Overcoming Evil In Beowulf By Seamus Heaney

Overcoming evil in Beowulf Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty,danger, pain, or other misfortune without fear. In Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, the heroic protagonist whom the poem is named after possesses an abundant amount of courage and bravery. Beowulf uses his innate gallantry to directly oppose any and all evil that rises up within his realm regardless of whether its origins are supernatural or born of man. Through his courageous actions, Beowulf plunges himself into the depths of the state of nature of man and spirit. Beowulf triumphs over the dangers born of the innate presumption, desperation, cowardice, and hatred of man by providing temporary respite through his

In the poem this vessel is Beowulf. Beowulf relies on his faith and deep belief in destiny to guide his action in the face of peril and defeat his foes. When Beowulf overcomes the worldly temptations of hate, presumption, and cowardice, he is at his best and is able to provide a brief moment of respite to a chaotic Geatland. Beowulf foreshadows his victory over Grendel when he says, “I can show the wise Hrothgar a way/ to defeat his enemy and find respite/ if any respite is to reach him, ever./ I can calm the turmoil and terror in his mind (ll. 279-285).” His prediction is proven accurate and he proves through action that his power through divine inspiration can provide respite. Beowulf also proves his ability to provide respite when he defeats the sea monsters and makes it so that the “sailors would be safe (ll. 564).” Beowulf showcased his ability to provide a temporary peace in his victories against Grendel and his mother and during his final victory against the dragon. Without his deep connection to God and destiny, Beowulf would not have been able to be the flicker of light to the world that he