John Gardner

John Gardner (1933–1982) was an American novelist, critic, and professor. He is best known for the novel *Grendel* (1971), a retelling of *Beowulf* from the monster’s perspective, and for the critical work *On Moral Fiction* (1978), which argues for ethical seriousness in literature. Gardner also wrote other novels, short fiction, and essays, and he taught creative writing and literature at the university level. His work often combines formal ambition with philosophical and moral inquiry, engaging questions of art, responsibility, and meaning. Gardner’s influence endures through both his fiction and his literary criticism.