Villains of the Christian Bible

In the first half of the ancient epic of Beowulf, the eponymous protagonist portrays the traditional and conventional ideals of a morally righteous hero: good, seemingly fearless, bold and daring, loyal to his nation, strong in body and spirit, and willing to become a martyr for justice. As a king in the latter portions of the epic, Beowulf is also ideal. Beowulf is a great warrior himself, and thus could be respected without reservations by his greatest soldiers. Beowulf’s reputation as a warrior preserved the peace in his own country.Most importantly, Beowulf is a hero-king, willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his country (as he did in his fight with the dragon). He was also one to avenge unjust deaths. He is willing to risk himself for what he believes to be moral, good, and just. Part of Beowulf’s heroism also lies in his adherence to his moral code, which is strongly tied to his religious convictions. However, Beowulf’s morals and values might not s eem as such from a modern perspective, because Beowulf’s morals and values are strongly tied to the mixed Christian and pagan ideals of the time.There are many references to religion (and thus morality) in the epic. It has strong Christian elements, such as the description of Grendel’s mother as having descended from Cain, one of the early villains of the Christian Bible. However, the epic also has a generous helping of pagan concepts. Beowulf frequently calls upon God, but also speaks of Wyrd, the â€Å"ruler of all. † Pagan practices, such as cremation and drinking of blood, are also depicted. From a modern perspective, Beowulf is a pagan tale with some Christian aspects.