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Recommended: Death in literature
Introductory Paragraph: Good vs. Evil
Hook: Just when the the Geats thought they had nothing good left and only evil ruled in their lives, Beowulf, a symbol of goodness and hope, revealed himself and started the war against evil.
Transition Sentence:He could not stand and watch them suffer anymore, he wanted to be their symbol of hope to give them a sense of safety that they had not experienced in a long time.
Background information/ Paragraph ideas:Beowulf felt it was his duty to bring good to this world in whatever way he could and to strive to eliminate the evil that haunted his land starting with the wicked monster Grendel, then Grendel’s evil mother, and finally the vicious dragon.
Thesis: In the story, Beowulf, the author uses the theme,
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Conclusion: Beowulf died for the good of his people and Wiglaf was able to finish the dragon off and restore hope to the Geats.
IV. C&C
Intro: There has been an ongoing battle between good and evil since the beginning of time, it is our nature and keeps a “balance” in the world if you will.
Beowulf fighting these monsters accurately portrays this never-ending battle, he devotes his life to fighting evil and then there is always another evil being right around the corner.
The good in Beowulf makes him live by a certain code and values that make him feel like it is his responsibility to step up and protect the Geats from the evils that are all too real to them.
Evil has no code or values and this is demonstrated by Grendel’s Mother killing Hrothgar’s closest friend and the Dragon wreaking havoc on the Geats’ houses.
Grendel shows no remorse in the way that he took so many lives out of pure anger and showed his true evilness.
Conclusion: The good in Beowulf gradually developed throughout the story and made him into a true warrior where he could not stand by and watch evil dominate his people any
Since the beginning of time, fairy tales, stories and legends have shared a common theme where good and evil are played against each other. In the story of “Beowulf”, translated by, “Burton Raffel”, there is a hero who plays as a good character, and there is also a demon who rules the dark side. The hero Beowulf, agrees to take a journey to conquer the evil monster Grendel. But when Beowulf is trying to defeat the beast, Grendel fights back, causing integrity and generosity to vanish. The common theme in various tales like in Beowulf is, good vs. evil.
(P) Beowulf humbly gave everything to his people, and shared his wealth and wisdom to help his people prosper. His fatal flaw was more fatal than it was a flaw, and because of it he lost his life to protect those who were not willing protect him. (Q) Listening to the advice of others, rather than ruling alone, is what made Beowulf so great in the end. He may have been boastful when he was young but as he matured he became wise and humble. When Beowulf became king, he did not live through past actions, instead he continued to give his people reasons to serve him. (R) A lesson from this is that the past does not make the future, people can go from bad to good and from good to great if they take the help given, by those who want to see the great in
... by murdering Grendel, this action is expressed as moral. This idea is reconfirmed when the Dragon explains to Grendel how he is “the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves” in reference to men (Gardner 73). This further suggests that society requires evil to present them an explanation for their life and actions.
The first opponent Beowulf must face in the land of the Danes is Grendel, textually described as “a fiend out of hell … [a] grim demon / haunting the marches, / marauding round the heath / and the desolate fens” (Beowulf, line 100 – 104). The author also provides us with a moral description, explaining how Grendel is “merciless … malignant by nature, he never showed remorse” (line 135-137). As we can see here, the author’s physical and moral portrayal of Grendel is rather unforgiving. We also resent Grendel further once we learn that he has wreaked havoc upon the Heorot hall for twelve years, “inflicting constant cruelties on the people / atrocious hurt” (line 165).
Before discussing the evil within Beowulf, what is “good” should be clarified. Beowulf is the main character of the poem. Through the story he fights off the monsters plaguing his and Hrothgar’s people. He is the embodiment of what is thought to be good. “‘Nor have I [The watchman] seen a mightier man-at-arms …
Beowulf is a great tale but as a person, he isn’t that all that people make him out to be. In his older years his need for attention and glory ended up with the death of him. He fought the dragon alone and in return, ended up killing the dragon, but also sacrificed himself. Even as he died he asked for one thing, his people to build him a memorial near the sea so everyone could see the person that he was. His need for attention, lack of planning, and need for glory caused him to be just a prideful man, not a
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
Inspired by the reward of glory, Beowulf travels to the land of the Geats, and murders their main enemy, Grendel. The fight is a glorious one; one that truly showcases Beowulf’s capacity as a warrior. During this fight, Beowulf disposes of Grendel with ease, grabbing him with “handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man”, causing him to become “desperate to flee ”(Heaney 9). The adamant diction used to describe Beowulf’s death hold on Grendel, juxtaposed with the weakness of Grendel’s reaction, resorting to mere desperation, emphasizes his physical prowess. Such a display of strength allows Beowulf to return home a hero. The Geats thank him with gold and other material possessions, although Beowulf’s most precious prize is the recognition he receives. Word of his legend spreads far, and Beowulf is subsequently rewarded with the role of king of the Danes. As a result of his previous experiences, “he ruled [his kingdom] well for fifty winters”(Heaney 3). By describing his rule with such favorable diction as “well”, the narrator maintains that Beowulf’s performance as king was generally positive. Thus, Beowulf’s accomplishments as king are directly correlated to his accomplishments in combat. Because he was able triumph in his personal battles, particularly with Grendel, Beowulf succeeds as the leader of his
The character Beowulf, “a man of great strength and bravery” (Magill 388), is a hero in the way he defends his neighboring country, Denmark. When the word that a hostile creature, known as Grendel, was killing tons in Denmark, Beowulf set sail to help defend the people and rid them of the hideous monster.
“In my youth I engaged in many wars”, Beowulf boasts to his warriors, which is certainly true. Throughout his life, he faces many deadly foes, all of which he handily defeats, save one. His story focuses on the most challenging, as well as morally significant of foes, Grendel and the dragon. These creatures reveal much about society as well as Christian virtue at the time. Even after Grendel and the dragon are defeated physically, the two monsters pose a new threat to the hero on a higher plane. Beowulf is not only at risk of losing his life, but his humanity, virtue, and even spirituality.
The contrast between good and evil is evident in Beowulf and effectively characterizes the many diverse people and creatures featured in the poem. From the highest hero in Beowulf to the most vile villain in Grendel, the tendencies of the characters, as well as their environments and the motives behind their actions, illustrate the deep differences that run between the virtuous and the wicked in the epic poem
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
Beowulf’s obsession with power leads him to disregard everything else that should be important to a leader and a king, including his duties towards his citizens and his country. Before he is made king, Beowulf travels to Hrothgar’s kingdom to fight Grendel and achieve glory by defeating the widely feared monster. After he wins the fight with Grendel and defeats Grendel’s mother who seeks revenge for her son’s death, Beowulf announces his victories to Hrothgar and his court, claiming fame as a successful warrior. Along with his congratulations, Hrothgar also gives Beowulf a warning about the dangers of power: “Do not give way to pride. / For a brief while your strength is in bloom / but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow; illness or the sword to l...
In Beowulf’s younger years, he personified all of the best values of the heroic culture when saving another kingdom from their demons. Beowulf’s willingness to sacrifice his life in order to save strangers his father owed a debt to is quite selfless. His bravery comes into play when he remains unchanged in his resolve even after hearing of all the King’s men and subjects slain by the beast.