Familial Legacy And The Value Of Cain In Beowulf

A wise person once said, “You are a product of all who came before you. The legacy of your family, the good and bad, it is all a part of who you are. ” A familial legacy can have an everlasting impact on generation after generation. Some may invoke its posterity to have long, prospectable lives. Others may leave their succeeding generation at a serious disadvantage. The second example couldn’t be more prevalent in any other character other than Grendel, the bloodthirsty antagonist in the ancient poem Beowulf. Due to familial legacy and the fact that they have many similarities and differences, the author of Beowulf chooses the biblical character Cain to be the forefather of Grendel. Original sin and the Mark of Cain plays an important part

In its metaphorical sense, it shows how familial sins have an impact on one person’s posterity. One of the first people affected by original sin is Cain, the first murderer in the Bible. According to the USCCB Bible, “...the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one would kill him at sight” (USCCB Bible, 4.15). This shows that Cain experienced original sin. Cain also shares this mark with Grendel. Original sin is not the only major component that affected Grendel but also the value of lineage to the ancient

The most regarded similarity between Cain and Grendel is that both have committed an atrocious sin. In his rampage, “Grendel came, hoping to kill/ Anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot” (Beowulf 235-236). Cain’s sin is highlighted when he, “...attacked his brother Abel and killed him” (USCCB Bible, 4.8). These two examples show that Grendel and Cain are similar because they are both murderers. Being killers is not the only thing that they have in common. Their motives as to why they commit such a gruesome crime are alike as well. Cain’s motive can be seen when, “The Lord looked with favor upon Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and dejected” (USCCB Bible, Gen. 4.4-5). Grendel’s reason for murdering is more vague and has to be read through the lines. According to a LitChart article, “While Grendel’s psychology is not explored in detail in Beowulf, there is a sense that he attacks the Danes because his own enforced isolation has made him hate those who are able to enjoy society and companionship” (Florman, “Beowulf Characters: Grendel''). These pieces of evidence show that both Cain and Grendel are influenced to murder due to negative emotions of jealousy and rejection. While it may seem so, both characters are not always