Beowulf Good Vs Evil Essay

Whether you are arguing with your siblings, with a stranger at a baseball game, during a debate, with your parents or children, you are fighting for what you believe is right. You perceive yourself as the “victim” in the situation by trying to justify your reasoning behind the argument. Some people may perceive you as the good or as the evil because they believe that you have done nothing wrong, you were being perverse or fighting for the wrong reason. The epic poem Beowulf, is a super-eminent literary example that represents the good and evil in the characters and what they are fighting for. In this fictional poem, in which the author is unknown, the protagonist Beowulf encounters three major battles with a monster named Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and a dragon. Each character is fighting for a certain reason and believe their reason is more dominant. The two audiences that view the characters as good or evil is the Danes and the narrator. Since the characters in the poem believe they're justified in their actions, they prove to not be all evil or all good. In fact, they should be judged based on the rationale behind their actions to fight.

In the epic poem Beowulf, there is an obvious distinction between good and evil. The hero and his foes play roles that are commonly associated with Anglo-Saxon literature. The lines are clearly drawn and expressed in the poem. As the story moves, the reader cannot mistake the roles being played, based on the characterizations in the epic, one recognizes each character for their purpose and place.

In every era there has always been a battle between good and evil. Throughout the epic poem Beowulf the most prodominant themeatic subject is good vs. evil. In Beowulf the theme is developed in the same way everytime that it is introduced in the text. Unlike modern era where the theme is developed differently each time. Good vs. evil is developed through Beowulf by having good triumph over evil unlike modern era where it varys each and every time.

In Beowulf, it is clear on the difference between good and evil to the humans, god separated from the behind demons such as Grendel in the novel. However, Grendel differs from this perception he believes that everyone is evil in some form. It’s interesting that humans refer to him as a hell-thane and a demon because that is based out of Christianity when the Danes are Pagans. The people believe that he is evil, just based on the actions he has shown, never how he got to that point or what really made him that way.

“Where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is shadow there must be light.” (Hakuri Murkami). Light and darkness, truth and deception, and arguably the most prevalent, good and bad, are utter opposites used to defy and provoke each other. With differing concepts, comes physical forces representing each side that battle against one another with aspiration of everlasting dominion. In the epic poem Beowulf, this corresponds to the mighty warrior Beowulf and his foes that challenged him through his lifetime. Beowulf was acclaimed as a glorious, triumphant hero who slayed gruesome, ghastly monsters that plagued the rich lands of men. He was recognized as a hero to the Anglo-Saxons through his overwhelming courage, strength, and benevolence. The boastful stories that told of his deed propagated the legacy of the many brutish battles that he fought. In contrast, his opposition displays a differing perspective. The demons that Beowulf confronts are perceived as vile and nightmarish, defying the civilities of men and the morality of a hero. Evil was depicted as Grendel, a monster lurking in the moors, who only hunted in the shadows. “Conceived by a pair of those monsters born / Of Cain, murderous creatures banished / By God, punished forever for the crime / Of Abel’s death” (105-108). He was a creature of hell, like other monsters that posed as an evil to men. Without the brooding force of evil, heroes in Beowulf would not have an antagonist to justify their strength and spread their mighty reputation. The forthright perception of evil portrayed as embodiments of sin, murder, and vengeance through antagonistic monsters in the poem of Beowulf accentuate the core values of a hero in the Anglo-Saxon society and ultimately determine the presence of good.

A fact that seems quite obvious, but is commonly overlooked, is the evil character’s alienation from society. Of course no one wants a beast-like creature with unnatural strength living in their community; Grendel’s banishment from society points directly to his evil character status in Beowulf. From the onset of the story, Grendel is shunned by society. He is described as “spawned . . . by a

Monsters reinforce the heroic code by challenging the values of the heroic code, they show the relationship against good and evil, and are a challenge for Beowulf. During the Anglo-Saxon age where good and evil clashed in battle, there was a brave hero named Beowulf who fought many battles and who led monsters to their doom. With fate and strength by his side nothing could stop him. There were two kingdoms in this story that were overcome by evil. The People tried to fight back but it was no match for such an evil. The attitudes and actions between various monsters and humans show that Beowulf is a story comprised of battles putting good against evil.

