Examples Of Evil In Beowulf

In Beowulf, the clash between good and evil is the poem's main and most significant focal point. Although the epic poem Beowulf utilizes many characteristics of Christian themes, the violence in the poem relates to paganism. By exploring the characteristics of “good vs. evil” such as Cain, Grendel and Beowulf, this paper will explore the elements of Beowulf in such a light.

Why does the poet of Beowulf choose to give human qualities and distinct territories to Beowulf’s monstrous rivals? In the epic, Grendel is a horrible, human-like monster and an outcast in the society. Grendel’s mother is another dangerous adversary of Beowulf because she feels the pain of her child’s death and desires to take revenge, which is similar to the way a human mother feels for her child. In addition to connecting the traits of the monsters to the humans, the poet also provides them a territory for their survival. In Beowulf, the poet’s purpose of bestowing human attributes and granting a residence to Beowulf’s opponents is to reflect that the in Anglo-Saxon society, everyone is respected, but the only elements that prevents one from

Beowulf has delighted and intrigued a wide array of people for centuries. The timeless nature is visible in modern-day extensions of this epic, through heroics and battles of good versus malevolent forces. Beowulf continues to appeal to sophisticated audiences because it tells the story of a great hero prevailing over evil, a timeless theme valued by society and portrayed by his counterparts in modern media, although these new heroes display more complex qualities.

Most people believe that villains are people who only do bad things, or are “a deliberate scoundrel or criminal” (Merriam-Webster). What gives people this definition? Simple things such as Jafar from Disney’s “Aladdin”, Ursula from “Little Mermaid”, and Voldemort from Harry Potter. Yet, no one stopped to think of the other definitions. Villains are not just criminals who do bad things. They are “[People] who [are] blamed for a particular problem” or “particular evil” (Merriam-Webster). In Beowulf, the three “villains” or monsters are Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Dragon. Each of the monsters symbolize at least one sin. Grendel symbolizes jealousy (He pined for Hrothgar’s prosperity), Grendel's Mother symbolized anger and vengeance, and the Dragon represents greed. When an antagonist such as Grendel from Beowulf projects these attributes, they are quickly

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.

“No better king had ever lived, no prince so mild, no man so open to his people, so deserving of praise.” This is an ultimate description of the heroic events of Beowulf, an old Anglo-Saxon poem about a warrior who battles and destroys three horrifying monsters. Although written long ago, the emotions expressed within this work, emotions of bravery, valor, and ethics still speak to us centuries later. The anonymous author of the poem convinces us through the masterful use of various literary elements that emphasize its meaning and message. Conflict, imagery and setting are three literary elements that contribute to the effectiveness of the poem.

In the Epic poem of Beowulf, the theme is good vs. evil. But in the movie Hollywood made everything is different. Beowulf is not honest, women are sexually powerful, and the monsters are Hrothgar and Beowulf’s sons, etc. They added many things that were definitely now in the poem. If you read the poem then watching the movie you would be confused. You would be asking so many questions. But the current audience think good vs. evil is boring.

Throughout history we have seen different kind of battles and duels, but all of this confrontations have always represented the good vs. the evil. There has been demons, monster, and even the mind of a human itself, but good has always found a way to keep the world balanced. There has always been different ways in which evil has been presented, but I believe that the most awful and dreadful one is the devil. The devil controls every other dreadful creature in the world, he is the reason why evil exists. Even though we always picture monster and demons as the representation of evil, humans can also be evil, and we can be even worse.

When reading a passage, readers come across the author's theme of the story and get a better understanding of what's being told from the characters. Especially stories that include a villain and hero, which both demonstrate the meaning of good and evil. “The Coming of Grendel” and “The Coming of Beowulf” are great examples in understanding the theme of a villain and a hero coming across to defeat each other. The author portrays this with diction and syntax which demonstrates the theme Good vs. Evil, in other words, the characters Grendel and Beowulf demonstrate who they are and the actions that they commit. In the poem “The Coming of Grendel” discusses who Grendel

Beowulf is an epic Anglo-Saxon poem, which tells a story of a hero who is destined to defeat several monsters in order to save a kingdom from peril. The underlying meaning is good versus evil with good always prevailing in the end. The theme of good versus evil was portrayed through the characters and events. Beowulf is the good guy fighting against evil. Beowulf is not just one person fighting against the evils of the world. In many cases, he is fighting for humanity’s sake.

Beowulf’s wrath is swift and justified. He plays no games with his opponents. Beowulf even shows respect to his foe and honorably faces them with no undue advantage. A classic example of the honor usually associated with heroes lies in Beowulf’s decision to use neither sword nor armor when facing the monster Grendel in Heorot. Beowulf instead opted, in the name of fair play, to fight the monster on it’s own terms. Unsurprisingly Beowulf conquered his foe in true idolic form, tearing Grendel’s arm from his torso with only the strength of his grip and the power of his arms. This is what we cheer for in such stories, this is the satisfying victory over evil by the true embodiment of good: the hero.

These values help establish Beowulf’s principles or standards of behavior throughout the epic poem. Beowulf’s values are characterized by his motives and beliefs as heroes withstand larger than life tasks such as Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon he faces. John Leyerle describes Beowulf’s courage as “blood-lust rampant” (Beowulf 85). Beowulf lives out the value of boldness even through the dangers of a real threat such as Grendel regardless of the consequences: “I meant to perform to the uttermost / what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, / in the fiend’s clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deedor / meet my death here in the mead-hall” (643-38).

The idea of good and evil presented in Beowulf is hard to capture, by the things he does. He is an idea of a not humble hero. Everyone wants to be hero of the story and being the center of attention. Who doesn’t want to feel respected or looked up too? Compared to other heroes he wasn’t chosen for the job, he does it to get something out of it.

Many stories have good vs evil themes, but Beowulf is the one that is most commonly known.

Over the years, evil has taken innumerable shapes in the real and fictional worlds. And Beowulf is no exception. Throughout the story, three monsters—Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon—symbolized three different evils, all of which resulted in the beasts’ deaths. For instance, Grendel, born to a race that had been cast out, segregated from the world of men, personified jealousy.