The poem also mentions various and sundry other undesirables such as giants and monsters, but Cain is the most ominous ancestor. This is ancestor is chosen to make more clear the Anglo-Saxon loyalty to family and kings. Those to whom you are related and to whom you pledge your life are bonded...however, Cain is considered the most evil because he rebuked that bond. Anyone who commits this crime in Anglo-Saxon times and literature is usually considered an outcast...therefore, Grendel, being descended of this murderer, is the ultimate miserable outcast. And so, the setting/background info is laid for the remainder of the poem. Good Luck, and happy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment