“They traded deaths, / Danes and monsters, and no one had won” (ll. 1304–1305). Essentially, both the humans and the monsters are responsible for the deaths throughout the poem Beowulf. However, humanity often praises itself for the people and creatures it kills. They declare it a good by justifying the reason behind the murders. Meanwhile, the monsters are harshly judged, and even killed, because of the people they kill. Regardless of the fact that both sides are responsible for the deaths in Beowulf, the humans are praised for doing good while the monsters are demonized.
The numerous deaths throughout the poem Beowulf can be attributed to both the humanity and the monsters. The humans, for example, are responsible for the deaths of entire
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towns. The story of Finn and the Danish people perfect displays this. “Finn’s troops, too,/ Had fallen to Danish spears: too few/ Were left to drive the Danes to their death,/ To force Hnaf’s follower, Hengest, to flee/ The hall where they’d fought” (ll.1079–1084). In this vignette, it is clear that both armies were responsible for the death that occurred, despite the fact that both armies were human. Additionally, Beowulf was responsible for the death of not only Grendel, but Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. All three of these monsters were laid to “[sleep] in [their] blood” (l. 2903) by the hero Beowulf. Considering that these are the only monster mentioned in the poem, their deaths are all the more momentous. As for the monsters, one example of the monsters killing humans is Grendel’s attacks on Herot. Each night Grendel attacked Herot, he would “[slip] through the door and there in silence/ [Snatch] up thirty men” (ll. 121–122) and eat them. Over the twelve years Grendel attacked Herot, he could have killed thousands of Geats. Considering this was only one town in the Middle Ages, the death of thousands of people is in no way trivial. Essentially, both the monsters and the humans are responsible for the death featured in the poem. Throughout Beowulf, humanity is endlessly praised for the people and monsters they murder. For example, Shild “made slaves of soldiers from every/ Land, crowds of captives he’d beaten/ Into terror” (ll. 4–6) during the wars he had fought in. Yet, he was also “rich and much honored” (l. 8) by the Danes because of his success in war. When Shild dies, the Danes do nothing but praise him for his time as a warrior and king. They even going as far as sending him off with a mountain of valuable swords and armor in his honor. If the people didn’t truly believe that Shild was good, despite the wars he had fought and the people he had killed, they wouldn’t have sent him off with a literal pile of treasure. Similarly, the main character, Beowulf, is greatly praised for his success in killing monsters throughout the poem. After he defeated Grendel, for example, Hrothgar gives “Beowulf a golden/ Banner, a fitting flag to signal/ His victory” (ll. 1020–1022) over the monster. When Beowulf goes back to defeat Grendel’s mother, Hrothgar declares, “Save us,/ Once more, and again twisted gold, Heaped-up ancient treasure, will reward you/ For the battle you win!” (ll. 1379–1382). In both scenarios, Hrothgar is explicitly praising Beowulf for killing Grendel and Grendel’s mother by rewarding Beowulf with riches of all kinds. If Hrothgar didn’t approve of the way Beowulf brutally murder these monsters, he wouldn’t reward him so richly. Finally, even minor characters, such as Esher, are well-liked and respected because of their success in bloody battles. After Esher’s death, Hrothgar admits that Esher's was his “most trusted/ Counselor and friend, [his] comrade, when [they] went/ Into battle” (ll. 1324–1326). This quote suggests that Esher fought alongside of Hrothgar in the brutal battles that brought Hrothgar power. Seeing as Hrothgar has won many wars in his life, when Hrothgar states that “All [of his] soldiers/ Should be as [Esher] was, their hearts as brave/ And as wise!” (ll. 1327–1329) one can presume he knew a lot about the qualities a soldier should hold. In saying that Esher held these qualities, he is greatly complement the dead warrior. If Hrothgar did not appreciate the effort Esher put into war, and the subsequent death that those wars brought, than Hrothgar wouldn’t have praised him as highly as he did. In summary, the glorious soldiers of the poem are respected and praised for the people and things they have killed. Nothing in the poem ever suggests their actions could be evil. The monsters, however, are demonized because of the people they kill.
