Abstract
ABSTRACT In this article, I examine reimaginings of myth and legend that subversively address the confrontation between hero and monster by recreating the villainous monster as protagonist. These adaptations disrupt the Self/Other binary, which consequently positions us in a state of empathetic abjection with the monster. Jorge Luis Borges's “The House of Asterion” and John Gardner's Grendel take notions of the monstrous abject in the popular imagination and recreate the myth of the Minotaur and the epic of Beowulf, respectively, from the point of view of the monstrous Other. Borges and Gardner rely on mythic and folkloric profanation to (re)write abject monsters. They intertextually invoke their parent texts and explore the monster's own maternal parentage, which leads to their eventual (and Evental) demise.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Preternature: Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
