christianity and beowulf part 2

There was a man by the name of Cain who killed his brother in cold blood, and as his punishment, God cursed him and his descendents.

Cain’s clan, whom the Creator had outlawed     

and condemned as outcast. For the killing of Abel

the Eternal Lord had exacted a price:

Cain got no good from committing that murder

because the Almighty made him anathema

and out of the curse of his exile there sprang

ogres and elves and evil phantom

and the giants too who strove with God

time and again until He gave then their reward. (106-114)

From Cain’s punishment, the villain of Beowulf, a “God- cursed brute” (121) is born. For years this beast, more commonly known as Grendel, ravaged villages of the West- Danes.  No mortal human dared go up against this tyrant. Until, one day, “ . . . the mightiest man on earth / high- born and powerful . . .” (197-198) decided that he, Beowulf, would try his hand at fighting this “ . . . fiend from hell” (100). Beowulf gathered his mightiest warriors and together they set a course for the West- Danes.