Examples Of Cruelty In Beowulf

Cruelty and chaos against man is a universal theme in works of literature everywhere. The epic, Beowulf, is perhaps best known for being the oldest poem in the English language. The still unknown author of this work tells a story of a pure and benevolent hero who faces, and overcomes, the savage outside forces to protect not only his people, but the people of another nation. The main outer obstacles are the demon Grendel, the final dragon, and the conquering nations. Each outside abuser is cruel in their own ways, but no less ruthless. The outside threats faced by Beowulf and his society are barbaric.

The monster Grendel is the first danger Beowulf faces; although, it is by choice. Grendel is no threat to the protagonist or his society, until Beowulf chooses to assist King Hrothgar and his

people. Beowulf comes from his homeland to Heorot, because he believes he can stop Grendel’s 12 years of murderous rampage. Grendel is a fearsome brute of a beast, and a demonic, hellish descendent from the first murderer Cain himself. The readers are introduced to Grendel's true nature and destruction to the once peaceful village that was, "…Pleasant for the people there/ until finally one, a fiend out of hell/ began to work his evil on the world./ Grendel [is] the name of the grim demon…. [of] Cain's claim, whom the Creator had outlawed/ and condemned as outcasts….” (lines 99-102, 106-107). It could be rebuttled that despite his actions, Grendel is not barbaric because like a lion, he is an amoral creature just following his instincts. However, this argument does not hold up to scrutiny. Amoral animals kill for survival, making their prey’s death quick so that they can take what they need, with no ulterior motives. Grendel, on the other hand, “greedy and grim, he [grabs] thirty men/ from their resting places and [rushes] to his lair/ flushed up and inflamed from the raid/ blundering back with the butchered corpses” (lines 122-125). Not only does Grendel consciously taunt and tease his prey to cause fear, but he brings back the corpses of the warriors to show their king what he is capable of. He does not eat the humans for survival, he kills them specifically to cause pain and chaos. Grendel’s levels of sadism are what makes him such a formidable threat.
The last threat the Beowulf himself actually faces, is the dragon. This dragon, similar to Grendel, is needlessly violent, but finds a pleasure in it. This dragon is “....driven to hunt out/ hoards under ground, to guard heathen gold/ through age-long vigils….for three centuries, this scourge of the people/ had stood guard on that stoutly protected/ underground treasury” (lines 2275-2280). The dragon greedily guards a vast collection of gold, that obviously being a dragon he has no use for. When a single cup is taken, which amongst the great collection such a small item is not important, he still “...began to belch out flames/ and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow/ that scared everyone, for the vile sky-winger/ would leave nothing alive in his wake….far and near, the Geat nation/ bore the brunt of his brutal assaults/ and virulent hate” (lines 2312-2315, 2317-2319). He hatefully burns a village full of innocent people just for one small item in his vast collection. His purposeless greed has made him a ruthless murderer and a savage outside threat to Beowulf and his society.
Of the threats that Beowulf faces to protect his people, the other nations seeking to conquer are perhaps the most barbaric.

Humans, being the most sentient species, should have a better grasp of morals and right and wrong. However, they tend to ignore these morals in favor of selfishness and personal gain, making it seemingly impossible for them to ever coexist in peace. This lack of peace is not surprising when they believe that “It is always better/ to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning/ for every one of us, living in this world/ ,means waiting for our end. Let whoever can/ win glory before death. When a warrior is gone/ that will be his best and only bulwark” (lines 1384-1389). They glorify violence and those who seek it, becoming numb to their own humanity. When it comes to their lust for power, wealth, and land, no conscious stops them; such as the Swedes that “....will cross [the Geat’s] borders/ and attack in force when they find out/ that Beowulf is dead” (lines 3001-3003). In this unforgiving and inhumane times, enemies have no sympathy or respect for the dead. The conquering nations are perhaps the cruelest outside threat Beowulf must

face.
The outside threats faced by Beowulf and his society are barbaric. Of the three main outer obstacles, Grendel, the final dragon, and the conquering nations, each are inhumane in their own ways but no less ruthless. Beowulf is a kind soul in this chaotic world of threats. Cruelty against man is a universal theme in works of literature everywhere.