The Theme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf

1565 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Heroism in beowulf

Once upon a time, in a land far away, the clash between good and evil resided in the heart of every story. From oral tales of the Anglo-Saxon period, to the novels of today, heavenly heroes versus menacing monsters have weaved stories throughout time. For example, in the the epic poem, Beowulf, the warriors and heroes, like Beowulf and Wiglaf, represent the good within the story. The creatures, such as Grendel and the dragon, illustrate the evil. The settings also portray both sides as well, with examples being Herot and The Lair. Good and evil are represented in many ways in Beowulf, and each of those ways gives a message regarding one of them to the reader. A prominent representation of the good in Beowulf is the warriors and heroes within the poem. Beowulf himself is one of those heroes. …show more content…

Without question, the dragon is the most powerful force of evil in the poem. The dragon is the beast that took down Beowulf himself, but they both refused to go down without a fight, “The beast rose, angry, /knowing a man had come-and then nothing /but war could have followed. Its breath came first. /A steaming cloud pouring from the stone, /then the earth itself shook” (Raffel 57, 666-670). Once again, Raffel uses a great choice of words to convey the message of the power of evil toward the reader. Beast, angry, war, steaming, pouring, and shook, are some of the most powerful words within this quote. Written within this passage was the grand finale of Beowulf. Both Beowulf and the dragon give it all in this last crusade, “The monster came quickly toward him, /pouring out fire and smoke, hurrying /to its fate” (Raffel 57, 680-682). This passage forms the message of how ruthless evil can be. It shows how that when someone or something is as evil as the dragon, they are willing to fight to the death. If something is truly and purely evil, then they will sacrifice their life and accept their fate for their master,

Show More
Related

  • Good Vs. Evil In Beowulf And Burton Raffel

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Character Archetypes In Beowulf

    996 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Corruption In Beowulf Essay

    1546 Words  | 4 Pages

    Beowulf is an epic poem that explores many themes and motifs within the Anglo-Saxon society. The Author, who remains anonymous, composed the epic around 1000 A.D. The literature focuses mainly on a Scandinavian warrior named Beowulf, who comes to the aid of Herot, a small town ran by King Hrothgar. Beowulf arises to rid the town of evil forces, such as the demon monster Grendel, and his savage mother who seeks revenge for the death of her son. As he ages, Beowulf presumes his title as king of Geatland, still eager to protect his loyal followers from danger. Though he is viewed as a godly force, the situations and the behaviors that Beowulf expressed, sometimes deviate how the Anglo-Saxons viewed his character. From this, the theme of "Good vs. Evil", which can be easily depicted in the literature piece, was constantly contradicted throughout the entire poem.

    Read More

  • Honor And Integrity In Beowulf

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem.

    Read More

  • Beowulf's Heroic Qualities

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the poem Beowulf, the protagonist is portrayed as a heroic figure who strives to spread his name and glory out across the land in order to be remembered. Although his acts may not entirely be for the right reasons, Beowulf does express his heroic qualities of bravery, arrogance, and brute force.

    Read More

  • Sympathy in Beowulf

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Evils In Beowulf

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    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 …

    Read More

  • Theme Of Cruelty In Beowulf

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    In contrast, Beowulf is seen as a hero, even when exemplifying the violent and dangerous qualities the dragon is feared for. Anglo-Saxon society prized loyalty, personal valor, and fame. In order to be a hero, one must recognize the need to act, and not shy away from it. The dragon, based on that definition, embodies the Anglo-Saxon idea of a hero: it is loyal to its cause, it is a good warrior, and it recognizes the need to act. It even has a sense of justice and a sense of wrong, shown by the way it reacted to the theft of the chalice. The dragon becomes vengeful and defensive, using cruelty as a means to correct the wrong. Described as “the guardian of the mound” (2302), the dragon’s intent is identical to Beowulf’s. Beowulf is seen as a hero not only because of his actions, but because he is human. The only thing that makes the dragon different is its inhuman qualities, and therefore it is a monster, a “ground-burner” (2713). Heroism in Anglo-Saxon society is a concept embodied by warriors and guardians, who would vie to be the most well-known. Heroism, to the Anglo-Saxons, is an excuse to use cruelty as a way to further one’s fame. It is a social crutch of sorts, leaned on for the vain chance to be immortal. When Beowulf agrees to fight the dragon, it is to have a heroic death, so he may be remembered. In the battle, just as with Grendel and Grendel’s mother,

    Read More

  • The Importance of Grendel and the Dragon in Beowulf

    1277 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain vs Beowulf

    2062 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...ash between good and evil. Beowulf is a representation of a Godly figure, possibly Christ, whereas his enemies represent figures of darkness, possibly Satan. Due to his battle with Grendel, Beowulf realises the true abilities of Gods power and develops into a more Saint like character who is more concerned with giving help rather than Gaining fame. He seeks Gods guidance, but looks to pagan ideals when he deems so. Although he never completely takes complete advantage of Gods power, he does earn the fame and glory that he fought bravely for.

    Read More

  • The Symbolism in Beowulf

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Themes Of Symbolism In Beowulf

    1100 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Summary

    584 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Beowulf” translated by Burton Raffel, the character Beowulf is portrayed as a brave, courageous, and very pious man. In the pagan tale the underlying motif of Good vs. Evil heightens these characteristics even to the point where Beowulf comes across as a symbol for God and Christianity. He battles “the demon” Grendel (ln. 16), Grendel’s mother, and a fierce dragon, all in order to save those who need aid, primarily the people of Herot. This too is very Christlike because he is serving those lower than himself for the sole purpose of doing the right thing. Although Beowulf is very brave all throughout, he becomes boastful and greedy from the time he first battles Grendel to when he takes on the dragon.

    Read More

  • Good versus Evil: Analyzing Paradise Lost and Beowulf

    1433 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paradise Lost and Beowulf are both intricate pieces of literature. The constant disagreement and combat of the protagonist and antagonist is the main focus in both of these works. Many people interpret the deep meaning of the poem very differently, however there is no mistaking the recurring theme of good versus evil.

    Read More

  • Epic of Beowulf Essay - The Conflicts in Beowulf

    2017 Words  | 5 Pages

    Brian Wilkie and James Hurt in Literature of the Western World discuss what is perhaps the overriding or central conflict in the poem Beowulf, namely the struggle between good and evil, and how the monsters are representative of the evil side:

    Read More

More about The Theme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf

Open Document