The Monster In Beowulf

Beowulf was a concerning story with an immense capacity of themes that can deal with almost every aspect of life. The story revolved around three scenarios most of the time, the three battles with the monsters. These monsters conveyed similar and opposite characteristics that made them unique and deadly. However, I believe these monsters can portray several aspects of today societies, including psychology. They can represent Freud’s psychology consisting of the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. Thus, each one contains the three aspects of the mind, but excel in a specific one. Although the tale of Beowulf was structured before this Freudian theory existed, we can explain many past events and behaviors with it and learn more about society at any

It develops a conscience, that still searches and strives for pleasure but finds it in hoarding gold and valuable objects. In lines 2277-2281(“For three centuries, this scourge of the people Had stood guard on that stoutly protected Underground treasury, until the intruder Unleashed its fury;”), we see that the dragon can control himself but he can also provoke death and destruction if he allows his Ego and Id to take control, this behavior is marked by the Superego’s intervention. Then, in lines 2293-2295 “The hoard-guardian Scorched the ground as he scoured and hunted for the trespasser who had troubled his sleep” we learn the dragon isn’t being impetuous in the destruction he is stimulating, instead, he is just looking for the one who “troubled his sleep” and is not looking to engender collateral damage as much, even though he does. This sort of revenge has become the most moralistic action any of the monsters made throughout the story. Even though we see how the dragon and Grendel’s mother can control their Id, during desperate moments they become savage and headstrong, like how the dragon in lines 2312-2315 burns everything out in distress for his treasure. “The dragon began to belch out flames and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow That scared everyone, for the vile sky-winger Would leave nothing alive in his wake.” After all, I can say these creatures may represent distinct human behaviors towards different situations, and in a more profound view, they are vivid images of brain