This post explores John Gardner's novel Grendel as a reinterpretation of the epic poem Beowulf. It discusses how Gardner shifts the narrative perspective to Grendel, transforming him from a one-dimensional monster into a complex, introspective character grappling with existential and nihilistic themes. The note examines how Grendel challenges traditional notions of heroism, questions the nature of storytelling, and presents a more critical view of human civilisation. Ultimately, it argues that Gardner's novel subverts the original Beowulf by encouraging readers to question assumptions about good and evil and to empathise with the "monster."