Grendel, for example, is described by the Danes as a creature who is “so set/ on murder that no crime could… quench his lust for evil” (ll. 135–137). The only reason anyone has this opinion on Grendel is because he has been attacking Herot for twelve years, taking sleeping soldiers and eating them. In a way, Grendel is successful in a war against the Geats; yet he is viciously murdered by Beowulf for winning this war. If the Beowulf had appreciated Grendel’s success in this war, as he does with his human allies, then he wouldn’t have killed the creature. Likewise, when Grendel’s mother kills Esher, she is also villainized and murdered for her actions. She’s described by the Geats as “a second hungry/ Fiend, determined to avenge the first, A monster more willing and more than able/ To bring [the Geats] more sorrow” (ll. 1338–1341). In this quote, humanity belittles Grendel’s mother based purely on the fact that she tried to avenge the death of her son. The Geats, however, immediately turn around an declare that they are going to exact revenge on Grendel’s mother for killing Esher. This revenge results in Grendel’s mother’s death. Once again, if the Geats had treated her need for revenge the same they treated their own, Grendel's mother wouldn’t have been killed. Similar to both Grendel and Grendel’s mother, the dragon is also depicted as an evil …show more content…
creature. “The dragon/ Burned down [the Geats’] homes.
[The Geats] watched in horror/ As the flames rose up: the angry monster meant to leave nothing alive. And the signs/ Of its anger flickered and glowed in the darkness, Visible for miles, tokens of its hate/ And its cruelty, spread like a warning to the Geats/ Who had broken its rest” (ll. 2312–2319).
This passage emphasizes how the Geats viewed the dragon, who was simply trying to retrieve a stolen cup, as an angry merciless monster who would stop at nothing to kill them all. To them, there is nothing eviler than a creature that destroys everything from their homes to their lives. Yet, that is the exact method that many of the warrior kings use to conquer neighboring towns. In essence, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are all harshly judged by humanity to be evil creatures because of the death they
bring. Although both the humans and the monsters commit murder throughout the poem Beowulf, the humans are rewarded for their acts while the monsters are killed and reprimanded. Between the kings that led raids on neighboring peoples and Beowulf who became famous for murdering Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon, the humans in Beowulf killed a lot of different people and creatures. Yet somehow, these people that kill and murder others are often rewarded and praised for doing so. Meanwhile, the monsters, such as Grendel, are known for the thousands of people they kill. Not only do the humans pay attention to the people the monsters kill, but they also demonize the monsters, describing them as angry and terrible creatures that crave nothing but death.
The dragon is portrayed as the undefeatable evil. He is nearly invincible, breathes fire, and manages to fatally wound the ultimate hero of the poem. This makes him the ultimate evil Although Beowulf does defeat the dragon, the battle ends in a tie, since both sides perish, which shows the never ending balance between the two extremes: good and evil. The theme of loyalty is also explored here. When the battle between Beowulf and the dragon first begins, “[his] hand-picked troop/ broke ranks and ran for their lives” (1129). This is a common archetype that allows the hero to face the antagonist alone, all while having assistance during the journey leading up to the final battle. The author used this to emphasize the Anglo-Saxon belief of fate. Beowulf was supposed to face the dragon alone, thus his comrades had to disappear. The two ways to do this would have been to have Beowulf go alone, which would conflict with the belief of Warrior Culture, or portray his allies as cowards which would also help reinforce the Anglo Saxon values regarding courage. Thus by adding in the archetype of the cowardly allies, the author creates an emphasis on the important parts of Anglo-Saxon culture without relying on
The Dragon tries to convince Grendel that the humans are bad people and that he should kill them because of their actions. He attempts to persuade Grendel that he shouldn’t be what the Shaper says. “ Ah, Grendel” he said. He seemed that instant almost rise to pity. “ You improve them, my boy! Can’t you see that yourself? You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme. You drive them to poetry, science, religion, all that makes them what they are for as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves” (Gardner 72). This specific quotation proves the idea of the negative influence the Dragon has on Grendel because it states that Grendel is the force which humans must kill to destroy him and prove who they are. It is basically stating that the humans are out to get Grendel and it brings Grendel in the direction of being mean. “ I discovered that the Dragon had put a charm on me: no weapon could cut me. I could walk up to the mead hall whenever i pleased, and they were powerless. My heart became darker because of that. Though I scorned them, sometimes hated them, there had been something between myself and men where we could fight. Now, invulnerable, I was as solitary as one live tree in a vast landscape of coal” (Gardner 75-76). Grendel talks
Throughout the novel, this monster, Grendel, seems confused as to whether he wants to view life like his existentialistic dragon mentor, or like the ignorantly optimistic humans on which he feeds. At times he is captivated by the romantic songs of the Shaper, and feels no desire to kill, while at others he thrives on the "knowledge" of the dragon, and goes on bloody rampages. At one point during Grendel's insecure state, the dragon tells him something that changes his outlook, and gives him a new feeling of self-worth.
