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Beowulf Darkness Vs Light Analysis

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Beowulf Darkness Vs Light Analysis
In the famed epic, Beowulf, the author creates a vivid sketch of the struggle between light and darkness. He highlights these topics and metaphorically reveals light’s eventual victory in Beowulf’s battle with Grendel, in Beowulf’s first skirmish with Grendel’s mom, and with the imagery created at the beginning and end of days. The author creates a realistic picture during the battle between Beowulf and Grendel. Throughout the scene, light and dark portray events according to their corresponding characters. Beowulf, the hero, symbolizes light and goodness while Grendel symbolizes darkness and wickedness. The poem describes him as demonic, “While a baleful light, flame more than light, flared from his eyes” (726-27). Beowulf continues to represent a heroic and sacrificial warrior and defeats the beast easily. Grendel then runs to skulk and hide, like the darkness …show more content…
“The hall towered, gold-shingled and gabled, and the guest slept in it until the black raven with raucous glee announced Heaven’s joy, and a hurry of brightness overran the shadows” (1799-1803). The morning renders everyone relieved that light returned and cast them into a safe net of luminescence. Day symbolizes safety and reassurance in the book, an important feature of everyone’s desire to feel secure. Without shouting or making any noise, light awakens the lands, frightens evil, and protects the unsheltered. Darkness hides danger, thieves, and evil in its black cloaks of hidden malice. Good and evil operate and work in different environments. In the book Beowulf, light and darkness are the environments used by good and evil. Although the author shows the power of darkness, he also portrays light’s eventual victory in Beowulf’s battle with Grendel, in Beowulf’s first skirmish with Grendel’s mom, and with the imagery created at the beginning and end of each

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