Essay On Good And Evil In Beowulf

Good vs Evil in Beowulf Evil profoundly immoral and malevolent Good to be desired or approved of. Although the two adjectives are the polar opposites from each other complete In the Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf, the reoccurring theme of good versus evil is used to contrast the ideal Anglo Saxon person with its flawed opposite. Anglo Saxon literature was typically written in Latin, which is known as “the language of learning” (Amodio).

In almost every story, there is a conflict; this conflict is unfortunately the main component in any attractive story. At the base of the conflict in Beowulf 's poem, there is a source of both, good and evil. Who is Good and who is evil, and why? Is there a relation Between Beowulf and Islamic religion? All of these questions will be answered through the following analysis.

Beowulf exemplifies the concept of good and evil. It includes the archetypical hero who battles multiple monsters and faces struggles along the way. Even though Beowulf is thousands of years old, the theme of good vs evil is still seen in modern literature, on television, and in many other places. Good vs evil is seen in many places in the present time period, especially in superhero comics and movies.

There were an abundance of changes implemented into the Beowulf movie that show how our society's customs, morals, and beliefs have changed over the years. The director of Beowulf was trying to make an old epic poem relevant to today's societal problems and add more action. A recurring theme throughout the movie is giving villains a reason to be villains, and showing that heroes are very similar to mortals. In the poem, all of Beowulf's enemies were evil, just because it’s who they were.

The young man could not help remarking that Beowulf’s body had shrunken with age” ( Nye 94). Beowulf has the persistence and bravery to fight the Firedrake with his shrunken old body. Beowulf decides to fight the Firedrake to protect his country and to risk his own life instead of others. Beowulf’s superb determination leads him to even risk his death for good, to add on he also shows that he is a strong and reasonable

Beowulf is a story of heroes, monsters, battles, and death. All four of these things play a role in the theme of this story, the theme of good versus evil. The theme of good versus evil is evident in the story but one is the victor over the other. Good prevails over evil in Beowulf, and it is evident in the fights between Beowulf and Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon. Before a person can see that good prevails over evil, they must see what is evil and what is good.

The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/

In short, Beowulf was an epic hero because he confronted supernatural beings, held a personal power power, and presented the glorification of the heroic ideal. First of all, in the story, Beowulf was depicted as the final hope of humanity, who stood against any beings that harm the peace and harmony of his people. Grendel, a murderous creature banished by God, was wiping out Herot before Beowulf came upon and stopped

As the story progress, Beowulf became king of the Geats for 50 years when suddenly a dragon emerged from slumber began to burn down villages. However, Beowulf didn’t pay the slightest attention, but instead ignored what was happening. Finally, when the dragon burns down Beowulf’s throne room Beowulf decided that he needs to deal with the dragon. In Beowulf 's eyes, the lives of his citizens couldn’t even compare to his throne room. When Beowulf prepared to fight the dragon he said, “Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning” (lines 2512-2514).

The characteristic of an epic that is dominant in Beowulf is that the actions of the hero decide the fate of a nation. Upon hearing of Grendel’s attacks at Herot, Beowulf travels to Denmark to help Hrothgar. Hrothgar agrees to let Beowulf try to defeat Grendel. If Beowulf kills the demon, then Herot will be cured of all evil, but if he fails, then Grendel will continue to terrorize Hrothgar’s men until the kingdom is completely demolished. Beowulf succeeds in defeating Grendel, and saves Hrothgar and his men from Grendel’s wrath.

The epic poem finalizes with an epic battle against the strongest monster yet. A fierce dragon against the wise, prideful Beowulf. To the amusement of many, Beowulf makes the foolhardy decision to not take the necessary measures to defeat the dragon. He contemplates his participation in the battle and recognizes that preparation is necessary to defeat the venom infused dragon. Beowulf also understands that he will be in the light of everlasting glorification once he defeats the dragon.

He is then buried by the sea. Evil has evolved over time due to beliefs, cultures, and origins changing tremendously. In Beowulf, people who are evil are demon-like creatures: who are cannibals, horrible heroes who only venture out to hurt kinsmen, and immoral humans hating on God. Grendel, the demon from the epic poem, chose a unique way to kill people and that was to eat humans. He had a dark and monstrous demeanor as well as huge claws and enormous teeth that he used to kill with.

In the first place, they are many themes in Beowulf that best displays the difference between how Beowulf is depicted as opposed to how other characters are depicted which is good prosper over evil. Grendel is a sadistic monster, he is relentless. In the poem it stated that “he would kill and eat thirty people”. Every night grendel slaughters more danes and feed on their corpses after tearing them limb by limb. He is also jealous and impatient.

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life.