The story of Beowulf initially took place in the Anglo- Saxon period in English history. The Anglo- Saxon times were dark and full of war, evil was very plentiful. The author tries to demonstrate this evil in this story and how it is taken over by the good of man. Throughout every chapter there is an abundant amount of evil and there is also some good, this is shown through symbolism and a strong use of words. The story takes place in an Anglo- Saxon society that is haunted for thirteen years by the presence of evil. The evil is also known as Grednel. Grendel is a monster the lives under a marsh right by the guest hall. Many attempts to kill Grendel were made but none succeeded. Then Beowulf came along to give it a try.
             In the beginning of the story Hothgar's men are staying in the town's guest hall, or "Mead Hall". These men are like the army of the town. It is made very clear that evil is present under that building. " A powerful monster living down in the darkness growled in pain, impatient as the music rang day after day in that loud hall." This is just one of the descriptive passages used to describe the evil that lurks in this town. Later that night the men go to sleep and the angry monster appears to take all of their lives. " The monster's thoughts were as his
             greed or his claws. He slipped through the door and there in silence he snatched up thirty men, smashed them and unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies, as the blood dripped behind him. Then he went back to his lair, delighted with his night's slaughter. " After this night the survivors stayed somewhere else as Grendel and his evil presence took over the once joyful hall and left the town in thirteen years of darkness. There are a lot more passages that can clearly describe the evil in the first part of the story, but there are also a lot of symbols such as "demons", "hell forged hands", "blackness of nights", "savage assault", an...