In the epic "Beowulf" there is a constant struggle between good and evil. This poem is an early example of the phrase “Bad guys never win.” Examples of this theme include: God vs. Cain, Beowulf vs. Grendal, and Beowulf vs. Grendal's mother. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first battle between God (good) and Cain (evil) is actually an allusion to the Bible. This story of Cain is used to compare God's feelings towards Grendal, a descendant of Cain. The book states: “…Because Cain had slain his only / Brother, he had slain his father's son / With an angry sword. God cast him out, / outlawed him…” (Beowulf, 1261 – 1264). Cain killed his brother because he was wicked and God shunned him and marked him for his wickedness. God feels the same way about Grendal. Grendal is described as a ferocious monster, the son of all that is evil. Grendal is so evil; God refuses to forgive Grendal and favors Beowulf's pride over Grendal's sins. In the battle between Beowulf and Grendal, God grants Beowulf a crushing victory. The book states: “The Ruler of the heavens brought about a righteous contest, when once again he rose with ease.” God can easily resist because the beast he hates, Grendal, is dead. Beowulf is a powerful and honorable hero who has super strength and an ego to match his strength. Beowulf defeats Grendal with his bare hands and then is forced to fight Grendal's vengeful mother. Tired and conflicted, Beowulf, thanks to his goodness, manages to defeat Grendal's mother. At the moment of exhaustion, Beowulf grasps a monstrous sword and the book continues, "he struck furiously... the blade passed through the doomed body." Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The epic poem Beowulf encompasses all the aspects of a great tale. Beowulf, God and Wiglaf represent good in the poem while; Grendal, his mother, and Cain describe the contrasting side of evil. In the epic poem “Beowulf” there are many examples of good versus evil. Works Cited Norton & Company. Alexander, M. (2010). Beowulf: a translation into verse. Penguin UK.Baker, P.S. (2014). Beowulf's theft of the dragon's treasure. Neophilologus, 98(4), 743-754.Bjork, R.E. (ed.). (2013). The Oxford Dictionary of Old Norse Proverbs. Oxford University Press. Chickering, H. D. (2002). Beowulf: a bilingual edition. Anchor Books.Fulk, R.D. (ed.). (2010). The Beowulf Manuscript: Complete Texts and the Fight at Finnsburg. DS Brewer.Kiernan, KS (ed.). (2014). Beowulf and the Beowulf manuscript. University of Michigan Press. Liuzza, R. M. (2013). Beowulf: a new translation. Broadview Press. Shippey, T. A. (2013). Beowulf: The Critical Legacy. Routledge.Tolkien, J.R.R. (2014). Beowulf: a translation and commentary, together with Sellic Spell. Sailor's books.