Alora Guenther Evil Hides in the Background The epic poem Beowulf, an abundance of apparent evils such as the monsters. What about the not-so-apparent ones? Often the true evil hides behind what is obvious to us. In modern society, evil is everywhere because it resides inside society itself. Although the story of the warrior Beowulf is riddled with evil monsters, the true evil lies just beneath the surface. 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 … …show more content…
She knew that the assailant was still alive and was ready to kill him. “... [She] sailed forth on a savage journey,/grief-raked and ravenous, desperate for revenge” (1277-1278). That night she went to the mead-hall and killed Aeschere in her rage, catching the attention of Beowulf. Her blind fury led to her demise. In reality, vengeance is common yet not as strong as shown here. Still, it is a recognizable “evil” in the story. Grendel has an evil of his own. He was out casted because of his lineage. It was said he was a descendant of Cain, a Satan-like being. “... from Cain there sprang/ misbegotten spirits, among them Grendel,/the banished and accursed” ( 1264-1265)This, and the fact that they were “fatherless creatures” , made him resentful of the warriors in the mead-hall (1355). To get back at the warriors, he began the killing spree, also attracting Beowulf. Grendels resentment, led him to his …show more content…
As shown in the story, Beowulf is not afraid of death in anyway. He believes that if he dies, it was his destiny to die that way. Hrothgar, on the other hand, was worried for the brave warrior. “… until the man in his unthinkingness/ forgets that it will ever end for him. / He indulges in his desires” (1732). Truth be told, he had a good mind to warn Beowulf about this. Knowing of Beowulfs strength and willingness to jump into battle, Hrothgar warns him to “beware of that trap. Chose the better part/ eternal rewards” (1760).Along with having no fear of death, pride is just as
In times before printed books were common, stories and poems were passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. From such oral traditions come great epics such as England’s heroic epic, Beowulf. In Beowulf, the monster Grendel serves as the evil character acting against the poem’s hero, as shown by his unnatural strength, beast-like qualities, and alienation from society.
Grendel is born a neutral being, perhaps even good, but nevertheless, without hate. The transition which he undergoes to become evil is due to misunderstandings between himself and humans and also meeting with a dragon who is questionably evil. As a young “monster”, Grendel knew nothing other than the cave he lived in and his mother who could not speak any distinguishable language. He was a playful creature who seemed to be like a “bla...
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
Dictionary.com defines evil as “the wicked or immoral part of someone or something.” Within the novel, Grendel by John Gardner evil is inescapable as this topic is discussed throughout the novel. Though the story holds a resemblance to its inspiration of the epic Beowulf in its portrayal of Grendel, it fails to highlight the underlying evil within the Anglo-Saxon’s and their values. Gardner’s novel reveals that evil is everywhere as it is seen in not only Grendel's but also in human lives and is presented in a more complex way than the epic as both have their own dark sides.
The humans refused to accept him, his mother basically ignored him, and he lacked any meaningful conversations. By the end of the story, my view of Grendel had not changed; I still see him as a misunderstood character who makes mistakes and deserves empathy and pity. My view of Grendel shows that I do not label anything as entirely evil, but rather see acts of evil as a result of our societal values. People view Grendel as a horrific beast who does not consider the right thing to do, but I believe that Grendel just does what he was taught. He kills off of necessity, and treats others the way that his more taught him. I understand his nihilism, and share many of his thoughts, as Grendel and I both live off of our own moral values and reject religion. Perhaps it is our similarities that cause me to hold so much empathy for Grendel, but my empathy also reveals my nature. I do not accept the single side of a person, but consider the "gray area" and how their community changes them. Grendel lacks a strong community, and lives in a society where life is constantly cycling. I believe that Grendel became evil due to his loose societal values, and that he is a great example of the truth that nothing can be entirely evil, and most evil is just a misunderstood attempt to
After exploring for some time, Beowulf in many ways is much more complex than it looks on the surface. Of course it 's classic theme of the clash between the forces of good and evil will always be prevalent, there are other types of symbolism in the epic poem that was either not explored or was not as evident. This is especially true in the setting of the story such as the mead hall, Heorot, where it is much more than a place to drink . Even Beowulf himself is a much more complex person than the readers might think since they might not completely be aware of the reasons why he is the embodiment of a hero.Even seemingly minor characters such as the Dragon can represent one of the biggest flaws within human beings. With the assistance of Harold Bloom’s book, “Rebirth and Renewal”, and literary websites such as Cliffnotes and Sparknotes, readers should be more enlightened on what the epic poem tries to represent.
