In "Beowulf," Grendel is always the villan of the story. He is presented as a man-eating demon, who daily slaughters Danes and feeds on his corpres. He is never anything more than an obstacle for Beowulf to overcome.
On the contraty, in "Grendel," the reader can see different aspects of him. He is presented as an inteligent creature, capable of rational thoughs and emotions.
The story shows Grendel's changes and growth. It explores his relationship with his mother, his fascination with humans -which eventually turns into hatred and disgust-, and provides his point of view about the battle with Beowulf.
