...between good versus evil. Initially, Rafael uses the literary device diction, in order to juxtapose good versus evil. Moreover, throughout the story, the author uses diction for the purpose of highlighting the antagonist Grendel. For instance, Rafael uses particular words in order to display Grendel’s evil. “No savage assault could quench his lust for evil” (Beowulf pg 14 line 74-75). Clearly, “savage assault, quench, and lust for evil” are particular words which help to emphasize Grendel's evil. In context to the quote, Grendel is opposed to God, therefore; he goes around killing the king's men. The significance of demonstrating Grendel evil through diction, and demonstrating why he does his evil action, depicts the juxtaposition between God who is good, and Grendel who is evil. In like manner to the literary device diction, allusion is another literary device which the author uses to juxtapose between good versus evil. Furthermore, throughout the story, the author uses allusion in order to demonstrate how Grendel is evil. In particular, Rafael reference Cain, a Biblical story in the Bible to further validate how Grendel is evil....
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...Good Vs. Evil In Beowulf, the conflict between good and evil is the poem's main and most important aspect. The poet makes it clear that good and evil doesn’t 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, Grendel's 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. This story might even be considered a classic because it mainly talks about the old fashion good vs. evil, hero vs. villain. Beowulf and the three monsters show the significant difference between good and evil, and why god will always prevail. At the beginning of the play, one reads about Grendel, who is a man eating monster who is feared by everyone. Grendel represents sin and evil throughout the story in various ways. Evil is first shown by the monster Grendel when, “Suddenly then the God-cursed brute was creating havoc: greedy and grim, he grabbed thirty men from their resting places and rushed to his lair”. (Beowulf 120-124). Grendel lives in the darkness and has absolutely no remorse on human life. This shows a very big quality of an evil being and how the Anglo-Saxons viewed evil in forms of monsters. Evil is also thought to be greedy...
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...Throughout much of the novel Grendel, Grendel faces a defining struggle- that between good and evil. He spends much of his years attempting to discover, and even fight his destiny. Grendel starts out the same as all humans, innocent and curious. He spent his childhood alone, his mother being the only creature that would keep him company. Grendel repeatedly tries to communicate with the humans. As he becomes older and wiser, he starts to realize that he won’t ever be able to get the Scyldings to see eye to eye with him. They would always see him as a disgusting, terrible monster. Eventually, Grendel is able to embrace this and fulfill his destiny as the Destroyer and Wrecker of Kings. At first, Grendel is a young, naïve creature, exploring the world around him just as young things do. He is not yet aware of his evil destiny; he is just lonely. During his first interaction with the Scyldings, Grendel is stuck in a tree, dying. The men discover him, and decide that he is hungry for pig. They are unsure if he is friendly or not: “‘Pig!’ I tried to yell. It scared them… the king snatched an ax from the man beside him and, without any warning, he hurled it at me” (27). The humans attacked until Grendel’s mother saved him, and Grendel came to a horrible realization “‘The world resists me and I resist the world… That’s all there is…I exist, nothing else’” (28). At this point, Grendel is starting to view the world very differently, and is discovering how the other creatures on Earth...
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...Inner evil is something that everyone struggles with. Are the things I do evil? Does what I do make me evil? Can evil be misread? All of those are questions asked but the answer has yet to be found. Just because someone doesn't give a homeless person money, are they evil? When a good person kills an un-innocent person, are they evil or did they do it for a good reason? These are just things that people struggles with on a daily basis. Can you recognise that good maybe evil, or will it remain evil is evil and good is good? In Beowulf, all across the land people were talking about a horrible beast who, at night, rises from the depths of hell to kill innocent men while they lay in slumber. In lines 19-22 Grendel is described as, “murderous creatures…”...
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...Roslyn Marshall Mr. Lerma English 1B 1 December 2014 Word Count: 3,399 Grendel: A Symbol for the Unknown In the history of human civilization, stories have always had an educative role. In the literary works of fiction, authors use diverse images and symbols in order to trigger a particular reaction from the audience. Some authors, however, use traditional images in new contexts challenging the audience's perception of those iconic characters. Authors often argue that characters can have different meanings and symbolism in different cultures and different times. The best example of these new meanings is seen through the writing about iconic monsters in different time periods. From the analysis’ of Beowulf and Grendel: The Truth Behind England’s Oldest Legend by John Grigsby and Grendel by John Gardner, the character of Grendel in both books is the symbolic meaning of how society is afraid of the unknown. When people are confronted with an unfamiliar circumstance, it is human nature to twist the unknown into something frightening and unacceptable....
