In Beowulf the concept that good and evil are constantly competing is one of the central themes of the epic. The poet makes it expressly clear that good and evil cannot exist without the other, as there would be no way to determine which is which. The religious undertone in Beowulf that God is intervening on the side of good is evident in many of the battles fought, allowing Beowulf to prevail where some evil could not. Literature has wondered, for centuries, why God would create a creature like Satan to cause and teach evil, and what purpose he served for human life. Beowulf attempts to answer this question by showing that good cannot be known without present evil. Beowulf opens with identity; the need to be known as good or as an enemy is present in the presentations that a man makes to himself. You are a mighty warrior or you are a monster. There is no middle ground. Women are products so they don't need to be identified, but men fall into two classifications. Throughout the epic we see Beowulf constantly confronted by the forces of evil in his attempt to maintain peace. “So times were pleasant for the locals until finally one, a demon out of hell, began to work his evil in the world.” (99-101) Grendel is Beowulf's immediate enemy, which allows Beowulf to establish himself as a good guy following the hero code, one who demands honor and morality in defending your people, no matter the cost. His identity is crucial to whether his ancestors were noble and good or not, and whether his children (if he has any) will follow in his footsteps. You are born with a purpose and a predestined path, which will decide whether God will grant you safety or condemn you to a painful… middle of paper… may God show you mercy and justice even in their worst offenses. In Paradise Lost evils are represented by humans forcing us to understand that humans are fallible and imperfect. Even in a world of perfection, we desire knowledge. With that knowledge, Eden was lost, however the ability to distinguish between the two and grow as a person became a trait people valued. The fall lost them paradise, but gained them knowledge. In order to know the good, they had to recognize the bad. The two traits cannot survive without the presence of the other. God created a monster to show us that we have the strength to not give up and to be individual individuals. Eve gains an identity and Adam demonstrates his love to God when he decides to repent. Ignorance does not provide a life in which you can make your own choices; if it can be questioned, you must question.