Morality in the Epic of Beowulf

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Beowulf’s story is somewhat of an allegory in which he is depicted as the Christ figure. The theme of Beowulf is a contrast of good and evil which is manifest in both Christian and pagan elements; Beowulf represents good, while Grendel, his mother, and the dragon represent evil. The first monster our hero, Beowulf, faces is Grendel. Grendel is said to be a descendant of Cain. “Unhappy creature (Grendel), he lived for a time in the home of the monsters’ race, after God had condemned them as kin of Cain” (Norton, 28). Cain is the son of Eve, the woman who bore sin into the world. A connection, however vague, can be made between the maternal relations of Eve and Cain and Grendel and his mother. Grendel’s mother can be considered to personify man’s fall from grace and Grendel himself might embody sin. Furthermore, the dragon Beowulf battles can be said to be a picture of Satan: “the smooth hateful dragon who flies at night wrapped in flame” (56).

When facing Grendel, Beowulf relies on God alone to protect him, saying, "…may wise God, Holy Lord, assign glory on whichever hand seems good to Him” (36). When Beowulf tears off Grendel’s arm, Hrothgar remarks, “I endured much from the foe, many griefs from Grendel” (39). It could be said that the Christian foe is sin, which causes much grief.

Against Grendel’s mother, original sin, Beowulf becomes the Christian soldier. When Beowulf struggles against Grendel’s mother, God grants him a precious gift:

“The Wielder of Men granted me that I should see hanging on the wall a fair, ancient, great-sword – most often He has guided the man without friends – that I should wield the weapon” (Norton, 48).

This great sword is further described as “a victory-blessed blade, an old sword made by the giants… the work of giants” (Norton, 47). The sword used to slay Grendel’s mother is work of her ancestral giants, who were godly until they fell from grace. “From (Cain) sprang all bad breeds, trolls and elves and monsters – likewise the giants who for a long time strove with God” (Norton, 28). Therefore, the sword was god-forged and godly. Here the hero is using “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” to prevail (The Book of Ephesians 6.17, Bible).

In his battle with the dragon (which may represent Satan) Beowulf is martyred, losing his life in the of the killing the dragon.

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