Part one of term paper
John Gardner introduces the reader of Grendel to an intimate side of Unferth unseen in the epic poem Beowulf. In Grendel we behold what a pathetic, sniveling wimp Unferth has become. In Beowulf all that we see is a jealous bastard. Why did Gardner make the character of Unferth so different from the original depiction? He didn't. The only ...

Part two of term paper
... Unferth is nothing more than a spineless bastard. In Grendel we find that Unferth's bitterness is well founded. John Gardner shows Unferth as the most pathetic man to ever call himself a hero. Unferth is degraded once in the apple battle (he was beat by flying fruit for god's sake!!!) and then again in the cave. In the cave Unferth begs Grendel to take his life but Grendel gives him fate worse than death. Grendel leaves him alive and impotent. Unferth knows that he cannot kill Grendel yet ...