Beowulf and Grendel are actually the same stories in the fact that they are based on the same epic “Beowulf.” “Beowulf”, that is told of here is translated by Kevin Crossley-Holland, and there are many different translations which makes Beowulf the epic so interchangeable. Although “Beowulf” and “Grendel” seem very similar they do have many differences as well. Reading the two stories back to back gives you the impression of how many differences there are. For example, “Beowulf” is written from an outsider’s point of view. “Grendel” is written from Grendel’s point of view. This changes the whole perception of the book. Seeing a story written from two different points of views not only helps you to understand the story better, but can also change the story dramatically. These stories were written during the Anglo Saxon period. Lifestyles and culture were very different from those of today. Anglo Saxon time was a time of Medieval England. When envisioning medieval England one sees a time of kings, knights, meadhalls, loyalty and devotion to the king. The two epics show medieval society throughout their entirety. “Beowulf” and “Grendel” are very different, but are in fact based on the same epic, the different points of view allow the stories to change from the original version, and create two different stories. One major difference in the two stories is that “Beowulf” and “Grendel” are written from two different points of view. “Beowulf” is written from an outsider’s point of view and “Grendel” is written from Grendel’s point of view. This makes a big difference in the stories. It leads to differences in how you look at the characters, the point of the story and also the scenes change as well. The points of view allow a reader to read two stories based o...
