someone of the sign of cancer, but at the same time Cancerians give their hearts out in hope of someone to depend on.

Cancer, also known as the nourisher, shows us the growth of religion that will nourish the new world that the Shaper has created fro the people of Hrothgar’s kingdom to see. The Shaper explains how the earth was first built, and how the gods created every inch of the world and gave life to all of it’s creatures. God created the world, and all was good until an evil force divided the world into good and evil. Grendel represents the evil part of the Shaper’s tale and states, “The harp turned solemn. He told of an ancient feud between two brothers, which split all the world between darkness and light. And I, Grendel, was the dark side.... The terrible race God cursed.”

July 23- Aug 22
“No use of a growl, a whoop, a roar, in the presence of that beast” (57).

The sign of Leo is warm and radiant as well as king of all the other zodiacs. No one is kinder than a Leo who will give anything freely with only wanting a simple ‘thank you’ in response. Leos are usually cheerful which some misinterpret to be pride and pushiness, which in turn makes a Leo feel very lonely. Loneliness does not last long for the Leo and he/ she bounces back to complete happiness.
Leo, the histrionic, provides a basis for Grendel discovering his role in the new order that the Shaper has created. Grendel then results to visiting a dragon to ask him what his part in the world is. Much of the dragon’s advice is considered nihilistic and materialistic. The dragon begins explaining Grendel’s place in the world by describing the fundamental connectedness of things and deploring the common-sense notions of reality. He then tells Grendel that: “Importance is primarily monistic in its reference to the universe. Limited to a finite individual occasion, importance ceases to be important.... Expression, however, ... is founded on the finite occasion.” The dragon is explaining the way in which eternal objects are expressed in actual entities, taking his explanation directly from Whitehead [in Modes of Thought,1938]: “Importance is primarily monistic in its reference to the universe. Importance, limited to a finite individual occasion ceases to be important.”

Aug 23- Sept 22
“The shaper talked of how God had vanquished their enemies and filled up their houses with precious treasure, how they were the richest, most powerful on earth, how here and here alone in all the world men were free and heroes were brave and virgins were virgins” (77).

The sign of Virgo marks a person who studies and learns, and uses their knowledge to get done what needs to be done. Not interested in glory, the sign of Virgo uses common sense to get the job done. A Virgo is often considered a godsend who is there for everyone for example if someone is ill the Virgo is there to provide comfort.

Grendel finds his role in the world in this order, “I was transformed. I was a new focus for the clutter of space I stood in.... I had become, myself, the mama I'd searched the cliffs for once in vain.... I had become something, as if born again. I had hung between possibilities before, between the cold truths I knew and the heart-sucking conjuring tricks of the Shaper, now that was passed: I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings!” Before this realization, Grendel had no idea who he really is; he accepts the labels that others give him. (mother “son,” village “monster,” and shaper “devil”) Therefore Grendel is reborn. He believes that everyone around him is out to get him. Grendel doubts everything with moral fervor, and has decided that his new role is to be the destroyer of all the hypocritical orders men have created.Grendel feels that all orders blind men to the truth: "So much for heroism. So much for the harvest-virgin. So much, also, for the alternative visions of blind old poets and dragons."

September 24- October 23

Libras are thought to be serene and prefer a balanced and peaceful environment. While making decisions, Libras think through all possibilities before making a firm decision. Harmonious relationships with friends and family are high on their list of priorities. Most importantly, they strive to be conciliators to preserve their desired peace. In chapter 7, balance is found when Grendel attacks Wealtheow:

"I hung balanced, a creature of two minds; and one of them said- unreasonable, stubborn as the mountains- that she was beautiful." (p. 110)- Grendel is balanced between his two feelings of whether or not to kill Wealtheow. However, after deliberation, he firmly decides not to rip her in half, demonstrating a quality of Libras.

Balance is intertwined in many other aspects of this chapter, mainly with the arrival of Wealtheow. She is obviously a symbol of harmony as she brings peace to the conflict between her brother’s and Hrothgar’s kingdom, completely sacrificing her entire life to this cause. This balances Grendel’s need to wreck havoc in the village by attacking the mead hall and stubborn unwillingness to sacrifice anything.

October 24- November 21

Scorpios are known for their persistence and determination to achieve their goals. Distractions have no effect on these individuals. They have a mystifyingly strong determination to fight for their belief. This leads to a tendency to drift towards the "dark-side" of life and sometimes a manipulation of power. In chapter 8, a scorpion is seen in the scene where Hrothulf arrives:

"And so- I watch in glee- they take in Hrothulf; quiet as the moon, sweet scorpion, he sits between their two and cleans his knife." (p. 113)- Grendel is using the word "scorpion" to describe Hrothulf; he can sense that Hrothulf is growing increasingly hostile and Hrothgar begins to worry about the safety of the heirs to the throne. This connects to the zodiac scorpion because of his "dark-side" tendencies and possible violence to achieve power (the extermination of the heirs to capture the throne).

The same idea is also viewed in chapter 8 as Red Horse imposes Machiavellian ideas of government on Hrothulf. These cunning and unscrupulous methods of ruling introduced to Hrothulf shape him into the "scorpion" of the chapter as they imply determination and a manipulation of power. This is emphasized by the age of nation-states that Hrothgar’s village has entered into which is dominated by the desire to achieve power.

