Epic Story Beowulf

This essay is about the epic story Beowulf written by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet. The story is unclear when it exactly it takes place but is guessed to be have been set in Scandinavia in the 5th or possibly even 6th century. The story and its theme are basically about good versus evil and even also shown to be about about bravery and courage.

Beowulf is from Geats in Scandinavia, he is known for his strength and his bravery. He is first known for saving Hrothgar who is the king of Danes due to being attacked by a monster who goes by the name, Grendel. He is able to find Grendel and Hrothgar and saves Hrothgar in a bloody and epic battle between Grendel. Beowulf manages to overpower Grendel and even kills him with his bare hands. This just mini portion of the story shows examples of good versus evil and bravery. However, there is one main theme that stand out the most, and that is good versus evil. The theme good versus evil is symbolized and even foreshadowed all throughout this epic and heroic tale.

The theme is a very important element to many plot points in this story. Good versus evil has been a theme thats been in literature for centuries and as far as people have ever known. After Beowulf fights and seemingly kills Grendel by ripping his arm off and barely escapes back to his swamp, they still see this as a victory due to the fact that he saved Hrothgar and everything and everyone else there. However another evil threat lurks close by as Grendels mother who is a hag that lives in and around a desolate lake not too far away, comes for the Danes, Hrothgar, and even Bewoulf to take revenge on the people who killed her son. She manages to murder Aeschere who was one of Hrothgars most trusted adviser in all of Danes.

After only killing him, she goes back to her desolate lake, leaving the Danes once again in fear as the story again, gives another example of the literary theme good versus evil. Not only that but a simple line early on in the story symbolizes the literary element good versus evil. In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and began to pay tribute. That was one good king. (9-11) This line at the beginning perfectly symbolizes the main theme of good versus evil.

Bewoulf knows he cannot let The Danes live in such fear again, so he goes to the desolate lake where Grendels mother lives and sinks underwater to her lair and as an act of revenge and good versus evil, he murders her with a sword forged for a giant. After murdering her he actually accidentally finds Grendels corpse and severs it off and brings the head as a victory prize to Hrothgar and The Danes.

However, in the time after this there are some fellow Danes killed in the war and one is even taken by a deadly dragon. This event proves to be fatal for Bewoulf as he successfully saves the fellow Dane and rips a limb off the dragon but is also killed in the process. The Danes are devastated over the loss of such a great hero but will forever remember him due to his bravery and courageous acts against good versus evil.   

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