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.
Have you ever wanted to avenge a wrong doing done unto you? Well, the characters in Beowulf will stop at nothing to achieve vengeance. Revenge is so immensely practiced that it is a common act to pay of a deed done by an offender. However, a payment or truce does not satisfy the desire for revenge in the Poem. Every time a Character precedes to make peace, it eventually falls apart by a desire to avenge loved ones. This desire is usually upheld until someone is no longer left to be avenged or no one is left to avenge those whom they loved. This, although it may not seem so, happens commonly in this epic.
Grendel dedicated himself to this character, but in actuality this character made him a killing machine against the humans and the animals. He convinced himself more than once, though, that he was somewhat of a destructive force, “And I, Grendel, was the dark side… The terrible race God cursed”(51). He took this persona of
Hisadversaries, Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are all examples of evil. Beowulfrepresents good as he tries to save humanity from the evil monsters that he battles. In Beowulf, Beowulf is sent to Danes by his uncle, Hygelac, to protect and fight thedemon, Grendel. In the battle against the demon, Beowulf uses his strength to defeat Grendel. Grendel is astonished by Beowulf’s strength.
While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic Beowulf, one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. Scholars such as Herbert G. Wright claim that “the dragon, like the giant Grendel, is an enemy of mankind, and the audience of Beowulf can have entertained no sympathy for either the one or the other” (Wright, 4). However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is “something deeply human about the ‘monsters’” (Orchard, 29). While Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are indeed portrayed as evil and violent foes, there are parts within Beowulf that can also lead a reader to believe that the “monsters” may not be so monstrous after all. In fact, the author of Beowulf represents the “monsters” within the poem with a degree of moral ambivalence. This ambivalence ultimately evokes traces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these “monster” figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem.
In history, evil men have reigned supreme across many cultures. Some people say that being evil is inherent in every human. If this is true, then writing may be the ultimate way of releasing hatred of the world without hurting anyone. In Beowulf, all of society's evil men can be personified within the demons of Cain. The main demon presented in Beowulf is Grendel. Grendel personifies the exact opposite of what the Anglo-Saxons held dear. Beowulf, the story's hero, is the embodiment of what every Anglo-Saxon strove to become in their lifetime. Grendel is constantly angry, afraid and unsure of himself; while Beowulf is fearless and loyal to his king.
Grendel is the embodiment of all that is evil and dark. He is a descendant of Cain and like Cain is an outcast of society. He is doomed to roam in the shadows. He is always outside looking inside. He is an outside threat to the order of society and all that is good. His whole existence is grounded solely in the moral perversion to hate good simply because it is good.
In this reimagining of the roles of good and evil, we see that there is a similar struggle in both stories. Beowulf mirrors it so closely, in fact, that careful consideration of the information plainly available can cause the lines of good and evil to blur perceptually. It is clear that the author of Beowulf had a deep understanding of the concepts of the Biblical creation story and took great care to recreate the struggle of good and evil in his epic.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the struggle between good and evil reveals its omnipresence in even the oldest of tales. The many allusions and symbols throughout the story relate to Christianity and other Pagan beliefs. By looking at them, it becomes apparent that the author of Beowulf believed that the constant war between good and evil is not only fought by the common man but also in the ranks of their highest esteemed rulers and warriors, and even in their dreaded nightmares where monsters lurk and wait for the death of man. Beowulf was written during the budding of Christianity in England, when it was newly forming. In the story there are obvious references to Christian rituals.