Good and Evil in Beowulf Essay

The legend of Beowulf was probably cool in England sometime in the Eighth Century AD, and written down circa 1000 AD, by a literate scop (bard) or perhaps a Christian scribe who was possibly educated in a monastery. The poem was created in oral tradition and was transferred to writing over time. It had its roots in folk tales and traditionalistic stories until some very talented poet put it in something very near to its current form. The poem was more(prenominal) than likely performed for audiences at court or on the road as the scop found audiences to support him.It was render or chanted rather than recited it, and usually to the accompaniment of a harp. There was a constant pare between advantageously and evil in the story. Beowulf, matinee idol, and Wiglaf represented favourable in the poem whereas Grendel, his mother, and Cain portrayed the distinguish situation of evil. Beowulf and Grendel represented the ultimate essay of good and evil. Grendel act to destroy every thing near him while Beowulf tried to do good all the time. The first battle between Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf was God (good) and Grendel was Cain (evil).This was actually an allusion from the Bible, the story of Cain and was apply to compare Gods feelings of Grendel, a descendant of Cain. The book stated, Since Cain had killed his only / Brother, slain his fathers son / with an angry sword. God drove him off, / outlawed him. Cain killed his brother because he was evil and God shunned and attach him for his evilness. God used his wrath to take care of Cain. God had the same feelings for Grendel.Grendel was described as a vicious monster that was an offspring of everything evil, God refused to forgive Grendel and favored Beowulfs pride over Grendels sins. In the battle, God granted Beowulf overwhelming victory. The book stated, The Ruler of the heavens brought about a chasten issue, when once more he stood up with ease. God stood with ease because the beast he hated, Grendel, was dead. Beowulf was a mighty, practiced hero who had super strength and the ego to match his strength. He defeated Grendel with his bare hands, and then he fought Grendels vengeful mother.Tired and torn, Beowulf, through his goodness, was able to vanquish Grendels mother. , At the brink of exhaustion, Beowulf grabbed a monstrous sword and the book continued, he struck furiously the blade went straight through the curst body. This was the perfect example of goodness. The story of good and evil was told from the beginning of mans existence. Beowulf, revealed how this was evident and explained the side of good as d heroicalted in the hero Beowulf. Evil was personified in Grendel, Beowulfs, opposite, the man-eating beast that terrorized humanity.As massive as the delicate balance of good and evil was recognized the characters in the epic related to the pattern of good and evil. Good won out every time there was a contest because God wanted good to prevail. Beowulf showed how goo d was related to evil. This story represented these qualities in both main characters. The struggle began when God allowed Satan dominion over the earth. The battle between them had been recorded throughout literary history. some(prenominal) of the heroes that had challenged Satan did so to protect the weak. Others fought for fame and glory.The theme of good vs. evil that was present in the story of Beowulf, it became the classical foundation of many modern stories. Beowulf and Grendel represented the ultimate struggle of good and evil. Grendel tried to destroy everything around him. To Beowulf, this was another conquest. It allowed him to do yet another good deed that people talked about for a capacious time. Beowulf represented God and Grendel was Satan. The struggle between God and Satan had existed throughout time. Beowulf was all that was good, moral, and ethical. He lived by the rules of God.Grendel denounced those rules to live by his own. Thinking only of that which gave him pleasure, he attempted to destroy everything good and kind. Truly, Beowulf was like a parent and Grendel was like a child whom he chastised. Beowulf displayed a variety of things that the Anglo-Saxon people determine many of those traits were expressed through the main character, Beowulf. In him, was seen the qualities of courage, loyalty and a thirst for fame. The character and story also had one running theme throughout, the age-old subject of good versus evil.Beowulf was the epic hero of this poem. He embodied all the characteristics that a hero should, such as bravery, loyalty and strength, both physical and mental. He was the archetypal hero. He fought for good and represented it as well. Beowulf signified good, but there was a contrasting evil to complete the balance. The monster Grendel and his mother were that evil. The mere look of them left the impression of fear and sin. He strode quickly across the inlaid floor, snarling and fierce His eyes gleamed in darkness, burn ed with a gruesome Light. Their nighttime seemed to spread to their home, infecting the lake in which they lived. A deer, hunted through the woods by packs of hounds, a stag with commodious horns, though driven through the forest from faraway places, preferred to die on those shores, refused to save its livelihood in that water. This signified good and evil. Beowulf confronted the monsters and defeated them. (Baldwin, 99). With each of the characters representing good and evil respectively, Grendels defeat distinctly symbolized Beowulf and his goodness overcoming the beasts wickedness, just as we would view Christ defeating Satan.Throughout history and in endless fairytales, good was always victorious over evil. The white knight always defeated the dragon. This was no exception with Beowulf. though the poem ended in his demise, Beowulf was remembered for being the hero that saved his people from the evils of their world. In conclusion, in the epic Beowulf, there was a constant struggle between good and evil. Beowulf and Grendel represented the ultimate struggle of good and evil. Grendel tried to destroy everything around him while Beowulf tried to do good all the time.