Good vs. Evil as found in "Beowulf"
In the epic "Beowulf," there is a constant struggle between good and evil. This poem is an early example of the phrase, "Bad guys never win." Examples of this theme include: God versus Cain, Beowulf versus Grendal, and Beowulf versus Grendal's mother.
The first battle between God (good) and Cain (evil) is actually an allusion from the bible. This story of Cain is used to compare God's feelings of Grendal, a descendant of Cain. The book states, "
Since Cain had killed his only / Brother, slain his father's son / With an angry sword. God drove him off, / outlawed him
" (Beowulf, 1261 - 1264). Cain killed his brother because he was evil and God shunned and marked him for his evilness. God has the same feelings for Grendal.
Grendal is described as a vicious monster that is an offspring of everything evil. Grendal is so evil; God refuses to forgive Grendal and favors Beowulf's pride over Grendal's sins. In the battle between Beowulf......
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Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |