Theme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf

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.

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.

The Battle Between Good and Evil is the archetype most people recognize as the main point of a story. This can be morally or physically, such as a bad guy versus a good guy. In Beowulf there is a big battle that represent Good Vs Evil. The author chooses to go into depth with this fight making it a prime example. “Grendel snatched at the first Geat he came to ripped him apart, cut his body in bits” (314). In this line evil starts off strong as it does in most stories but eventually the hero gains control and wins. This can be seen when the author gives major detail into what happen next, “ grasped at a strong-hearted sleeper and was instantly seized himself, claws bent back as Beowulf leaned up on one arm” (322). The author uses vivid imagery to capture exactly what happens and allows the reader to picture the scene themselves. The final moments of the battle usually end with the hero emerging victorious. “Screams of the Almighty’s enemy sang in darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain and defeat” (360). Grendel has just been defeated and Beowulf as mentioned emerges victorious. In the story of Beowulf The Battle Between Good and Evil is more physical than emotional.

In today’s society, we see violence as a way to cope with all types problems. Humans have used violence as a way to resolve issues since ancient times. The poem “Beowulf” was written between the eighth and eleventh century by an anonymous author. The poem recounts the story of a brave warrior, named Beowulf, who battles three great monsters. Two of the monsters, Grendel and Grendel’s Mother, terrorize the people of Daneland and the third monster, the Dragon, lives in Beowulf's homeland. The epic poem “Beowulf” illustrates and normalizes the idea of violence within the Pagan Warrior Culture.

Good and Evil in Beowulf       In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the poem's main and most important aspect. The poet makes it clear that good and evil do not exist as only opposites, but that both qualities are present in everyone. Beowulf represents the ability to do good, or to perform acts selflessly and in help of others. Goodness is also showed throughout this epic as having the ability to cleanse evil.

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.

The theme of Beowulf had the good vs.evil theme to the story when the monster is Grendel is the monster and his mother also a threat to herot and Beowulf is the hero to solve the problems of Grendel is making. Beowulf is the hero in the story and Grendel is the villain. Beowulf is the faced with many trials throughout the story with unferth and the Grendel.

The battle between good and evil and the inevitable victory of the good is very evident in Beowulf. There is a power struggle between the divine and the sinister throughout the novel, and the divine come out on top, every time. No matter who Beowulf decides to fight, he always leaves victorious. It also shows how disgusting, cruel, and dehumanized all of his opponents are. This all ties together to show us this idea of a struggle between the good and the evil in Beowulf.

In the epic poem of Beowulf, the journey of good and evil is a description of how good can take over the evil and what it takes to be a hero and a great savior. Beowulf’s bare hands is a proof of his legacy and greatness which would last for long time in the history of its own. The poem reflects the time when Christianity were taking over the Pagan world witnessing a cultural and moral change which altered the lives of millions and witness an urging Christianity. As like any other warrior story, Beowulf is not an exception and it comes with different conflicts that the hero must face in making of his legacy. From killing a man-eating monster with

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.

In the Epic Beowulf, composed in the 8th century, the reader follows the protagonist, Beowulf, on a series of adventures to defeat three key monsters. This old English poem uses a series of motifs to help develop its themes, known as dichotomies. Dichotomies, defined as “opposites on the same spectrum,” range from good and evil to young and old, light and dark to Christianity and paganism. All these dichotomies are represented clearly in the text; however the concept of Heroes and Villains can be pulled in many different directions. Although Beowulf is always the hero, it is questionable as to if his three opponents are simply “villains.”

47). The intense battle between Beowulf and Gredel also symbolizes good versus evil. Gredel was described as “…this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the health and the desolate fens;” With the defeat of Grendel, shows that good will always conquer evil.

In the epic poem Beowulf the three battles are between internal good and monsters who embody evil shown through three battles. Beowulf is sent to Herot to rid the land of the evil by killing Grendel who is half monster and

In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the story’s most universal theme. The storyteller is very clear who is good and who is evil, Beowulf represents the good and the ability to act selflessly when help is needed from others. Good is also shown throughout the epic as having the ability to abolish villainy. Evil is presented by Grendel, his mother, and a dragon, whose purpose in life is to make the lives of humanity a little more miserable.

   Brian Wilkie and James Hurt in Literature of the Western World discuss what is perhaps the overriding or central conflict in the poem Beowulf, namely the struggle between good and evil, and how the monsters are representative of the evil side: