Thesis: The anonymous author of Beowulf creates an effective dichotomy of good and evil in his epic

through the use of clear polarizations; in contrast, Milton’s Paradise Lost presents the polarity of good
and evil as less distinct, making its dichotomy less effective.

1. Introduction
a. Universal yet individual struggle of good vs evil
2. Definition of dichotomy and its rhetorical use
a. Ideas opposed, entirely different
b. Effectuality will be determined by which one more convincingly illustrates mutual
exclusivity
3. Beowulf dichotomy explored by hero vs monster, Paradise Lost explored by divine vs damned
a. Hero is always human, monster is always supernatural
i. Dictates polarization; since the personifications are fundamentally and
biologically different, and one cannot become the other, so too are good and evil
ii. Grendel was “Conceived by a pair of monsters […], punished forever for the
crime of Abel’s death (Anonymous, 20; 22-23).”
b. Damned was once divine, divine can become damned
i. Insinuates ambiguity; because fluctuation is possible, and movement from good
to evil occurs, good and evil become more nebulous and less binary.
ii. Satan once had lived in heaven, among the angels of the Lord. However, “...his
pride Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host Of rebel angels…(Milton,
1.36-38)”
4. Beowulf dichotomy revealed through physical confrontation; Paradise Lost battle occurs through
a 3rd party: man.
a. Physical confrontation allows opposing forces to be juxtaposed; in placing good and evil
in direct contact, their differences become apparent
i.
ii. At the end of the battle, Grendel is described as “…hell’s captive caught in the
arms / Of him who of all the men on earth / Was the strongest (Anonymous,
470-472).”
rd
b. The 3 party allows the effects of good and evil to be observed, but their direct
qualities are more nebulous
i.
ii.
5. Paradise Lost, the concepts are personified hierarchically – that of good: God, Son of God, angels
and heaven; that of bad: Satan, Beelzebub, demons, and Hell-----------Beowulf, concepts
personified by fewer people—that of good: Beowulf; that of bad: Grendel.
a. By using a hierarchy to explore the concept, a spectrum, rather than a strict dichotomy,
is formed
i.
ii.
b. By using discrete individuals, the concepts are compared
i.
ii.
6. Beowulf’s dichotomy is more effective than Paradise Lost’s
 a. Beowulf is concise and clear – as a dichotomy should be
i. The polarization is clear, and there is no question as to what is good and what is
evil
b. Paradise Lost loses the effect of its dichotomy in the exploration of the nuances of good
and evil
i. Ambiguity and subtleties serve not to dichotomize good and evil, but to explore
the blurring of the line between the two, the spectrum of grey between
darkness and light
c. Beowulf explores good and evil in terms of the human struggle
i. This allows for connection with the audience
d. Paradise Lost explores the cosmic implications, the divine dichotomy of good and evil
i. Milton shows us the movement of pawns in the chess match of good and evil,
but in the blur of movement, the colors of the pawns can be hard to distinguish
ii. Beowulf shows us the color of the pawns more distinctly through a less complex
gameplay
7. Conclusion:
a. While Paradise Lost is famous for depicting good vs evil, it shows us their true
ambiguous natures
b. Beowulf, though perhaps exploring the topic less extensively, does a better job of
presenting the concepts in stark contrast