WEINHMIC000
Who is the hero of our time? What about evilness? Do we have any? In the story Beowulf, one can identify the good and evil characters based on their description. It talks about the beginning crisis the Geats, (the people in the story, who live under the king, Hrothgar) faced and how Beowulf travels and rescues them from the monster Grendel, who devours men every night in the mead halls. In this analysis, it’s going to give symbolic characteristics and actions of Beowulf and Grendel. 1).Beowulf symbolizes the supernatural hero because of his heroic past, the killing of Grendel, and his kingly representations, 2). Grendel symbolizes evilness because of his character description, he’s the killer of men, and he represents everything evil that happens in the world.
The first reason why Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero is because of his heroic deeds in the past. After many years of Grendel’s slaughter, Beowulf sees his opportunity to gain honor over a victory that no one can accomplish. Only his heroic past can lead up to this courageous campaign. He proves before the king that he can win this battle, boasting over the previous battles he has won. He swam across the ocean and killed many see monsters. In the story he says, “In such darkness, endured more misery, or been harder pressed? Yet I survived the sea, smashed the monsters’ hot jaws, swam home from my journey” (pg. 30, 310 – 312). This shows that Beowulf’s past proves that he is an extraordinary hero.
The killing of Grendel is significant to Beowulf because no one else was able to kill him, which is why he symbolizes a supernatural hero. It makes him different from the other men because he was known as ‘the strongest man on earth.’ One night, Grendel was making his way to kill more men as he normally does, then Beowulf seizes his opportunity to defeat the monster. “That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder…” (pg. 33, 432 – 434). Grendel felt the strength of Beowulf and realized that he cannot escape his grip. This shows that Beowulf is the strongest man on earth, the hero.
Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero because he represents a good king; showing his eagerness to gain honor. Even though it is for personal interests, he wishes to earn glory from the people and be remembered as a heroic warrior. He looks for battles specifically for this reason, as well as helping the people out. In an article on a website, it says, “Beowulf also represents society in the way the poem’s definition of a “good king” is Germanic, emphasizing fighting, winning treasure, and being remembered after one’s death”. This shows that Beowulf sets a good example of what a king should be, the hero of the people. In this point, he is regarded as ‘supernatural,’ because no one was brave enough to perform these actions.
Contrary to Beowulf’s good nature, Grendel symbolizes evilness because of his characteristics. He lives in a dark abandoned place, he is a monster, and he is considered as the descendent of Cain, according to the book.. His kind are forever against the good, which has to do with God’s will. In the book, it describes him saying, “So Hrothgar’s men lived happily in this hall till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell, not hell but earth” (pg. 21, 15 – 19). This states that the men lived happy and peaceful lives until it was disturbed by the monster, who created havoc. This shows that Grendel’s existence is evil, as well as his home.
In “Beowulf,” Grendel is recognized as the killer of men, he symbolizes evilness itself because of his cruel actions. He’s been killing men for years until Beowulf interfered. His scales are cursed with a spell that makes it so man’s weapons cannot hurt him. The story proves his daily battles in the mead hall saying, “So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes, killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (pg. 22, 79 – 81). This shows that Grendel symbolizes evilness itself, since he is man’s worst enemy at this point.
Finally, Grendel represents anything bad that happens to man, particularly birth defects. In a Christian view, he descended from Cain, a man, who from his evil generation, caused his descendents to be deformed, as monsters. According to the ‘Sparknote’organization, it says, “In Christian medieval culture, monster was the word that referred to birth defects, which were always understood as an ominous sign from God—a sign of transgression or of bad things to come.” The quote explains that Grendel’s state of being is something that is a sign of something bad will happen. In conclusion, it shows how Grendel, a monster, is evil since the beginning of his existence. This shows that Grendel’s representation symbolizes evilness itself.
1) Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero because of his great deeds in the past, the ability to kill Grendel, and the way he represents a good king, 2)Grendel symbolizes evilness because of his terrible description, the many times he killed men, and his the way he represents evil itself. This shows that Grendel and Beowulf are complete opposites and they hold significance to modern readers, such as Christians can identify the good and the bad with their religion. Beowulf won the battle altogether, since, the good always wins, and he was the hero of the Geats. Just as the story shows the difference between the hero and his enemy, so do we having something similar and relevant today. Our modern hero is ourselves if we choose to make a goal and strive to achieve it, while our enemies are those things that distract us and give us misery. In a spiritual sense, if we believe in Christianity, the devil is the supreme evil, and Jesus is the hero
The first reason why Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero is because of his heroic deeds in the past. After many years of Grendel’s slaughter, Beowulf sees his opportunity to gain honor over a victory that no one can accomplish. Only his heroic past can lead up to this courageous campaign. He proves before the king that he can win this battle, boasting over the previous battles he has won. He swam across the ocean and killed many see monsters. In the story he says, “In such darkness, endured more misery, or been harder pressed? Yet I survived the sea, smashed the monsters’ hot jaws, swam home from my journey” (pg. 30, 310 – 312). This shows that Beowulf’s past proves that he is an extraordinary hero.
The killing of Grendel is significant to Beowulf because no one else was able to kill him, which is why he symbolizes a supernatural hero. It makes him different from the other men because he was known as ‘the strongest man on earth.’ One night, Grendel was making his way to kill more men as he normally does, then Beowulf seizes his opportunity to defeat the monster. “That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder…” (pg. 33, 432 – 434). Grendel felt the strength of Beowulf and realized that he cannot escape his grip. This shows that Beowulf is the strongest man on earth, the hero.
Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero because he represents a good king; showing his eagerness to gain honor. Even though it is for personal interests, he wishes to earn glory from the people and be remembered as a heroic warrior. He looks for battles specifically for this reason, as well as helping the people out. In an article on a website, it says, “Beowulf also represents society in the way the poem’s definition of a “good king” is Germanic, emphasizing fighting, winning treasure, and being remembered after one’s death”. This shows that Beowulf sets a good example of what a king should be, the hero of the people. In this point, he is regarded as ‘supernatural,’ because no one was brave enough to perform these actions.
Contrary to Beowulf’s good nature, Grendel symbolizes evilness because of his characteristics. He lives in a dark abandoned place, he is a monster, and he is considered as the descendent of Cain, according to the book.. His kind are forever against the good, which has to do with God’s will. In the book, it describes him saying, “So Hrothgar’s men lived happily in this hall till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell, not hell but earth” (pg. 21, 15 – 19). This states that the men lived happy and peaceful lives until it was disturbed by the monster, who created havoc. This shows that Grendel’s existence is evil, as well as his home.
In “Beowulf,” Grendel is recognized as the killer of men, he symbolizes evilness itself because of his cruel actions. He’s been killing men for years until Beowulf interfered. His scales are cursed with a spell that makes it so man’s weapons cannot hurt him. The story proves his daily battles in the mead hall saying, “So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes, killing as often as he could, coming alone, bloodthirsty and horrible” (pg. 22, 79 – 81). This shows that Grendel symbolizes evilness itself, since he is man’s worst enemy at this point.
Finally, Grendel represents anything bad that happens to man, particularly birth defects. In a Christian view, he descended from Cain, a man, who from his evil generation, caused his descendents to be deformed, as monsters. According to the ‘Sparknote’organization, it says, “In Christian medieval culture, monster was the word that referred to birth defects, which were always understood as an ominous sign from God—a sign of transgression or of bad things to come.” The quote explains that Grendel’s state of being is something that is a sign of something bad will happen. In conclusion, it shows how Grendel, a monster, is evil since the beginning of his existence. This shows that Grendel’s representation symbolizes evilness itself.
1) Beowulf symbolizes a supernatural hero because of his great deeds in the past, the ability to kill Grendel, and the way he represents a good king, 2)Grendel symbolizes evilness because of his terrible description, the many times he killed men, and his the way he represents evil itself. This shows that Grendel and Beowulf are complete opposites and they hold significance to modern readers, such as Christians can identify the good and the bad with their religion. Beowulf won the battle altogether, since, the good always wins, and he was the hero of the Geats. Just as the story shows the difference between the hero and his enemy, so do we having something similar and relevant today. Our modern hero is ourselves if we choose to make a goal and strive to achieve it, while our enemies are those things that distract us and give us misery. In a spiritual sense, if we believe in Christianity, the devil is the supreme evil, and Jesus is the hero
