Beowulf Themes
Beowulf's story is somewhat of an allegory in which he is depicted as the Christ figure. The theme of Beowulf is a contrast of good and evil which is manifest in both Christian and pagan elements; Beowulf represents good, while Grendel, his mother, and the dragon represent evil. The first monster our hero, Beowulf, faces is Grendel. Grendel is said to be a descendant of Cain. "Unhappy creature (Grendel), he lived for a time in the home of the monsters' race, after God had condemned them as kin of Cain" (Norton, 28). Cain is the son of Eve, the woman who bore sin into the world. A connection, however vague, can be made between the maternal relations of Eve and Cain and Grendel and his mother. Grendel's mother can be considered to perso
nify man's fall from grace and Grendel himself might embody sin. Furthermore, the dragon Beowulf battles can be said to be a picture of Satan: "the smooth hateful dragon who flies at night wrapped in flame" (56). It is important to note that, while there are many references to Cain, the devil, and God (Christian elements) there are also several mentions of fate and destiny, pagan elements. Beowulf believes in predestination and feels that destiny is mortally unchangeable, saying, "Fate always goes as it must" (33). This idea propels him into many battles even though the competition seems overwhelming. Yet, in apparent disregard for fate and destiny, Beowulf prays to God for help and thanks God for victory and protection. In his battle w
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Approximate Word count = 502
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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