Inner Monster in Literature Essay Example

When we think of monsters, we often think of vile creatures such as those in folklore that prey on others and wreak havoc. Or we think of villains who are extremely bad people out to harm someone else. We rarely think of a monster as a part of a person instead of the person in their entirety. Monsters can be found in many places, even within oneself. There are often internal battles raged with ones own inner monster that affect the decisions and actions they take, especially when the monster wins the battle.

In the story of Beowulf, we hear the tales of the various monsters he faced. Many think the dragon is the monster who claimed Beowulf’s life, but it was Beowulf’s inner monster that cost him his life. Of all the monsters Beowulf fought, the greatest monster lived within himself. His inner monster, pride, would be the one to lead him to his death. Beowulf was a mighty warrior who never backed down from a fight. His strength and fighting prowess were known throughout the many lands. His success won him many things in his life and eventually earned him the title of king. With each of his winnings, his legacy grew greater. It could be said that the legacy outgrew the man. When the dragon appeared and began wreaking havoc on his land, Beowulf was no longer a young man. Beowulf was an older man now and yet his still choose to take on the dragon. His pride for who he was, who he was known to be, and for his legacy lead him to partake of this fatal challenge. Beowulf knew this battle would be different. After the dragon burnt his building, Beowulf had feelings that were uncommon to him. These feelings of anxiety and fear existed within him and yet he chose to ignore them. His pride over his past accomplishments prevented him from recognizing the truth, he was no longer the young man he used to be. Beowulf took only eleven men with him to battle the dragon instead of an army. Beowulf sensed this battle would be different and that his fate was already determined. Instead of bringing the others to fight alongside him, Beowulf’s pride led him to face his destiny alone. Beowulf fought the dragon to the best of his now lessened ability. He was steadfast and refused to turn back, even knowing he would not survive. He would rather die battling the dragon than face the shame of coming out defeated. His pride held him locked in his last battle. When Wiglaf came to Beowulf’s aide, he reminded Beowulf of his own words regarding his accomplishments in battle and the promises he had made. These reminders stoked Beowulf’s pride and gave him the burst of energy he needed to launch on last attack on the dragon. The result was Beowulf being able to land the killing blow, but also led to him being fatally hurt. And yet, even as he lie dying, his pride was still present as he instructed his follower on what to build so he might be remembered always. The greatest monster Beowulf ever encountered lived within him, his pride. His pride was the ultimate winner, and the cost was Beowulf’s life. 

Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, brings to light a monster many have faced before and still face today. This monster, envy, is unseen yet can cause strife and heartache. In Much Ado About Nothing, envy is the monster that wins and changes the lives of the characters. Don Pedro is portrayed as an honorable man who takes care of those around him, even his brother who had fought against him. His brother, Don John is envious of him and will do whatever he can to cause him trouble. This envy leads him to cause trouble with one of Don Pedro’s men, Claudio. When Don John discovers that Don Pedro is helping Claudio received the hand of his love, Hero, he chooses to cause trouble. His envy over Don Pedro leads him to scheme and set up Hero to appear as though she is without virtue and is unfaithful to Claudio. By bringing shame to Hero and Claudio, he knows he will bring shame to Don Pedro since he is the one who helped bring them together. He then ensures that both Don Pedro and Claudio bear witness to the staged meeting of a man and woman at Hero’s room, making them believe it is Hero and another man. Don John’s envy over Don Pedro led to this event, which cascaded into much more than Don John even surmised. Perhaps that is why he fled, for his envy for his brother caused Don Pedro and Claudio to both shame and humiliate Hero at the wedding with their accusations of her unfaithfulness. This led to her supposed death. In the end, the truth is revealed. The outcome may have ended on a happy note, but the envy held by Don John won him over and caused great strife and hardship for many. For envy is truly a monster and can lead a person to harm others in many ways. 

Another instance of an internal monster is seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain is the nephew of King Arthur and is portrayed to be an honest and virtuous man. However, this does not stop the internal battle of his own demon, who he eventually loses to. A strange and unknown magical knight appears before Sir Gawain, King Arthur, and a room full of others and demands a challenge. Sir Gawain steps up to the challenge, and after severing the Green Knight’s head with one blow, is given a year until he must meet the knight to have the blow returned. After time has passed, he begins his journey to his destiny and the Green Knight. During his travels, he is given lodge at a castle. The lord of the castle is very accommodating to Sir Gawain and agrees to help him by having him shown where the green chapel is, which is where he is supposed to meet the Green Knight. The lord of the castle asks him to stay and keep his wife company while he goes out to hunt each day and they will each exchange what the other has obtained during their days. It is during these days where Sir Gawain struggles with himself and the opportunities he is given with the lord’s wife. Each day she offers herself to him and each day he rebuffs her attempts, but not without an internal struggle. He instead appeases her with the kisses and keeps her company. These kisses he returns each evening by giving them back to the lord as the lord shares his catches of the day with him. On his last day in the castle, the lady tempts him yet again. He struggles within himself to maintain his own virtuous ways and beliefs. However, when the lady tempts him with her magical girdle. As she explained how the girdle could prevent him from being harmed, an internal battle warred within him as the fear of death was great. The monster within him won this internal battle and he accepted her magical girdle and promised not to tell the lord about it. That night, he returned the lady’s kisses to the lord but kept the secret of the girdle. The next day, he journeyed to meet the Green Knight at the green chapel. It is here the Green Knight spares his life with a small cut to the neck and explains to Sir Gawain how it was his castle he had been staying at and his wife he had been keeping company. The Green Knight further explains how he spared Sir Gawain’s life because he proved himself to be an honorable man and returned his wife’s kisses. The Green Knight reveals that he knows about the magic girdle Sir Gawain is wearing as it is his and that is what the cut on the neck is for. Sir Gawain realizes how fallible even he is, for if he had not succumbed to his inner monster, he would have received no injury from the Green Knight. He recognizes how his inner monster won by him accepting the girdle and how he lost because he proved he was not as honorable as he thought. He chose to wear the girdle to remember his shame and failure, for even the honorable can lose the battle to their internal monster and must suffer the consequences thereof.  

Monsters do not just consist of creatures or villains. Monsters can be found within everyone. These internal battles between a person and their inner monster are often never seen but can have a great impact on their decisions and actions. As seen with Beowulf, Don John, and Sir Gawain, when the inner monster is the winner of the internal struggle, the consequences can affect them as well as those around them. Not all monsters are visible, especially when they reside within.