Is the dragon really superior to Grendel and the townspeople? The dragon in Grendel regards himself as superior to Grendel and the humans. He has no trouble stealing from people, killing them, or destroying their buildings. When he gives Grendel advice about dealing with the humans, it is very narcissistic and reveals how highly he thinks of himself. Is the dragon a representation of a wealthy entrepreneur who lives a lonely life in a large house and only visits a town to separate people from their money?
This claim would be supported by the dragon’s living condition. The dragon lives in a large cave where he guards his stolen treasures. Another important detail is the dragon lives alone, and does not have contact with any other dragons. The only time the dragon leaves his dwelling is to add more to his collection of stolen valuables. Each of these behaviors are reflected by someone who only lives for money. This would also explain why the dragon thinks so highly of himself. If he believes money and valuable items are what is most important, and you have more of those than anyone, why wouldn’t you think you are the best? For that same reason, it is only be natural for him to devote his life to protecting what he has earned.
What about the dragon’s attitude? When Grendel meets the dragon in Grendel, he takes pleasure in confusing and frightening Grendel. He enjoys the fact that Grendel reacts to him in the way humans react to Grendel. This is an example of the dragon’s cynical views on existence. The dragon doesn’t empathize with Grendel’s or the humans’ feelings because he believes they are insignificant. The dragon makes it clear that he believes life is meaningless, so why would he mind if Grendel was scared by his presence? In this way, his character represents the belief that people who do not believe in God believe they are mentally superior and look down on those who do.
The dragon is obviously very wealthy compared to the people in Grendel, but does that make him superior? From the perspective of the Grendel the dragon is very wise, but it is clear the dragon is very selfish and lonely because of his skewed priorities. From his behavior towards the humans, and his advice to Grendel make it obvious that he is a symbol of greed and narcissism.