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...2014 Ms.Delgado 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”. However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is “something deeply human about the ‘monsters’”. 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. This 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 The first opponent Beowulf must face in the land of the Danes is Grendel, textually described as “a fiend out of hell … a grim demon / haunting the marches, / marauding round the heath / and the desolate fens” (Beowulf, line 100 – 104). The author also provides us with a moral description, explaining how Grendel is “merciless … malignant by nature, he never showed remorse” (line 135-137). As we can see here, the author’s physical and moral portrayal of Grendel is rather unforgiving. We also resent Grendel further once we learn that he has wreaked havoc upon...
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...Throughout much of the novel Grendel faces a defining struggle- one between good and evil. He spends much of his years attempting to discover, and even fight his destiny. Grendel starts out the same as all humans, innocent and curious. He spent his childhood alone, his mother being the only creature that would keep him company. Grendel repeatedly tries to communicate with the humans, but consistently failed. As he becomes older and wiser, he starts to realize that he will not ever be able to get the Shieldings to see eye to eye with him. They will always see him as a disgusting, terrible monster. Eventually, Grendel is able to embrace this and fulfill his destiny as the Destroyer and Wrecker of Kings. At first, Grendel is a young, naïve creature, exploring the world around him just as young creatures do. He is not yet aware of his evil destiny; he is just lonely. Upon his first interaction with the Shieldings, Grendel is stuck in a tree, dying. The men discover him, and decide that he is hungry for pig. They are unsure if he is friendly or not: “‘Pig!’ I tried to yell. It scared them… the king snatched an ax from the man beside him and, without any warning, he hurled it at me” (113). The humans attacked until Grendel’s mother saved him, and Grendel came to a horrible realization ”The world resists me and I resist the world… That’s all there is…I exist, nothing else” (115). At this point, Grendel is starting to view the world very differently, and is discovering...
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...From the book “From Beowulf” I will be talking about how Beowulf and Grendel are alike and different. Grendel and Beowulf are the two main characters in the book. Beowulf in the book is like a hero. Grendel is the demon, monster in the book. Meanwhile, they both are very powerful. However, I will be telling you things about both, Beowulf, and Grendel and how they both relate to each other, but yet are the opposite of each other. Beowulf was known as a great warrior, but also as a hero. Beowulf was very handsome, and had big muscles. He was a young prince who had gathered his men to sail over the sea to the Danes. He went there because he heard how evil Grendel was and wanted to help. Beowulf was very brave and had confidence in himself. He...
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...The Transformation Towards Evil Cruella DeVil. Jafar. Lex Luther. 'Evil' Stepmother. All of these characters, from classic tales, instantly capture the essence of evil. They are the necessary “bad guys” in the story, for without them the story would cease to exist. Much like Grendel, people need an antagonist to be evil in order to be depicted as the good protagonist. Throughout the novel, John Gardner gives the reader a different perspective of the villain, with the question of whether Grendel is truly evil. Grendel becomes evil in the story but doesn't start that way. Grendel transitions from conflicted, to a point of change when meeting the dragon, to essentially evil. Grendel isn't born evil. He searches for answers to his role in life...
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...Hook: People who are good and evil are not exact opposites of each other. Topic sentence/Detail: In the poem Beowulf, Grendel and Beowulf perform actions that make them a hero or villain. Thesis: The difference between Grendel and Beowulf is one is evil and the other is good. Similarities between Grendel and Beowulf are both feel satisfied after they fight someone and win and in the end they both accept their deaths. Body 1: Good and evil Topic sentence: A difference between Beowulf and Grendel is that one is a hero and the other is a monster. Beowulf defeats Grendel to end years of suffering in Herot hall. Grendel is the monster who eats men in Herot hall for 12 winters. Quote 1: For example lines 37-38 Grendel “snatched up thirty men, smashed...