In literature, monsters are often used to symbolize characteristics in humans. In the poem Beowulf, monsters are used to symbolize destructive behavior in humans. In the case of Hrothgar and Beowulf, their pride causes them to become selfish. Pride often makes people lose focus of their priorities and that can make their selfishness get out of control, and lead to destructive behavior.
While the monsters of the poem are the antagonists of the poem, the author still manages to make the reader feel traces of sympathy for them. Grendel’s human depiction, exile and misery tugs at the heart of readers and indeed shows a genuine side to the figure, while Grendel’s mother and the dragon are sympathetic mainly because they were provoked into being attacked over things they both had a deep affection for. Their actions make us question whether they are as evil as they seem.
Grendel's negative view of the world stems from the Dragon due to their close compani...
Grendel, the monster terrorizing Heorot, is introduced as being estranged from the rest of the world. He is described as an outsider, a descendant of “Cain’s clan” (107). Grendel’s outcast status leaves him living in darkness, his envy growing the more he hears the celebrations of the Danes. Envy and social status motivate Grendel’s cruelty, filling him with anger towards those who are human. When Beowulf and the Geats arrive, it is not solely out of honor that Beowulf vows to kill the beast. Beowulf’s father, Ecgtheow, had an unpaid debt at the time of his death. Beowulf’s pledge that he would kill Grendel was a repayment, as well as an honorable feat. However, as Beowulf is introduced, the boasts he makes of his heroic feats and his “awesome strength” (29), only prove his barbarity. He boasts that “they had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies when I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea slaughtered sea brutes” (419-422). He goes on to blame the enemies for the vengeance that he wrought upon them. Beowulf dehumanizes his enemies, states that they were foul beasts who tainted the land, and he purified it. This is a sadistic view of life and battle, contrasting cruelty for the
This illustrates an inner problem of a suppressed evil side to society. Beowulf and other men that battled Grendel had trouble defeating him with weapons. They all had to tussle with Grendel and everyone except for Beowulf failed at this challenge. Symbolically meaning that that evil side to society will always be there no matter how much people try to fight it. Grendel also plays the role of envy. Imagine him being an outcast with no joy in his life hearing the mead-hall at night and all the laughter, he must have felt envious and longed to be a part of that world. Another symbolic role is revenge. Upon learning that Beowulf has hurt her only child Grendel’s mother becomes angered and seeks revenge. Her and Beowulf battle it out and the mother loses the battle. Relating this back to Cain, Grendel’s mother wants to kill Beowulf and get revenge and just like Cain, she faced her punishment, for her it was
Beowulf’s life was truly epic struggle. The monsters he battled made it so. Grendel and the dragon, capable of crushing men physically, stood for evils that could just as easily crush men in spirit. These two beasts represented society’s greatest fears, as well as detriments, and Beowulf fearlessly took them on. Grendel taught the hero a valuable lesson about maintaining one’s humanity in a world dominated by the dogs of war. The dragon, showed Beowulf’s mortality, his imperfection, but the hero eradicates it nonetheless, saving his people from not only physical threat, but sin. Bringing in such spiritual and moral dimensions, these two beasts certainly give the story of Beowulf depth.