November 22- December 21

Sagittarians have free and adventurous spirits, longing to journey to find the deeper meaning in everything. Their enthusiasm is overwhelming, so no one attempts to order them around. Mostly, Sagittarians are characterized by their spontaneous and noncommittal personalities. They are very open-minded but devoutly religious. An archer is referenced to in chapter 9:

"I watch one of Hrothgar’s bowmen pursue a hart... They face each other, unmoving as numbers on a stick. And the, incredibly, through the pale, strange light the man’s hand moves... and returns with an arrow, threads the bow." (p. 126)- The hunt and eventual murder of the hart by the bowman was described by Grendel as impassioned and successful. The bowman is symbolic of the zodiac "archer" as he is enthusiastic about his hunt for the hart and refuses to let his opponent win.

The "archer" is referred to an elderly priest, Ork. When Grendel speaks to him as "The King of Gods", Ork demonstrates full faith in the higher power of which he preaches, despite his fellow priests mocking him. This clearly depicts a Sagittarius as he is zealous in his religious beliefs as well as open-minded to the unlikely idea that "The King of Gods" has actually come to speak to him.

December 22- January 19

Capricorns are very determined to reach their highest goals and have the stamina to back it up. They accomplish this through stable perseverance as opposed to taking spontaneous and enthusiastic risks. Their pessimistic attitudes lead them to be practical and realistic. They also have a sense of obligation to look after dependents. In chapter 10, Grendel murders a goat he finds near his cave:

"I watch a great horned goat ascend the rocks toward my mere... I am suddenly annoyed, no longer amused by his stupidity... before his balance is sure my second stone hits him and falls again... I snatch up a stone and hurl it... He climbs toward me. I snatch up a stone. " (p. 139-140)- In this battle, Grendel proves to be a true Capricorn. He demonstrates a pessimistic attitude toward the goat by abominating its presence. He also shows determination and perseverance in his match against the goat as he shows no mercy, relentlessly throwing stones.

Grendel also shows signs of a Capricorn in chapter 10 during the event of the Shaper’s death. The Shaper truly affected Grendel with his stories of creation by merging their reality and tales of a creator. With the Shaper gone, Grendel views the world as empty, ending the chapter with "Nihil ex nihilo" meaning nothing comes form nothing. This realistic and pessimistic view on life is typical of a Capricorn.

January 20- February 18

Aquarians are generally friendly to their peers as well as their environment. However, Aquarians are evasive and shy away from commitment. Somewhat aloof, they would rather not have any close relationships in their life. They are impersonal and focus on themselves as an individual rather than themselves as a part of a whole. They can also become very violent and angry if prompted. A water reference is found in chapter 11 when describing Grendel’s cave:

"I was unnaturally conscious, for some reason, of the sounds in the cave; the roar of the underground river hundreds of feet below our rooms, reaming out walls, driving deeper and deeper; the centuries-old drip-drip of seepage building stalagmites, an inch in a hundred years; the spatter of the spring three rooms away- the room of the pictures half buried in stone- where the spring breaks through the roof." (p. 156)- Here, the cave is acting as an Aquarius as it carries water throughout itself. Other Aquarian qualities emerge as it becomes a place for Grendel to reflect on blossoming ideas after the arrival of Beowulf. It is in this cave that he shows signs of existential thought.

When Beowulf arrives, Grendel begins a trend of self-centered thought. He is rejecting the hateful dragon, the hypocritical priests, and the loss of the Shaper, which causes this new way of thinking. He builds a new reality in his mind about his surroundings revolving around himself, that everything is "absolute, final waste." This will come back to haunt him in his battle against Beowulf.

February 19- March 20

Pisces are the most sensitive of the zodiacs, willing to help anyone in need. They are mostly characterized by their creativity and imagination but may be moody from time to time. Pisces are also intuitive and are not easily deceived. As the end of the cycle, they view everything in the world connected back together as one. A fish is mentioned in chapter 12 during Beowulf’s speech to Grendel as he is murdering Grendel:

"As you see it it is, while the seeing lasts, dark nightmare-history, time-as-coffin; but where the water was rigid there will be fish, and men will survive on their flesh till spring." (P. 170)- Beowulf is using fish here to describe how men can still continue to grow and prosper without Grendel’s encouragement to devise new and better ways to protect themselves as well as realizing the value of life, which is what Grendel believed his meadhall attacks were doing.

As Pisces is the end of the astrological cycle, chapter 12 is the end of Grendel’s life as well as the story. Beowulf physically beats the existential thoughts out of Grendel by repeatedly throwing his head against a wall. Now Grendel sees that the world does not in fact revolve around him, but that the only reality is experience. This is the main Pisces assertion, that everything is connected and there are no individuals.

Gardner, John Grendel New York: Vintage Books. 1989.

"Through the Zodiac." Astro Services. 2006. Astro Services. 8 Nov. 2006.http://astro-services.com/zodiac/

Stromme, Craig J. "The Twelve Chapters of Grendel." Student Resource Center Silver. 1998. Thomson Gale. 8 Nov. 2006. http://find.galegroup.com

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