So often we see a battle of good vs. evil in movies, books, society, and in this case, an epic poem. This motif is used so often because it pertains to so many facets of authentic life. The epic poem Beowulf is an example of this because the hero of the story has an ongoing conflict with the evil villain, Grendel. The same motif is true in the discussion of Christianity versus Non-Christianity. Good and Evil can be talked about in different ways, but here you will see the Good in Beowulf, then in Christianity and the Evil in Grendel along with Non-Christianity.
Beowulf reveals numerous qualities that prove he is a great leader and warrior. Courage, religion, and strength just break the ice. He proves to be courageous when he says, That I alone and with the help of my men may purge all evil from this hall. Throughout the story, Beowulf has the courage to never back down from a confrontation and is willing to fight till the death. Beowulf shows that he is religious when they gave thanks to God for their easy crossing. This is talking about when the Geats make their journey safely from home to the Danish shore.
Every time Beowulf is victorious in battle he gives thanks to God and says that he knows his fate is in Gods hands. Beowulf is also strong. Strength allows him to show society that they can be strong. He shows strength as a leader but he also shows this as a warrior when he used his strength to kill Grendel and his mother. Beowulf shows integrity throughout the story and sets a good example for society. The good in this is timeless because there will always be strong courageous leaders who fear no one, just as Beowulf does.
Also, because modern day warriors could encounter some of the same problems that Beowulf does. Christianity has so many qualities that represent Good. Some of these qualities include peace of mind, always getting your needs met, and knowing that Death is a beginning. Christianity will bring you peace of mind so those who have God realize that they always have a higher power to depend on. This means that you dont have to deal with a hardship on your own, God will be there for you. When something troubles you, just take it to God and He will help you through it.
A part of Christianity is that your needs are always met. This is so because God promises all Christians that He will meet their needs. This does not mean that you will get everything you want or that everything you need, will come as soon as you ask for it. It just means that if you will let Him, God will find a way to provide for you. Christianity will also allow you to take a different perspective on death. Death will be considered the beginning of a perfect life and is not to be feared. This prefect life would be in heaven and in this place there will be no suffering, no pain, no crying.
Christianity is such a good example because it represents everything that Good is about. This has proved to be true through the years and will continue to be like this, because Christianity is something that will always be around. Grendel proves time after time that Evil is all he knows. He reveals this through several personality traits such as a murderer, greedy, and a man who is obviously a shepherd of the devil. He was a murderer killing as often as he could, coming along, blood thirsty and horrible. Grendel knows nothing, but how to kill.
Grendel came again, so set on murder that no crime could ever be enough. His heart is so cold that taking a life is the only thing that pleases him. He is a very greedy monster. No savage assault quenched his lust for Evil. His only thoughts are, who he can kill for a nights feast and how he will execute them. It is never enough for him just to come and scare. He has to kill as many as he can just to make it through the day. Killing becomes a habit. Grendel is a shepherd of the devil because, Gods love Grendel could not know. A brood forever opposing the Lords will.
He is the opposite of God or anything that is good. He makes his home in a nasty swamp with his Evil mother. Evil is all that he knows, but it costs him his life. The evil in this is timeless because there will always be a villain who has a conflict w/ a hero. This motif is shown in various storied from the Anglo-Saxon period up until present day. Non-Christianity has more than a few examples of Evil. Darkness, confusion, and the fear of death are just a few of the countless Evil traits that Non-Christianity have. Darkness is a factor because the life after death is dark, hot, and unpleasant.
If you are not a Christian then your eternal home will be Hell. This is a place of unimaginable torture and pain. If you are a non-Christian then you will be confused about why things happen and you will have no place to look for the answers. Christians have their church family and their Bible to turn to for some guidance. Death is so final and is feared, but often brought about pre-maturely by Evil actions against self or others. In this case Death is to be feared because of the destination that follows. An Eternity is a long time and Hell is hot.
There will always be people who dont believe in anything and end up destroying their lives of the lives of others. Throughout the epic poem Beowulf, the motif of Good vs. Evil is shown. In this case, as well as all others, Good prevails over Evil. This is because Good will get you somewhere in life. It will help you set goals and then reach them. Evil is just the opposite. It will get you nowhere and will cause nothing but heartache to you as well as the people you thrive on. It is important to understand the difference in these two, because there is no in between. Something is either Good or it is Evil.
