Essay Sample about Beowulf: Hero or Villain

A heroic, brave man named Beowulf enters a village to fight evil. Or so the Danes, the people of Denmark, think. Beowulf fights a huge, strong, and unsympathetic monster named Grendel. However, not everyone sees Beowulf as a hero. Then Grendel has been invaded by Beowulf and other soldiers, and he feels beaten. Grendel is different from the rest, so everyone wants him gone because he feels like a hero. Grendel, on the other hand, dislikes Beowulf and wants him dead. While Beowulf was viewed as an Epic Hero and a Monster in both Grendel and Beowulf, Grendel is classified as a monster in both texts since his actions and wants are bloody and his thoughts and his desires are grim.Grendel loves death, and that is why he will cause pain to everyone and everything around him.

The Danes have caused Grendel mental and physical pain when he was younger and Grendel fights back, “He, one night, when the warriors of Hrothgar lay Slumbering after banquet, came to Heorot, Broke down the door, seized in his fell grip A score and more of the sleeping sons of men And carried them home for meat.” (Serraillier 2). As a creature who kills, Grendel was characterized as such by The Danes. Grenndel's actions reveal his extremely dark and gruesome motives. As a true monster, Grendel feels empty and doesn't want anything in life. Grendel has given up, “The world is all pointless by accident… I exist, nothing else." (Gardner 28). It represents how Grendel wants matters to go in his life, and to induce pain and fear on anything he desires. To wrap up, Grendel is a tremendously dark and secret creature who lets out his emotions through physical pain.

Even though Grendel was viewed as a monster in both texts, Beowulf can be seen as a monster and a hero throughout each of the texts. Boeowulf speaks like a villain and has dark and gloomy views, “But it was granted to me that I might kill him with my sword, which I did. Then others attacked. They pressed me hard. I killed them,” (Gardener 162). Beowulf starts out talking as if he is a hero by saving the day with his mighty sword, but it soon turns dark and everyone knows that he kills men with no shame. Next, Beowulf shares how he will create success for The Danes and kill Grendel for good, “Wait up for Grendel for one night's space and all your glorious successes will be done with." The Danes applauded. The stranger smiled on,” (Gardener 161). Beowulf is covering his demon-like self with these acts of pride and joy to The Danes. He wants to kill Grendel no matter the cause as he feeds off of killing just like Grendel. Overall, Beowulf is both a villain and a hero within both texts.