Good versus evil is a prominent topic in the story of Beowulf. Representing the good, Beowulf manages to fight off forces considered evil such as Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and although it leads to his demise, the dragon. In the real world, this is a popular topic. Many wars have been fought over the years based on one good belief and one bad, or evil belief. However although Beowulf's actions were daring and rewarding, the motives of Grendel are completely disregarded. Despite the fact that he is a monster, Grendel was completely banished from society and has every right to be avenging his feelings. Grendel’s mother also has very good reasons for her own violent actions. She has lost her son, and has every right to be angry at the brave warrior who killed him- as well as those around him. The dragon also has his own personal reasons to attack the citizens. A runaway slave stole his golden chalice and he was simply acting out in rage following this act.
I believe that this common conflict can be related to many issues today. Current racial tensions are often twisted to pit two forces against each other, even if neither forces represent a definite good or evil force. In the popular Ferguson, Missouri conflict, Michael Brown was deemed the good force- he was an unarmed man who was apparently not looking for a fight. On the other hand, the officer who shot and killed him was deemed the evil force. Sadly, nobody will ever get to hear Michael Brown's side of the story. I personally believe that what the officer did was wrong, but in that moment of tension, he did what he thought he had to do. He may not be directly comparable to Grendel in the sense that he was banished, but his motives hold true. This incident has ignited huge conflicts based on race, which have since then spread throughout the nation.
Racial tensions are another theme present in Beowulf. The Danes, the Swedes, and other groups of people are always wondering when they will be able to attack somebody next. They build up their army and train men to be great warriors, and are led by a powerful King. As proven by Beowulf, the King is the most important part of their culture. As soon as Beowulf dies, Wiglaf immediately predicts Geatland will be attacked by people of neighboring nations. The tribal society present in Beowulf and the quasi nationalistic pride each warrior has for their land is very similar to the racial tensions present between different cultures today.
