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Beowulf Good Vs Evil

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Conflict between good and evil exists in everyone, some might claim that we are innately good, while some may disagree that we are born evil. In the epic Beowulf, a brave warrior, Beowulf defeats hideous monsters such as Grendel and dragon through his magnificent power and bravery. The author, date, and purpose of this story are unknown, yet this poem is distinctive and significant at the same time. It is not simply about the victory over vicious creatures, but it shows the allegory of the conflict between good and evil within us. Therefore, the monsters are the symbol of evil, and Beowulf represents the quality of good human nature. Although the epic Beowulf emphasizes Beowulf’s victory over monsters, it implies the conflict within human …show more content…

Grendel symbolizes the evil within human nature through its cruelty, while Beowulf shows the attribute of generosity. In the story, Grendel is a born evil, demonic character that ruthlessly murders Hrothgar’s men without any rational reason. He did not become evil at some point of life, but he is innately evil: “Born/Of Cain, murderous creatures banished/By god, punished forever for the crime/Of Abel’s death” (Beowulf 6-8). His evilness comes from his existence, and his blood of Cain. Cain is a biblical character who murdered his brother Abel, just like how Grendel kills innocent people in Herot. Though Cain does not exist anymore, he still lives in Grendel through his blood. Therefore, Grendel brutally attacks the Herot again and again without any mercy. On the other hand, Beowulf lavishly gives his treasure to Hyglac, Hygd and his men even though it is his own reward for …show more content…

Due to anger and resentment caused by her son’s death, Grendel’s mother plans revenge to Beowulf and his men in Herot as: “His mother’s sad heart, and her greed, drove her from her den on the dangerous pathway of revenge” (Beowulf 1276-78). She slaughters Hrothgar’s men and greedily carries the victim and Grendel’s arm back to her lair, which vividly describes her evilness passed down from Cain. She undoubtedly does anything once she seeks revenge until she is completely satisfied. While Grendel’s mother shows the malignant trait, Beowulf exemplifies the virtuous warrior of Anglo-Saxons. After the massacre, he stands up for Hrothgar to take a revenge on the victims of Grendel’s mother, and he is willing to defeat her with confidence: “Arise, guardian/Of this kingdom, let us go, as quickly as we can,/And have a look at this lady monster.” (1389-91). These two attributes, courage and dependence are valued as a good human nature. Thus, the whole point of this battle between integrity and hatred can be interpreted that everyone has monstrous side and heroic side, though it is depending on each of us to develop either side of human

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In almost every source of literature, a constant battle occurs between two seemingly equal sides and in the end, only one can prevail. In the historical epic, “Beowulf”, set in eastern Europe in the sixth century, the battle is the vast difference of the higher class noblemen and the foul underbelly of society. The only difference is that in this poem, the crude, lower-class is made up of mythical monsters and medieval demons. The author of “Beowulf” establishes a defined conflict between the barbaric beasts and the civilized people through the juxtaposition of Beowulf and Grendel.

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A hero and a monster show the constant battle between good vs. evil through Biblical allusions. Beowulf is a mighty warrior who fights a disruptive monster, Grendel. Beowulf is represented as God, the good, and Grendel is represented as Cain, the evil. Through the analysis of Beowulf`s ability to do well and Grendel`s vengeance, the reader understand that the battle of Christianity and staying loyal is shown by a dispute. In the translation Beowulf, by Burton Raffel, allusions to the Bible reveal a conflict between good vs. evil.

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Jorge Barrera English 9 18 September 2018 Good vs. Evil In Beowulf good and evil go hand in hand. We see many examples of the two based on the situations in the epic. Given that fate is a huge deal in Anglo-Saxon literature, good and evil play a significant role. Beowulf’s whole story line revolves around the balance between good and evil.

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In the epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, faces three “monsters” at different times in his life. The poem begins with Grendel, a monster who attacks only in the dark of night, tormenting the kingdom of Hrothgar. The last two sections of the epic detail the conquering by Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and the dragon. The battle between the monsters and Beowulf represent the theme of good versus evil in the poem, as well as the fusion of pagan and Christian ideals in the changing Germanic society. Grendel’s mother’s actions directly juxtapose the role of a woman in this time period, and the greediness of the dragon with his treasure contrasts with the virtues of what would be considered a good king.

