... pagan rituals, and traditions were adapted to create Christian mythology. Before we can compare and contrast the Christian ideals in both of these works, it is necessary first to get some basic background on the plots of the story. In Beowulf, the land of King Hrothgar has been plagued by the vicious attacks ... had outlawed / and condemned as outcasts. For the killing of Abel / the Eternal Lord had exacted a price- (35). Grendel is cast as a descendant of the evil Cain who murdered his own brother. For that, Cain was outcast by God; Grendel too is an outcast. Grendel is "waging his lon...

• Word Count: 2583
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. An example of the Biblical motif in Beowulf is Grendel. Grendel it biblically described as evil in this excerpt: [ Grendel] was spawned in that slime, Conceived by a pair of those monsters born Of Cain, murderous creatures banished By God, ... the crime Of Abel's death. The Almighty drove Those demons out, and their exile was bitter, Shut away from men; they split Into a thousand forms of evil--spirits And feinds, goblins, monsters, giants, A brood forever opposing the Lord's Will, and again and again defeated. The Biblical reference...

• Word Count: 3190
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... it is motivated by the need to maintain the support of a band of retainers. The warrior culture accepts and embraces this give-and-take relationship between rulers and ruled as necessary for society to function effectively. The emphasis on the loyalty of the warriors ("when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him") has a special resonance for Beowulf, given ... violence to settle her disputes. She is described as a monster woman (or perhaps warrior-woman, greedy, grim minded, and is associated with the descendants of Cain, the ultimate (and first) evil human. Grendel's mo...

• Word Count: 3090
• Approx Pages: 12

... might be The Dream of the Rood, where the heroic tradition is visible. Through the rhetorical device of prosopopeia the cross presents Christ as warrior-hero battling the forces of evil on the cross. Further, an example of heroic lays, on the other hand might be The Battle of Maldon, where the brave and loyal Byrhtnoth with his men battles Vikings ... not so glorious. Interesting point by Bernstein concerning heroism relates to what he terms as "rational values". "The hero is one who holds rational values and fights for them, if necessary, against every conceivable form of opposition" (...

• Word Count: 2885
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... , struck at the monster from every side, eager for his end, those courageous warriors were unaware that no war-sword not even the finest iron on earth, could wound their evil enemy, for he had woven a secret spell against every kind of weapon, every battle blade. (Beowulf 783-794) Their technology would not help in some struggles, so there was still ... ...

• Word Count: 3062
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... , struck at the monster from every side, eager for his end, those courageous warriors were unaware that no war-sword not even the finest iron on earth, could wound their evil enemy, for he had woven a secret spell against every kind of weapon, every battle blade. (Beowulf 783-794) Their technology would not help in some struggles, so there was still ... ...

• Word Count: 3189
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School