Beowulf Essay
Often, the term is used that someone or something is “blessed by God.” Typically, this is not a phrase that has a negative connotation: obviously being blessed by anyone would be a positive thing, but to be blessed by a god or gods speaks of divine intervention on one’s behalf, which is obviously a little more impressive than being told to have a blessed day by a sweet old lady. Beowulf believed himself to be blessed by the Lord, and the narrator makes a plain case throughout the epic that Beowulf is indeed blessed by God in all manners due to his courageous nature and great personal faith. Was Beowulf truly blessed by God? This is a difficult question to answer, but the narrator certainly seemed to believe that he was.
To examine any good hero, a good place to start would be to examine their antagonist. In this case, we have Grendel. Grendel, the creature established to be an antithetical foil to Beowulf’s good, was described as a
…. gruesome… cursed creature
(who) lived in a monster’s lair for a time after the Creator had condemned him as one of the seed of Cain – the Everlasting Lord avenged Abel’s murder. (pg 76)
The story of Cain and Abel is well known: Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and anger, thus committing the first murder ever, and then found himself condemned by God for his actions. Original sin goes to Eve, but Cain is the originator of mortal evil in the world.
As one of the descendants of Cain, Grendel was cursed to be alone and live as an outsider, and was thus angered by the merry-making and rabble-rousing occurring at Heorot. The Scyldings decided to seek help.
Strong men often sat in consultation, trying in vain to devise a good plan…
At times they offered sacrifices to the idols in their pagan tabernacles, and prayed aloud to the soul-slayer that he would assist them in their dire distress. Such was the custom and comfort of the heathen; they brooded in their hearts on hellish things –
To examine any good hero, a good place to start would be to examine their antagonist. In this case, we have Grendel. Grendel, the creature established to be an antithetical foil to Beowulf’s good, was described as a
…. gruesome… cursed creature
(who) lived in a monster’s lair for a time after the Creator had condemned him as one of the seed of Cain – the Everlasting Lord avenged Abel’s murder. (pg 76)
The story of Cain and Abel is well known: Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and anger, thus committing the first murder ever, and then found himself condemned by God for his actions. Original sin goes to Eve, but Cain is the originator of mortal evil in the world.
As one of the descendants of Cain, Grendel was cursed to be alone and live as an outsider, and was thus angered by the merry-making and rabble-rousing occurring at Heorot. The Scyldings decided to seek help.
Strong men often sat in consultation, trying in vain to devise a good plan…
At times they offered sacrifices to the idols in their pagan tabernacles, and prayed aloud to the soul-slayer that he would assist them in their dire distress. Such was the custom and comfort of the heathen; they brooded in their hearts on hellish things –