The poem is set in the warrior culture in which weaponry and armor are indispensable, as can be seen in the lines “Beowulf prepared himself, gave up his war gear, indifferent to death; his mighty fine chain mail, hand-forged hand, it would soon be found”. with the menace under water” (1442-45). However, while engaging in a fight with Grendel, a monster who is the embodiment of evil that lurks in heaths and swamps, completely the enemy of goodness and justice, Beowulf shedding armor and weapons and engaging Grendel in a melee – certainly a feat deserving of unending strength and confidence – this portrays Beowulf as a representative of the forces of good, who is fearless and is determined to annihilate evil without compromising justice and fairness.
One of the questions that arouses human curiosity is about the causal factors that give timelessness to a literary work that elaborates on the struggle between good and evil. It goes without saying that it is the demonization of evil and the apparent vulnerability of good (which, however, in the end is invincible) what makes a literary work eternal, arousing fear, sympathy and admiration in its readers.
It is Beowulf’s demonization of the forces of evil that acts as a contrast against which Beowulf’s awe emerges and stands out. The writer’s immense creativity and imaginative foreplay vividly highlight the evil that resides in characters like Grendel and his mother. Both Grendel and his mother are depicted as representatives of evil residing in infested swamps and bogs, given to devouring men and possessed of devastating and intimidating strength and cunning. They are also the characters that represent the forces responsible for fear and caution that reside in the inner recesses of the human mind. Beowulf, on the other hand, represents the forces that generate faith and the inevitability of redemption.
All said and done, in the larger context, evil plays some role in balancing the equanimity of this universe. When a hero is larger than life, capable of fighting evil in all its forms, he is likely to make a rather dull and mundane piece of literature. Readers not only expect a hero to be bold and courageous, they also expect him to be vulnerable and human who must face his challenges as well. Even the greatest of men must succumb to death, but that should not be seen as defeat, because “when a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only stronghold” (Lines 1388-89). It is the eventual vulnerability and humanity of a hero that ultimately makes them a source of inspiration; someone to be appreciated and celebrated.
Thus, unsurprisingly, by the end of the story Beowulf, noted for his integrity and sportsmanship, proves susceptible to the ravages of time and age. This susceptibility cast aside the meekness and cowardice of Beowulf’s helpers and friends, as Beowulf battles the dragon towards the end of the story, causing the feelings of fear and pity in the reader’s heart to grow stronger. inspiring.
Beowulf is indeed an inspiring literary work. It is both the physical and moral strength of Beowulf and the appropriate demonization of the characters who represent evil that makes the story so compelling.
