In every story or fairy tale it is always issues of good and evil that intensify and escalate conflict. In the Gladiator and in the epic poem Beowulf, there were many similarities that occurred. For instance Maximus and Beowulf were well respected, loyal, and they fought for what they believed in. In both stories the good and evil manifested through the themes of Man vs. Man, and Man vs. Fate and Destiny.…
A cultural issue that has led to many controversial topics is the stature of good versus evil. In other words, the argument suggests that novels and history itself demonstrates the blurred lines of good versus evil. In my opinion, good versus evil can never just be “good” or “evil”, but instead should be determined on the effect that the situation causes as a whole. Throughout society and in literature, the evidence to support my viewpoint is pervasive.…
Nonetheless, it must be recognized that in earlier times evil was not only real but palpable. This paper will look at evil as it is portrayed in two different works -- Dante's Divine Comedy, and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales -- and analyze what the nature of evil meant to each of these authors. The Divine Comedy is an epic poem in which the author, Dante, takes a visionary journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. The purpose of Dante's visit to Hell is to learn about the true nature of evil.…
The importance of the theme of good and evil is an important part of the story or in this case an epic poem. The hero is facing a big threat and needs to save the world. In this case it would be Beowulf vs. Grendel."I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt,in…
The barbaric would not be barbaric if the civilized had not existed to fight them. Characters fall into their category, as their motives are revealed, and is proved by the poet to be the way of distinguishing the villains and the heroes. Conclusively, the poet makes certain that the good has no way of failing against opposing forces, by even using divine intervention to make that questionless. In consummation, the conflict of good and evil is the oldest in the book, and in relation to Beowulf stands as the most important concept which leads heroes and villains to be redefined but also remain exactly the…
In the poem, “Beowulf” the author presents good v. evil as the central them. With Beowulf as the protagonist and Grendel as the antagonist. However some may think differently about this ancient piece of literature. Some may look at this piece of literature like the best piece someone has ever wrote. A lot look at it with the protagonist and antagonist switched but just by reading the story, it’s very hard to make Grendel a good guy. I look at this oldest surviving piece of literature the same way the author looks at it. The author looks at it like good v. evil.…
The epic poem Beowulf is a memorable because opens to the Anglo-Saxon literature. It is a synthesis between to the Greek, Latin, Germanic and Christian Literature. Beowulf is an imaginative poem that realizes a deep human drama as the fleeting of existence.…
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.…
Although the definitions of evil vary, as well as its motives and causes, one who possesses characteristics of profound immorality, sinfulness, and corruption could be described as an evil individual. Evil is typically perceived as the dualistic opposite of good. While many characters in literature throughout history are conceived as evil, two distinct characters stand out from the rest; Macbeth in Shakespeare’s definitive tale Macbeth and Grendel in the legendary masterpiece Beowulf. These two literary figures both exemplify traits of gullible ambition, avaricious guilt, and true wickedness. The two pieces of literature depict the terrible effects that these traits, as well as many others, can have on an individual who lacks strength of character.…
In many pieces of literature the hero always triumphs over the villain. The literary works that prove this correct are anonymous epic poem Beowulf, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Harold Bloom’s critical analysis on Beowulf, Lisa K. Kasmer’s British Writers, and William Blake’s poem “A Poison Tree”. In Beowulf, Beowulf continuously never fails to defeat whatever evil there is and save the day. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein finally gets what he truly wished for but there’s a catch.…
The fundamental nature and conception of evil is complex and disputed. Throughout history scholars and theologians have sought to determine whether evil is a polarized and present force or whether evil is the absence or falling away from good. The Lord of the Rings is not just a story about the conflict between good and evil, but rather is a story that demonstrates the multifaceted nature of both. In the beginning of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring it is easy to relegate evil to a dualistic force in the world, that characters are either inherently good or inherently evil. However, as the plot and characters become more dynamic and complex, it is revealed that evil is not merely dualistic but rather is the result of an interaction between several factors that influence characters’ behavior under…
The relatable affect the devil in “Paradise Lost” has on the psyche makes him a more effective villain than the three monsters in “Beowulf”. Both epic tales culminate into a battle where the rulers, God and Hrothgar, call upon the heroes, Christ and Beowulf, to defeat the villains, the devil and the monsters. Each epic merges Christian and traditional elements of the tales that include kings, heroes, villains, honor and loyalty. “Beowulf” was not available during the time Milton was writing “Paradise Lost” even so, parallels exist between the characters and the structure of the epics. The similarities between the villains reveal the timeless idea of evil. While the monsters in “Beowulf” encompass these…
Beowulf is one of the most classic works in Earth’s history. Although it was originally passed down as an oral story, eventually it was translated and written down by a monk. Beowulf is able to combine Poetic flow, historic importance, as well as having an intense and interesting plot. It is more than just a classic tale of good vs evil or a hero fighting a monster. Beowulf uses personification of Monsters to blur the line between being a human and being a monster, which impacts readers’ understanding of what it really means to be human.…
The theme of good and evil is present in both real life and almost every fictional novel. The novels that are completely surrounded by the struggle between evil against good are; Heart of Darkness, Wuthering Heights, and of course Treasure Island. These books are all connected by the actions and problems they encounter, and how they react. In Wuthering Heights the evil involved comes from the actions committed by Heathcliff. Heathcliff’s true love Catherine breaks his heart, by abandoning him for a wealthier more powerful man. This was too much for Heathcliff to handle, so he plots revenge against everyone who had ever conspired against him, including the children of his dear beloved Catherine. In the Heart of Darkness there is a different type of evil committed. One of the important characters, Kurtz is stationed in the heart of the African jungle where he is to find and collect ivory, a substance of very high value. This obsession drives Kurtz into madness, he takes advantage of the natives by taking them prisoner in order to harvest the ivory. Now compared to Treasure Island the types of evil actions are very similar, finding treasure and seeking revenge on the people who have crossed you. The pirates took advantage of Jim the honest sailors of the crew and the map that they had possessed. The pirates acted as a part of the crew and gave the impression that they would share the wealth they were searching for. “One more cheer for captain Smollet, cried long John” (pg. 74 Treasure Island). This quote was an example of…
In history, evil men have reigned supreme across many cultures. Some people say that being evil is inherent in every human. If this is true, then writing may be the ultimate way of releasing hatred of the world without hurting anyone. In Beowulf, all of society's evil men can be personified within the demons of Cain. The main demon presented in Beowulf is Grendel. Grendel personifies the exact opposite of what the Anglo-Saxons held dear. Beowulf, the story's hero, is the embodiment of what every Anglo-Saxon strove to become in their lifetime. Grendel is constantly angry, afraid and unsure of himself; while Beowulf is fearless and loyal to his king.…