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Slaying The Dragon In Beowulf

500 Words2 Pages

Beowulf is an old English epic poem consisting of 3182 assonant lines. The author of this poem was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred by scholars as the “Beowulf poet” who was said to be alive around 600 A.D. and since then the epic poem has been spread down orally from generation to generation, but the written manuscript of Beowulf was believed to have been written around the 11th century during the medieval and Anglo-Saxon England. Beowulf tells the story of a young Geatish warrior who comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the King of the Danes, whose kingdom is being terrorized by a monster named Grendel. Beowulf uses his epic strength and bravery to slay Grendel in Hrothgar’s mead hall, Heorot, and then to slay Grendel’s vengeful mother in her underwater lair. …show more content…

Beowulf later becomes the king of the Geats and rules for fifty peaceful years. When a dragon begins to pose a threat to Geatland, Beowulf and Wiglaf set off to defeat it. Beowulf succeeds in slaying the dragon, but dies in the process. The epic poem of Beowulf depicts many different themes throughout the poem, but one of the main themes that is constantly making an appearance throughout the poem is the theme of good vs. evil. From the characters of Beowulf and Grendel who were the main illustrators of good vs. evil. To the total differences in mead halls. One being in a bloody pit filled with evil monsters, and another being on a high hill with people rejoicing in it. The theme was very prominent throughout this novel all the way to the end with the dragon vs. Beowulf. This essay demonstrates that good and evil are the greatest conflicting elements that really make the story genuine and show the good prevailing over evil and that Beowulf and Grendel are the perfect representation of good and evil. Throughout the poem Grendel isn't just the enemy he's an epitome of everything that is

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