Throughout history, this book has been translated many times, however, the themes of the book have for the most part stayed the same. Through time the rewriting and touching up by various sources causes the characters to portray more Christian characteristics. Seamus Heaney uses both Biblical and Paganistic views throughout the story to describe certain things. Grendel is Biblically and Paganistically described in this excerpt:

So times were pleasant for the people there

until finally one, a fiend out of hell,

began to work his evil in the world.

Grendel was the name of this grim demon

haunting the marches, marauding round the heath

in misery among the banished monsters,

Throughout the story Beowulf defeats three monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. Grendel is portrayed as the kin of the biblical Cain and, thus, was banished along with the rave of monsters which came from Cain. Grendel’s mother is a much deeper evil. She seeks revenge only for the reason of her son’s dismemberment and death. The dragon becomes angry because someone has invaded his territory. He guards his treasure in a “stone-rooted barrow” (Heaney 151).

The Eternal Lord had exacted a price:…(Heaney 9)

The second and most important character is Beowulf. Beowulf, the hero prince, “in his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born and powerful” (Heaney 15). As Beowulf defeats the monsters introduced in the story he gains honor and fame. According to the Anglo-Saxon society the only true immortality is fame. Beowulf has many qualities such as boastfulness, courage, and a sense of duty. His boastfulness is identified as he arrives to Heorot. “Beowulf is my name….the most renowned son of Halfdane” (Heaney 25). “I have suffered extremes and avenged the Geats (their enemies brought it upon themselves, I devastated them)’’ (Heaney 29). Beowulf makes it clear to the reader that he achieves many things throughout his life. His courage is exhibited when he is so willingly ready to fight any creature that puts harm on other people including a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf proves his sense of duty by traveling to Geatland to help rid his people of a threatening monster.

In this the epic poem there are many characters introduced. There are three dynasties from which of the characters come from: the Danes, the Geat

Some topics in this essay:
Seamus Heaney, Halfdane” Heaney, Friends Kinsmen, Eternal Lord, Beowulf Beowulf, Biblically Paganistically, Cain Grendel’s, Soon Grendel’s, King Hygelac, , seamus heaney, grendel’s mother, heaney 7, hrothgar king danes, sense duty, biblical paganistic, reading excerpt, book reader, anglo-saxon story, defeats monsters, beowulf defeats monsters, paganistic views,