In many European traditions, dragons are viewed as villains because they represent the antithesis of a good king. Good kings share their wealth; dragons hoard it. However the dragon’s actions against society in Beowulf can be justified. After Beowulf becomes the ruler of Geatland and all seems well and peaceful, the dragon enters the story. His appearance is provoked: one day while the dragon quietly guards his ancient hoard, an unnamed Danish slave manages to enter the hidden lair and awaken the dragon’s dormant rage.
The author makes evident what the evil is in the poem Beowulf. The evil dragon’s in Beowulf would be Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the final dragon who took Beowulf’s life. The author introduces Grendel in the beginning of the Poem. Grendel is the mon...
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” At the sound of these words, Wiglaf and Olga sealed their love with a kiss. Nothing could ruin that happy day. So Wiglaf, his new wife Olga, and the rest of the Geats went to celebrate the happy couple. Just as the party was winding down, the Franks and Swedes, having formed an alliance against the Geats, bombarded into the celebration. This was considered an act of war to the Geats. War broke out between the two parties. For two years they fought until they reached a stalemate where nobody was winning. The Geats fell into despair until Wiglaf and Olga announced the birth of their first child: a son named Beowulf Jr. in honor of the past king. For seventeen years the war raged on. Beowulf Jr. longed to
There are three prominent monsters in the Beowulf text, Grendel, his mother, and the dragon. While the dragon proves to be the most fatale of foes for Beowulf, Grendel and his mother do not simply pose physical threats to the Germanic society; their roles in Beowulf are manifold. They challenge the perceptions of heroism, a sense of unrivalled perfection and superiority. Moreover, they allow the reader to reconsider the gender constructs upheld within the text; one cannot help but feel that the threat that these monsters present is directed towards the prevalent flaws in Beowulf’s world. Moreover, what makes these monsters is not their physical appearance; it is what they embody. Both Grendel and his mother have humanlike qualities yet their monstrous appearance arises from what their features and mannerisms represent. The challenge they pose to societal paradigms makes them far more terrifying to our heroes than any scaled flesh or clawing hand. These monsters provide the ‘most authoritative general criticism […] of the structure and conduct of the poem’. Their presence provides contrast and criticism of the brave society (Heaney 103).
For example, the dragon, the “old harrower of the dark,” represents a dark, demonic force who seeks “heathen gold,” which is basically corrupted gold used for men’s selfish purposes (2271, 2276). When the dragon torments the Geats after the slave steals the cup, Beowulf thinks he may have “thwarted ancient ordinance of the eternal lord,” and because the hoard could only be touched by one whom “God Himself...allowed some person pleasing to Him—and in His eye worthy—to open the hoard,” therefore, the slave must have been God’s tool to open the hoard and unleash the dragon upon the Geats (2329-2331). Beowulf had, in some way, been led off the kingly path and disturbed God, whom he had served fifty winters ago in the fight with Grendel, Cain’s descendant. Although there are many fictional aspects from Germanic folklore which the narrator pulls from, such as the dragon guarding a hoard, the mention of the ancient, rich civilization defeated by war prior to Geatland isn’t outlandish or inflated. The narrator uses the image of the last survivor of the ancient civilization wandering the earth alone to draw a parallel between himself and this last survivor, both who were the “only one[s] to tell the
After Beowulf kills Grendel he goes after his mother because if Grendel was a descendant of Cain so was she. She did not do anything that was not reasonable. The Danes killed her son so she sought out revenge for killing her son. So the Danes found where the evil witch was living and attacked her. Beowulf killed the witch because she was evil just like Grendel. Since Grendel and his mother were descendants of Cain they were considered evil, and monsters. They were killed for honor and for Beowulf’s reputation. Later on in Beowulf’s life he encounters a fire breathing demon that was awoken by a thief that stole a goblet from the greedy beast. The dragon was seeking revenge on whoever took his goblet and was killed for it. The dragon was ugly and looked different than that of Geats so it was considered evil, and because it was destroying homes Beowulf killed the monster. The dragon was being prejudiced against because it was seeking revenge. It was angered that someone stole from him so it punished anybody and everybody that was nearby. Both Grendel's mom and the dragon were killed because they sought revenge for something that the Geats