In beowulf it shows a good and evil side. The good side always comes when someone is fighting for what they want as in defending it. The evil side always come when it’s fighting to make the other die or cause harm to another. This reveals how the anglo-saxon society would take care of things to protect their land, home, throne, family.

Morality and society can often refer to the words good vs. evil. People who abide to a certain set of rules reflect good, while others who go against them are immoral. All of us have the capability of doing good and bad things, but whether we choose to be overcome by evil or overcome evil with good, can determine our fate. Much like what Beowulf experiences whenever he goes against Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the Dragon. In the novel Beowulf, translated by Burton Raffel, the clash between good and evil shows Beowulf’s thirst for power and fame.

In the poem of Beowulf, how is the theme loyalty, revenge and good vs. evil ? In those meaning the themes could definitely relate to the poem. To begin with, as reading the poem of beowulf it could fill in loyalty, revenge and good vs evil. the main character is beowulf because he is the ones that carries this poem to his journey. The other main characters are grendel, grendel mother and hrothgar. In the poem of beowulf is based on an old English written in anglo-saxon culture. Its also about a young warrior brings joyful around his castle and destroys nightmare away. He also becomes the biggest hero for hrothgar and serves his people of his territory where they defend their place. The theme of loyalty takes place where the king hrothgar who onced saved his father. For example, by his

The exploits of an epic hero can be seen all throughout the poem, Beowulf. This poem contains the universal theme of good versus evil. Beowulf’s success or failure will determine the fate of the people/nation. Starting the narrative in the middle of the action makes it unique and then, that there is superhuman action occurring just adds to the wonder of the poem. Beowulf contains monsters, dragons, and descriptive battles between man and beast.

The concepts of good and evil are presented all throughout the story of Beowulf. They’re very important to the story and is a consistent theme throughout the text. Beowulf and his battles describe the historical war between those who are fighting for God are good and those who are opposing God are evil and religion is consistent with their roles in Anglo-Saxon society.

Beowulf is an heroic story which has conflict with good and evil That show violence and morality. The symbol that represent good in beowulf. Beowulf show himself as a purity and light Beowulf action show his evil side by defeat a ferocious monster in order to save a kingdom from destruction and death. Beowulf battle with being mean which mean “ Strong, Generous and proud, he try to be the perfect hero because of his life begun as a foundling an infant abandoned by his parents Beowulf have taking upon himself by doing good deeds that will perform to help his countries in need.

Around the time Beowulf was put to paper, the Anglo-Saxon culture in Britain was beginning its transformation into a unified society. During the Early Middle Ages Charlemagne, the Frankish Emperor, initiated a widespread campaign intended to convert the masses to Christianity. As Thomas Noble explains, in an article published by Church History, “The Carolingian period, roughly the eighth and ninth centuries, was dynamic and decisive in European religious history. The ruling dynasty and the clerical elite promoted wave after wave of reform” (287). Noble’s implications about the Carolingian influence in Christianity helps to paint the picture of what life at that time might have looked like in terms of religious landscape. The author of Beowulf

I have read Beowulf over and over again and to me I could actually only think of one comparison between Beowulf and the modern world. I am going to be comparing the battle of good and evil in Beowulf to the battle of good and evil in the sense of Christianity; Cain and Abel to be more precise. Evil: In Beowulf the ‘evil’ character is Grendel, he is a demon-like creature, who terrorizes Hrothgar’s villagers and the mead hall. You can portray Grendel as the seed of Cain, who murdered Abel his brother. “In misery amongst the banished monsters, Cain clan whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as an outcast for killing Abel.” (Beowulf, lines 106-107). In a sense you can also say that Grendel is similar to the Devil which could be called