Analysis Of Shakespeare s Beowulf And The Evil

2016 The Good in Beowulf and the Evil in the Monsters Beowulf is considered to be the oldest surviving poem that is preserved to date. The poem is believed to date back to about the eighth century, and the written manuscript in the eleventh century (Bjork and Obermeir 17; Neidorf 119). Also, Beowulf is commonly believed to be set in Scandinavia before the migration to Britain, even though there are Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian cultural influences that are apparent when reading the poems storyline (Earl 19). The storyline encompasses aspects of the Geats, the Danes, and the Swedes. Throughout the poem there are many themes and ideas that make this one of the greatest stories ever told and written. One major theme throughout the storyline is the goodness of Beowulf and the evil of the monsters. According to J. S. Mackenzie, the modern concept of good and evil is that the two are relative opposites (Mackenzie 254). Meaning in terms of the poem, Beowulf and the monsters are the ideal definition of good and evil. Beowulf is seen as the iconic hero that brings balance and restoration to the land. He is literally a knight in shining armor. While the monsters represent destruction and mayhem. Each monster is the epitome of all that is wicked and corrupt. The poet of Beowulf made a clear distinction between heroic Beowulf’s good character and the evilness that embodies the three monsters (Robinson 79). Beowulf’s is depicted as hero that embodies all that is good and right in theShow MoreRelatedAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 PagesChristian utopia Genre/Style: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · sermons, diaries personal narratives captivity narratives jeremiads written in plain style Effect: ï‚ · ï‚ · instructive reinforces authority of the Bible and church Historical Context: ï‚ · ï‚ · a person s fate is determined by God all people are corrupt and must be saved by Christ Rationalism / Age of Enlightenment period of American Literature - 1750-1800 Content: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · national mission and American character democratic utopia use of reasonRead MoreChildrens Literature13219 Words   |  53 Pagesand John Locke: Late 1600s 8 3. Beginning of Children’s Literature: Late 1700s 10 4. Fairy and Folk Tales 12 The Golden Age of Children’s Literature: Late 1800s 12 5. Victorian Childrens Literature 16 6. Contemporary Childrens Literature 18 6. Analysis of Harry Potters’ series 21 7. Conclusion 30 8. Summary 31 Children’s Literature Definitions 31 The Ancient World [ancient Rome; 50 BCE to 500 CE] 31 The Middle Ages [500 to 1500 CE] 31 The European Renaissance [1500-1650 CE] 32 The 17th Century