Beowolf Essay, Research Paper

Apart from Wealth, Honor, and Paganistic vs. Biblical themes

and motifs, character is also shown through a certain Man vs. Wild

motif. This motif shows the difference between mankind?s ways (good),

and evil?s wild nature (evil). Grendel for one, is totally wild and

is therefore shown as evil. His wild home, ?Grendel, who haunted the

moors, the wild marshes, and made his home in a hell not hell but

earth.? shows his wild, untamed, and therefor evil nature. Grendel?s

wilderness is countered in mankind?s ways, especially Beowulf?s.

Beowulf is tame and civilized, the epitomy of goodness and purity.

Beowulf doesn?t fight evil in a wild manner, rather, as shown in his

first battle with Grendel. First off, Beowulf is pure and shows

this before his battle when he removes his armor and vows not to use a

weapon to defeat Grendel. Defeating Grendel, he shows that man,

without armor and weapons, can defeat evil in any form including that

of his foe Grendel. This deed serves throughout the epic serves as a

symbol of Beowulf?s Goodness.