The Epitome of Evil.
             The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English
             literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story of a hero, a
             Geat prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, a descendant
             of Cain. The storyteller uses many elements to build a certain kind of depth in the
             characters, specifically Grendel. The storyteller uses specific passages in the poem to
             help mold the readers' feelings about Grendel, show the reader what accounts for the
             monster's evil nature and also represents Grendel as "evil."
             The storyteller starts off by explaining who Grendel is in the first section on page
             21, lines 19-23. " Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild marshes, and made his
             home in a hell not hell but earth. He was spawned in that slime, conceived by a pair of
             those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever
             for the crime of Abel's death." This first depiction of Grendel already gives the reader a
             sense of corruption and immortality . The biblical character, Cain is always related to
             evil because he murdered his own brother. Therefore the association of Cain with
             Grendel gives us a hint that Grendel is evil. Also, there is a motif that shows the
             difference between mankind's ways, considered good, and evil's wild natures ways,
             considered evil. Grendel for one, is totally wild and is therefore shown as evil.
             Portraying his home on page 21, lines 17- 19, Grendel is illustrated as a barbaric
             character that lives in the moors in darkness. The darkness also symbolizes mystery
             which also relates to evil. On the other hand, Beowulf is tamed and civilized, the
             epitome of goodness and purity. As shown in his first battle with Grendel, Beowulf does
             not fight evil in a wild manner. First off, Beowulf is pure and shows ...