While taking an exciting tale of a battle between a monster and a hero, in the epic poem Beowulf, the numerous descriptions of good versus evil run vividly throughout the story creating powerful images of evil. To create the most malevolent images, the poet describes Grendel in a variety of ways portraying Grendel as a direct representation of what the Anglo-Saxon society deems the highest level of evil as.
Allowing Grendel to embody full evilness, his mysterious background brings more fear and credibility to his evil than just his actions alone. Depicted by the poet as a member of “Cain’s clan,” (9) Grendel’s biblical and spiritual history holds significant value. More specifically in his genealogy, Grendel lives as a product of Cain after Cain became “outlawed
For any society, the depictions of evil vary based on the type of civilization. Although Grendel would bring immense fear to any society, Grendel’s characteristics epitomize all that the Anglo-Saxons feared.
The power and force of Grendel, in addition to his intentions, create a clear idea of what the Anglo-Saxons fear. After his first attack, all the people know that “Grendel’s powers of destruction were plain.” (11) With his primitive mindset, his sole purpose lies in the death and pain of others. Without rhyme or reason, Grendel attacks when the people least expect it. Attacking only at night, he becomes the "shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift." (47) This brings great fear to the Anglo-Saxons due to the fact that he might attack at any random time as they sleep. Although thi
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