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Mortal Vs Evil In Beowulf

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The Mortal Vs. The Immortal
Every great hero has some thirst for adventure, whether it is saving lives or defeating the enemy to obtain something important, they are always ready to go on a journey. In the epic poem called "Beowulf" , by an unknown author created in the mid 700's or 800's, there's an epic hero named Beowulf where he is this outrageous hero that seems that can't stop battling monsters. Beowulf's first battle is in Herot where he battles the monster Grendel terrorizing the Danes, he later then battles his mother and even after so many combats he confronts a Dragon in his elderly years trying to defend his people. His courage throughout the story demonstrates his nobility and will to fight against evil for the good. The theme of Beowulf is Good vs. Evil using symbolism, plot and character. …show more content…

During a 12 year war that occurred in Herot, the monster was surrounded by the most holy things especially the kings throne. For example, when they describe Grendel's 12 year war, they say "he never dared to touch king Hrothgar's glorious throne, protected God..." (Unknown lines 82-84) meaning that Grendel is made of evil and bad spirits therefore, he cannot touch the throne. To clarify, if Grendel had planted his hand onto Hrothgar's throne he would experience the same pain as it would to have holy water splashed onto him. God's power is strong enough to even destroy Grendel if he had dared get close enough with

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Good vs Evil in Beowulf Evil profoundly immoral and malevolent Good to be desired or approved of. Although the two adjectives are the polar opposites from each other complete In the Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf, the reoccurring theme of good versus evil is used to contrast the ideal Anglo Saxon person with its flawed opposite. Anglo Saxon literature was typically written in Latin, which is known as “the language of learning” (Amodio).

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The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

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Not just through characteristics, but through Beowulf's struggle and endeavors throughout the story, it resembles that of an epic hero. J.R.R Tolkien suggested the theme that a ‘man alien in a hostile world, engaged in a struggle which he cannot win’ states that Beowulf struggled in the hostile world, and in something he could not win; though he may have won battles through struggle, he never fully won. Being larger than life, going on a quest, and dying a symbolic death are the characteristics of an epic hero shown by Beowulf. In the theme of the story, the man alien was in a hostile world.

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They had confidence and courage to win the battle in the name of Beowulf. The author’s perception of courage displays that good will always outperform evil. In conclusion, “Beowulf” illuminates characters and their dauntless actions. In the heroic tale “Beowulf,” the author’s tones strongly demonstrates themes of loyalty, honor, and courage.

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Alexander Hamilton once said, “There is a certain Enthusiasm in liberty that makes Human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Beowulf is an epic poem in which the main character Beowulf did acts of service, but he fought for those who couldn’t fight. The overall theme of good versus evil in Beowulf had Beowulf dealing with challenges that no ordinary man would be able to handle unless they were a true epic hero. Throughout the poem Beowulf proves to be an epic hero by his strength, bravery, and sacrifice.

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Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon story about a hero who encounters many monsters. Given that the story originated from the Anglo-Saxons, there are morals and values pertaining to Anglo-Saxon history. The early Anglo-Saxons were infantile in knowledge and faith when it came to their Christian beliefs. After the Romans invaded England, the later Anglo-Saxons became more knowledgeable about Christianity. Because of Roman influence, the recorded version of Beowulf, which readers now see today, has more biblical imagery than its original, pagan, oral version.

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In the epic Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is depicted as a heroic figure who fights monsters and defends the weak. During its time, Beowulf would be considered a great hero, however in today 's standards Beowulf would only be considered a great warrior. That’s because a hero should value the lives of the people and not seek to be rewarded. Instead, Beowulf committed heroic acts for his own selfish reasons and never shows to values the lives of the people. From fighting Grendel to slaying the dragon, Beowulf only fought because he value the fame and fortune that comes along with those accomplishments.

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Beowulf was also confronted by his own mortality and the possibility that he isn’t invincible: “if God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal. ”(l.1657-8) Faced with that reality, Beowulf is initiated into adulthood and a world of complex moral

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The story Beowulf contains many different rulers that people follow. Among the various characteristics these men share, a few great qualities shine through, these being generosity, loyalty, and bravery. The leader Beowulf portrays these qualities multiple times throughout the story, which define him as a model of leadership for all times. One of the reasons is that Beowulf always acts decisively and courageously to combat evil, and he is also noble in his actions. He knows how to create peace as well as to wage war.

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The definition of heroism is great bravery. Bravery is what Beowulf displays when he makes the decision to battle the monsters. Beowulf's courage is exposed multiple times during the battles for example, "The dragon burns Beowulf's hall with fiery breath, and the old king sets out to fight him unaided" (Hanning 9). This detail displays that although the dragon is evil and might, Beowulf shows no fear whatsoever when battling them. Beowulf ignores the possibility of there being an adverse outcome during every battle he continues to fight.

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In the children’s book, the story displays two themes that are well represented in the book. The first theme is good warriors and good king. The story depicts how Beowulf possess the qualities of loyalty, honesty, and integrity that motivate him into a wise and respectable leader. For example, when Beowulf was fighting Grendel, his men “swords raised and ready, determined to protect their prince if they could.” The book also depicts another example through Wiglaf’s action.

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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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His glory was superior to anything he could hold. b) On the surface, Beowulf has all the same themes as every superhero movie. It is good against evil. On another level, Beowulf can have much deeper and darker themes such as the ever present reminder that death lurks around the corner. Beowulf only keeps his life because of a thin layer of mail armor.

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With the battle to protect the city against the dragon, even though Beowulf was king he fought the dragon. He fought the dragon because no one else could. No one was as selfless as he was to risk his life to protect the city. Without Beowulf these monsters would over power good and there would be no balance between good and evil.

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However very few of them actually “fight to the death”. The fact Beowulf actually does die shows how much more glorious and respected he should be opposed to our modern day heroes. Looking at our modern day heroes being in this position i felt they would have fled and attempted to recover to come back with a bigger blow. Our modern day heroes are more than capable of fighting to the death but more times than not, they fear death when it is staring them in the face and resort to

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