Imagery in Beowulf
...ttle of the epic, the description of evil monster: “Grendel came again, so set on murder that no crime could ever be enough, no savage assault quench his lust for evil.”(Ll. 135-138) This imagery of “Good & Evil” clearly shows Grendel, the evil monster “born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Abel’s death.”(Ll. 105-109) comes up from the marsh hoping to find a human to devour. “But fate, that night, intended Grendel to gnaw the broken bones of his last human supper. Human eyes were watching his evil steps, wanting to see his swift hard claws.” (Ll. 734-738) Grendel is delighted when he sees several Goats are sleeping in the hall. After Grendel kills and eat one of the warriors, then he reaches for his second target, Beowulf “That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder”(ll. 750-753) The battle of Good verse Evil between Beowulf and Grendel begins. Even though Grendel is a powerful monster, “from every side, trying to open a path for his evil soul, but their points could not hurt him; the sharpest and hardest iron could not scratch at his skin, for that sin-sainted demon.” (Ll. 799-802), his arm from its shoulder is ribbed off by Beowulf’s bare hands. Beowulf receives victory and high honor, “against evil and treachery that no one had ever heard of” (l. 878) Uses of imagery of “Good & Evil” exposes its main theme, “The world, and its long days full of labor, brings good and evil; all who remain here meet both.”(Ll. 1660-1663) The imagery “Darkness & Lightness” in this epic are also used to develop the main theme. For example, at the second battle of the epic, the description of the mere and its surrounding is effective. The imagery of “Darkness and Lightness” is specific, powerful and dark: From the rocks, then runs underground, where mist streams like black clouds, and the groves of trees growing out over their lake are all covered with frozen spray, and wind down snakelike roots that reach as far as the water and help keep it dark.”(Ll. 1360-1365) Grendel’s mother, “living in the murky cold lake”(ll. 1260) is waiting for the revenge for the death of her son: “When the wind stirs and storms, waves splash toward the sky, as dark as the air, as black as the rain that the heavens weep…Gendel’s mother is hidden in her terrible home , in a place you’ve not seen.” (Ll. 1373-1379) Beowulf drives into the mere wearing his mail-shirt and carrying Hunting sword. Deep in the lake, Grendel’s mother grasps him tightly with her claw so that he can not draw his sword. Beowulf’s mail-...