Beowulf a Critical Essay

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Beowulf: A Critical Analysis Essay Evil is defined as something that causes harm, destruction, suffering, and brings misfortune. Evil is also an adjective as which it is used to describe something wicked or morally wrong. Good is the direct contrast of evil. Good, also used both as a noun and adjective, represents something positive, benevolent, and beneficial. In the English language there are no two words with such great depth in the contrast of their definitions. History has found numerous ways to represent all good and evil. Reading the majority of literature, one almost always finds a contrast of good and evil. The Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, masters the depiction and symbolism of good and evil forces. Unlike the majority of words that exist today in common language, good and evil have no overlapping qualities or similarities. For this reason there is a constant struggle between what is good, and all that is evil. In Beowulf, the character Grendel represents evil. Grendel brought harm, danger, death, and misfortune to the Danes. Emerging from the shadowy marshes in the darkness of night, Grendel raised havoc in the nearby kingdom of Herot. Grendel set out nightly in a murderous rage! Rampaging through the halls of Herot, Grendel eradicated the lives of the Danes. As Grendel's merciless nights of slashing, slicing, and terrorizing the people of Herot continued, he ruthlessly tallied his victims, dozens at a time. Herot grew more and more deserted as the amount of homicides increased. Referred to as the shadow of death, Grendel offered neither truce nor any salvation. Hrothgar, king of Herot, remained in grief for twelve mournful years. Bloodthirsty, Grendel ferociously stalked Hrothgar's warriors, for now Grendel was the villainous ruler of Herot. The shadow of death, emerging from the darkness of night, relished his salvage war. Grendel
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