Good and Evil in Beowulf Essay - 830 Words

Good and Evil in Beowulf In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the poems main and most important aspect. The poet makes it clear that good and evil do not exist as only opposites, but that both qualities are present in everyone. Beowulf represents the ability to do good, or to perform acts selflessly and in help of others. Goodness is also showed throughout this epic as having the ability to cleanse evil. Even though evil is presented by Grendel, Grendels mother, and the dragon, who are filled with a desire to act against people and ultimately destroy them. Even pride, a human quality, is presented in Beowulf as a sign that evil exists. Beowulf takes it upon himself to announce several great†¦show more content†¦Goodness is not only portrayed by selfless acts, but also by its ability to purge and cleanse evil. This is first shown after Beowulf slays Grendel. The poet says, (Beowulf) Had purged of evil the hall of Hrothgar, and cleansed of crime; the heart of the hero. The good done by Beowulf is shown to have the ability to cleanse Herot of evil. Another example of good cleansing evil occurs after Beowulf had slayed both Grendel and Grendels mother, and is departing to fight his final battle. The poet states, Purged of evil the hall of Hrothgar and crushed out Grendels loathsome kin. By destroying both Grendel and Grendels mother, Beowulf has purified hall of Hrothgar of all evils. Furthermore Beowulf announces that he will rid Herot of evil. Beowulf says, That I may alone with my loyal earls, with this hardly company, cleanse Hart-Hall. Beowulf means to eliminate all evils in Herot, and to purify it. The ability goodness has to cleanse evil is very visible in Beowulf. Evil is represented in Beowulf partly through the creatures in it. Evil is first shown by the monster Grendel. (Grendel) Slew thirty spearmen asleep in the hall, sped away gloating, gripping the spoil, the poet declares. Grendel enjoyed killing these spearmen, making him Beowulfs first evil creature. Another evil beast in Beowulf is Grendels mother. The poet describes her as a monstrousShow MoreRelatedGood Vs Evil In Beowulf714 Words   |  3 Pageshuman kind’s existence, there has forces of good and evil. From childhood, it is instilled within us that we must always strive to have a disposition that that denotes good manner. To this day, there have been many ways in which both good and evil are explained to people, for example, a ghost, vampire, murderer, thief, etc. Thought the years, the concept of evil within humanity has evolved from its previous primitive ideologies. During 1000 A.D., evil was labeled as individuals who would cast magicalRead MoreEssay on Good and Evil in Beowulf1042 Words   |  5 PagesThe story of Beowulf was probably composed in England sometime in the Eighth Century AD, and written down circa 1000 AD, by a literate scop (bard) or perhaps a Christian scribe who was possibly educated in a monastery. The poem was cre ated in oral tradition and was transferred to writing over time. It had its roots in folk tales and traditional stories until some very talented poet put it in something very near to its current form. The poem was more than likely performed for audiences at courtRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf859 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf is an epic Anglo-Saxon poem, which tells a story of a hero who is destined to defeat several monsters in order to save a kingdom from peril. The underlying meaning is good versus evil with good always prevailing in the end. The theme of good versus evil was portrayed through the characters and events. Beowulf is the good guy fighting against evil. Beowulf is not just one person fighting against the evils of the world. In many cases, he is fighting for humanity’s sake. Beowulf is the epicRead MoreGood vs. Evil in Beowulf1456 Words   |  6 PagesGood vs. Evil in Beowulf Beowulf is longest and greatest early Anglo-Saxon poem which was composed in England sometime in the eighth century AD by a literate scop. This poem was created in the oral poetic tradition. This poem is considered as an epic because it is a long narrative poem which composed in an elevated style, dealing with the glories of hero (Tolkien 24). The setting of this epic is the six century in Denmark and southern Sweden. The protagonist, Beowulf is a noble warrior representsRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf882 Words   |  4 PagesIn the epic poem, Beowulf, perhaps the most important theme seen throughout is the portrayal of good and evil, and how this portrayal impacts the story. The epic poem is about an epic hero, Beowulf, who is completely thought of as a good character and a strong warrior. The unknown author of this poem makes Beowulf out to be, ultimately, a glorified killer of the perceived monsters. However, the poem in and of itself is an opinionated story which giv es the bare amount of opposition to show that perhapsRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf1040 Words   |  5 PagesWhile the epic poem Beowulf has no specified author or exact translations, the legendary story echoes through time as the fame of this hero continues to expand. Beowulf, the King of the Geats, is the protagonist in this epic; many describe him as the greatest man to have ever lived. Beowulf fits the architype for hero extremely well, possessing all the essential traits; he creates an aura as the ultimate source of good in this entire story. Of course, Beowulf is not alone, there are several otherRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf997 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf is an epic poem that was written in Old English in between the 8th and 11th century. King Hrothgar who rules the Danes, is being tormented by this beast called, Grendel. For some time now, Grendel has been attacking Heorot Hall, a mead-hall, and has been killing off many of the Danish soldiers and sometimes even devouring some. The king didn’t seem able to protect the people in his village from this great demon. Until, one day, Beowulf shows up and actually offers to help King Hrothgar byRead MoreGood Vs Evil In Beowulf1618 Words   |  7 Pages Bertha 2 Caroline Bertha Mrs. Morris English 11 28 August 2017 Beowulf The Anglo-Saxon people seemed very spiritual. They seemed to support proper burials of the dead, as seen when Shield passed away at the beginning of the story. They tried to live by peace and only get involved in conflict when necessary. Some similarities between their culture and our culture wouldRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf1190 Words   |  5 PagesIn the beginning all was good; there was no evil. The start of evil was marked when a jealous angel, Satan, desired equality to God. He thrust an ever-lasting battle into play when he battled God for supremacy. One-third of all the angels in heaven, including Satan, were thrown from heaven onto Earth. God’s perfect creation became faulted when the fallen angel, Satan, tempted Adam and Eve into eating a forbidden fruit. By partaking of the forbidden fruit, sin was born on Earth. The birthing of suchRead MoreGood vs. Evil Found in Beowulf807 Words   |  3 PagesGood vs. Evil Found in Beowulf In the story of Beowulf, there are many different themes found. Many people argue the main theme found in this story. This has been argued for a very long time and will go on for many more years to come. Although many themes in this story stick out and a main theme will never be accepted, one main theme is very noticeable in the story of Beowulf. The main theme found in Beowulf is good versus evil. Good versus evil is very easy to recognize. â€Å"Some people