The Forces of Good and Evil in Beowulf
             In most stories of heroism, the basic tradition is that a monster terrorizes the people, the hero kills the beast, and the hero is immortalized for saving the day. In Beowulf, this tradition is no exception! The heroic tales weave in elements of good and evil, which is also true of Beowulf. From the battle of Grendel, to the killing of Grendel's mother, to the defeating of the dragon, the hero Beowulf, who embodies goodness, struggles with evil forces.
             The first clash between good and evil is evident in "Battle with Grendel." This villain Grendel is inherently evil. He is a descendant of Cain, a creature banished by God, and a demon exiled by the people. Therefore, Grendel's background is anything but good. The villain's plot of terrorizing Herot begins. The epic's hero, Beowulf, arrives and spoils the fiend's plans. Even though Beowulf comes from a foreign place, he has one thing in mind and that is "to destroy moral evil". The clash between Grendel and Beowulf results in a battle of wit and strength, in which Beowulf becomes the victor, as he rips Grendel's arm off with his bare hands. Consequently, good triumphs over evil.
             The second battle between good and evil is Beowulf's confrontation with Grendel's mother. Even though the mighty Beowulf defeated the evil Grendel, this second villain appears from underwater, challenging Beowulf to a battle in a lake in which the monster lives. Determined to get rid of all "moral evil", Beowulf accepts the challenge, and engages in a fierce battle in the lake. Unfortunately for Beowulf, this fight is tougher than the one with Grendel, since Grendel's mother cannot be harmed by an everyday weapon. Luckily for Beowulf, he finds a godly sword hanging on the wall in the underwater lair and uses this weapon to slay the demon that spawned Grendel. Once more, good wins out over evil.
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