The Importance Of Evils In Beowulf

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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

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