Beowulf is an epic poem written in the medieval time. The main theme of the poem is the struggle between good and evil. A courageous warrior engages in a battle with dragons and other supernatural creatures from hell. People are united by this common predicament and join hands to fight the monsters from hell.
Beowulf is driven by the pursuit of fame. He travels to a foreign land to prove his bravery by facing a supernatural monster. He prefers to face the monster with bare hands to wielding a weapon. Only a man driven by the pursuit of fame and glory would risk his life to this extend.
Under Hrothgar’s rule the people of the Danes lived a life of merry. Their lives were interrupted by a trail of destruction left by Grendel. As the anonymous poet wrote:
Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed himto hear the din of the loud banquetevery day in the hall, the harp being struckand the clear song of a skilled poettelling with mastery of man's beginnings.
Grendel kills most of the warriors at Meadal Hall but spares.
Beowulf is portrayed as a crafty warrior. pretends to be asleep in the Meadal hall. The beast attacks at night and Beowulf struggles with the beast. Other warriors draw their swords to fight the beast. The unwitting warriors realize that their weapons cannot harm the beast. Meanwhile, Beowulf tears beast’s arm at the shoulder. The beast groans in pain as it rushes to the marshes where it eventually dies.
The jubilant kingdom begins to celebrate. Grendel’s mother is not amused by the punishment meted out to her son. She takes advantage of the jovial mood when the guards are less cautious of the imminent danger. As the feast goes on, she attacks and kills Hrothgar’s most trusted warriors. Beowulf comforts the king by saying:
Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always betterto avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning.For every one of us, living in this worldmeans waiting for our end. Let whoever canwin glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark.
The people are afraid of the monstrous creature. Beowulf prepares for the war. A warrior who had doubted his abilities before presents him with a sword with which he is to face Grendel’s mother.
Warriors driven by loyalty and desire for revenge accompany Beowulf to face the monster. Beowulf is saved from death by his armor. Grendel’s mother prevails in the battle with the Beowulf. Beowulf discovers that the sword he was given cannot harm the creature. He unearths a magical sword from the beast’s treasure chest and uses it to behead Grendel’s mother. The medical sword is, however, destroyed by the toxic blood of Grendel as Beowulf finishes off the dying beast.
As illustrated by the aforementioned example, the desire for vengeance brings the people of the Danes together. The people are willing to face the monster in its lair in the marshes to avenge the death of, Aeschere, the king’s most trusted warrior. They succeed in killing the beast with the help of Beowulf.
In conclusion, the desire for vengeance by the Danes makes the people united. They come together at several times to avenge their dead warriors, but they are defeated by Grendel. Beowulf, a character in pursuit of fame and glory fights and defeats the monster. The people are bitterness and anger aroused by the beasts.
