Shaper and Grendel

The shaper is fascinating to Grendel.

The first reason the shaper is fascinating to Grendel is because he is skilled. “The old Shaper, a man I cannot help but admire, goes out the back window with his harp at a single bound, though blind as a bat.” (12) In this quote, Grendel describes seeing the shaper as he makes his way through Hrothgar’s meadhall. Although the shaper is blind he is able to make a quick getaway from Grendel, even though Grendel would cause no harm to him. The skill of being able to shape people ideas is what fascinates Grendel as his ideas have been shaped by the shaper. “Whenever he stopped, thinking up formulas for what to say next, the people would all shout and thump each other and drink to the Shaper’s long life.” (34) All the people who knew the shaper, were fascinated by him as well as Grendel. He has a skill in keeping people glued into listening to every word he says or note he sings. Grendel is also the same way. It is fascinating to Gr...