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For centuries, story characters have captivated people with their heroic deeds and dauntless actions. A perfect example of this type of character is the legendary Beowulf. Beowulf tells the story of the Geat’s strongest warrior who defeats three cruel and frightful monsters known as Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Beowulf’s battles against these monsters are similar and different in various ways. As one reads this epic tale about the valiant Beowulf, they become familiar with the story and the importances of the battles that took place.

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These biblical imageries help distinguish characters and settings, to good or evil. The concepts of good and evil are presented through imagery. The imagery provided reveal the Anglo-Saxons’ beliefs and morals. The concepts of good and evil can be seen within Beowulf’s imageries.

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The hero of the book, “Beowulf”, slayed every monster he went up against, until him and his ultimate foe claimed each other’s lives. Monsters play a vital role throughout this epic; whether it is the sea monsters and the giants, which only appear a few short times, or the key monsters, both are important for

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1285 Words | 6 Pages

In the poem Beowulf, there is a contrast between good and evil. This distinction is presented through the monsters Grendel and his mother, in parallel to the hero Beowulf. The themes of evil and monstrosity are therefore used in the story, as a way to create the notion of Grendel and his mother as monsters. Beowulf therefore appears as a character representing good. Although Beowulf shows traits of abnormal power, like Grendel and his mother, his motifs are interpreted differently.

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In the poem, it is clear that Grendel is the Christian interpretation of the devil since the poem explains that Grendel along with his kind are the descendants of Cain, a biblical character. The book states that “this unhappy being/ had long lived in the land of monsters since the Creator cast them out/ as kindred of Cain” (39. 103-105). This specific description identifies Grendel and his mother as the embodiment of evil. When facing Grendel, Beowulf relies on the protection of God saying “The Father in His wisdom/ shall apportion the honors then, the All-holy Lord,/ to whichever side shall seem to Him fit” (685-687) through this statement Beowulf puts his life in God’s hands. Later, when Beowulf is fighting Grendel’s mother he is unable to cause much harm with Unferth’s sword.

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1663 Words | 7 Pages

Beowulf is very clearly the hero, where Grendel is very clearly villain. He goes to the nearby village, Harlot, “killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (Beowulf, 80-81). Grendel can take on the whole village by himself, where Beowulf needs a whole army behind him. Similar to Beowulf, Grendel is characterized as the epitome of a villain. He’s “a powerful monster, living down

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1337 Words | 6 Pages

In the Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf, the battle between good versus evil explains Beowulf’s entire life showing that though the struggle may be different, good will always overcome evil. In the beginning, there were three groups, the Anglos, the Saxons, and the Jules. In an effort to defeat a common enemy the Anglos and Saxons decided to merge in order to defeat the Jules. Their goal was to retrieve

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142 Words | 1 Pages

In any case, Beowulf is a genuine epic in its expansiveness of interests and sensitivities, despite the fact that it is focused on the vocation of one man slaughtering three beasts. The activity and the characters of this evidently basic story have the quality to exemplify the experience and beliefs. The beasts take an interest in wickedness and confusion as no human, even Heremod, could, however the detestable that starts simply inside the human heart isn't disregarded. Changing both the tall tale creatures and the shameful power legislative issues of the foundation is the target acknowledgment of human battle for comprehension and request. This is the sign of human experience seen through the lenses of the epic system.

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806 Words | 4 Pages

Beowulf vs Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon all represent a creature from hell and Beowulf is a god-like warrior who ends up slaying evil. “Like a man outlawed/for wickedness, he must await/the mighty judgement of God in majesty” (Beowulf 976 - 978). This quote talks about Grendel and his demonic soul. Beowulf points out that he is an evil creature and no creature ever to exist is powerful enough to smite God. Once Grendel dies, Grendel will be in God’s hands and Grendel will regret ever being evil or committing any evil action to anyone or anything on Earth.

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580 Words | 3 Pages

In the epic poem, Beowulf, there are clear distinctions between an epic hero and a monster. Beowulf is the prime example of a epic hero possessing characteristics such as superior strength, courage, and loyalty. On the other hand, Grendel and Grendel’s mother are characteristized as evil and immoral based off of their actions. These characteristics are presented throughout the poem, and monsters are given grotesque, hideous appearances to further prove that they are evil. After Beowulf kills Grendel, Grendel’s mother reaction revealed how the full presentation of a character can allow readers to react differently than before and even sympathized with them.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life.

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