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...* Essay Topic Good vs. Evil. How are the concepts of good and evil presented in Beowulf? Does this reveal anything about Anglo-Saxon society? Beowulf is the greatest surviving Old English poem, an epic that recounts the main events in the life of a legendary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf’s destiny is to fight and conquer the monsters that terrorize the kingdom of the Danes. Many events in Beowulf are directly related to the Bible, making the constant battle between good and evil one of the most important themes. Beowulf is a courageous, strong and loyal warrior. He is brave, and he has self confidence bordering on insanity, but he’s also generous and kind towards others. Beowulf shows that he has confidence when he fights Grendel without weapons. When he defeats Grendel, he demonstrates that men are capable of destroying evil if they wish to do so. Beowulf’s qualities make him the epitome of a hero. “Beowulf emphasizes values that were important to Norse warriors, such as courage, loyalty to one's king and comrades, and honor for those who fight and die bravely. The story emphasizes how fragile life and fame can be. Like any person, Beowulf must find meaning in his world while accepting the fact that he will eventually die. He meets that challenge by facing danger bravely and trusting that the story of his deeds will cause him to live on in the memories of those who hear it.” (from the New Catholic Encyclopedia) Goodness is represented throughout the poem by the characters...
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...in all religions: the contrast between good and evil. Take for instance the Christian faith: in the Christian faith, a good man is someone who is virtuous, and has passion for what they believe in, and follows the bible but an evil person is someone molded by corruptions, including sins and vices. The Christian faith depicts evil through monsters such as demons and serpents, and their impacts in their tales. In the poem Beowulf, Beowulf’s fight against the monsters represents a fight between the Christian concepts of good and evil. The first depiction of good and evil in the poem can be seen in the battle between Beowulf and Grendel. Often times, biblical allusions are used as a means to describe characters Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. This is illustrated in Andy Orchard’s criticism of the poem, when he states, “As for Beowulf, there seems no getting rid of the poet’s clear references to the biblical tales of Cain and Abel” (Orchard 131). Grendel’s depiction of a demon is derived from these tales in the text when it reads: Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell Not hell but earth, He was spawned in that slime, conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished By God, punished forever for the crime of Abel's Death (14-17). In this passage, Grendel is described as a demon, who is contradicts the Christian faith, exposing his evil. The good entity in this battle lies within Beowulf...
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...In the anonymously written epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf’s meaningful status as a hero and his ability to display honor in what he does is due to the fact that he is heroically able to exhibit the virtues of loyalty, courage, and friendship. The exceptional loyalty and faithfulness of Beowulf is shown through his allegiance to Hrothgar, king Hygelac, Wiglaf, and to the Geats. In fact, Beowulf is heroically willing to sacrifice himself if it means that he “[proves himself] / [...] and [fulfills] his purpose” of killing Grendel and assisting Hrothgar. (636-37). Along with his loyalty, Beowulf’s bravery is a quality that underlies the entire story, as it is a guiding virtue that ends up saving Hrothgar and his people. Beowulf’s fatalistic view of life and death is what makes up his courage in the face of danger, and it is a code of honor that Beowulf evidently takes very seriously....
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...Grendel is a symbol of the Shadow. Jung says that the Shadow is the other “us” that we disliked or do not want to be. But we can also see it in our weaknesses and failings. That is why people write novels and legends about heroes defeating the monsters or the evil forces. The monsters and the evil forces are the Shadow, they are who we imagine that would represent our weaknesses. For example, Grendel from Beowulf, Grendel was the loner of the community. He was banned from society and has to live in swamps. While Grendel represents the Shadow in a more imaginary way, Unferth from Beowulf was almost the same as Grendel, except he was a man just like the rest of us. Having him in the story shows us about the Shadow in a more realistic way. Everyone has a...
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...done everything in his power to defeat the beast named Grendel who ravages there mead hall at night. The second battle is between Beowulf and Grendel’s bloodthirsty mother who is out for revenge. The epic poem of Beowulf ends with the final battle between Beowulf and the Dragon who lives in the remains of a forgotten tribe. These battles will show the attributes of courage, sacrifice, leadership and honor displayed through Beowulf’s actions. The first battle takes place between a beast named Grendel and Beowulf in a quick but gruesome battle in the mead hall. The mead hall is the central meeting places of tribes during this time period. The mead hall that this battle takes place in, the mead hall of the tribe of the Danes, is the greatest mead hall of the time. Named Heorot, it was grander and more magnificent than any other. It is a sacred place to the tribe of the Danes, a place of celebration and sanctuary. Grendel made it a place of death and with the strength of killing 30 men, Grendel is a force of destruction. The king of the Danes, the Great King Hrothgar, has tried to defeat the beast but his forces were unsuccessful. Beowulf hears of Grendel and travels to test his abilities against him in battle. Beowulf hears Grendel come into the mead hall when all the soldiers are sleeping as he watches Grendel devour a soldier he attacks. Beowulf with his bare-hands grasps Grendel’s arm. As they struggled back and forth Grendel was distressed by Beowulf’s power: “The...
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