We have had this discussion...

In our Survey of Liturature class, the discussion came up comparing Grendel’s perspective of the Beowulf story to the Beowulf “song” that is explained in the poem. And in the end of the day, it is all due to perspective. The protagonist’s view is almost always going to be seen as the right thing to do, but it is a rare situation when we actually get to hear the antagonist’s views. In the situation of Beowulf, Grendel is seen by almost everyone as a monster. However, I just believe that he is a misunderstood creature with animal like characteristics. But it is impossible to blame him for the things that he does because that is the way that he was raised, when you are ignorant to anything other than animalistic characteristics, you are due to act like an animal. In class I made the reference to a bear. When a bear attacks campers, it cannot be blames for its natural instincts, and they should not be punished for them. Why should this animal like character be punished for animal like characteristics. He is in no way, shape, or form a monster. He is just reacting off instinct, and his instinctual acts were not the  typical actions for society. So he was punished for it.