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"Individuals who often read fiction appear to be better able to understand other people, empathize with them, and view the world from their perspective."

Motif: monsters vs. heroes, god vs. satan, good vs. evil

- connects with outcasts because Grendel, Faustus, and Satan are all outcasted because they were seen as different.

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In Beowulf, Dr. Faustus, and Paradise Lost, one can observe that outcasting those who are different, rather than making the effort to "view the world from their perspective," and empathize with them, often leads to the dehumanization and monsterization of them, revealing human nature's tendency to control others in an attempt to avoid straying from the norms of society and clashing caused by differences within society.

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TS 1: Through Beowulf, Heaney depicts how the people of Heorot Hall outcast and demonize Grendel because of the differences presented by his appearance and lineage, thereby revealing society's tendency to label those who are different as monsters and those who are viewed strong and brave as heroes, which creates an “us vs. them” ideology and leads the people of Heorot Hall to control Grendel and prevent him from achieving individualization.

TS 2: In Dr. Faustus, Marlowe reveals society's fear of the unknown and the monsterization of Faustus' pursuit for new magic and power through Faustus' own manifestation of fear, demonstrating the human tendency to control those who seek power and change. This tendency to control others stems from one's inability to control oneself. Faustus' constant wavering and obsession about his decision to sell his soul to the devil result from an unending cycle of doubt caused by his attempt to control himself.  Faustus himself struggles with his choices because he is torn between his clashing thoughts of good and evil, which Marlowe represents through characters such as Good Angel and Evil Angel. Faustus' pursuit of knowledge and power through new ideals, like magic, which were discovered during the English Renaissance, leads society to outcast him because he strays from the norms of the Catholic church. Therefore, both Faustus himself and society outcast and demonize him.

does not choose which way he wants to go. Good and evil- he has already decided in his mind which way is what, but he does not commit to either side because of doubt --> impedes hero journey and no growth.
society's fears are represented through Faustus' thoughts and fears for himself and his decision.

TS 3: Through Paradise Lost, Milton portrays Satan as a hero with humanistic qualities to encourage his readers to empathize with Satan, whose story is similar to mankind's defiance and rebellion from a god who desires complete control over his people. By paralleling the story of Adam and Eve getting cast out of Heaven with Satan's out heaven, Milton achieves his goal of empathizing with the "monster" and humanizing him. Milton demonstrates the motif of good vs. evil through God who outcasts Satan because of his differing ideals, which reveals the common tendency to control others and create a sense of autonomy over those who stray from the norms to avoid clashing.

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Milton portrays Satan as a hero with humanistic qualities. I think Milton is trying to get his readers to empathize with Satan because he compares Satan's fall with mankind's fall from heaven. Milton encourages us to feel sympathy for Satan because the Satan he has created in his story is very similar to mankind as a whole. Satan lives in a world of suffering, some of which he has brought upon himself, and at the same time he is powerless to control his situation after his plan fails. On the outside, Satan may seem like a monster because that is how people choose to view him. However, Milton describes him as "cruel his eye, but cast / signs of remorse and passion," choosing to de-monsterize Satan and instead bring mankind to empathize with him (1.604-605). In my opinion, I think Satan is struggling in a world where he simply longs for peace (or autonomy). Therefore, because Satan appears human, he stirs our feelings because we can relate to his situation.

- How does God clash with Satan's ideals?

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Faustus’ ambition and desire to learn more eventually transforms him into a prideful person who fails to admit his mistakes and repent to God. Marlowe demonstrates the dangers in excessive individualism in a conversation between Faustus and Mephistophilis where Faustus asks about Lucifer “How comes it then that he is Prince of devils?” and Lucifer replies, “O, by aspiring pride and insolence; / For which God threw him from the face of Heaven” (13).

In Dr. Faustus, Marlowe portrays the fear and “monsterization” of magic through characters such as Good Angel and the Scholars who fear Faustus’ new pursuit for power, and through Bad Angel and Lucifer who embody his monstrous pursuit. As we learned with Beowulf, we, as humans, often “monsterize” new and unfamiliar people or ideas because of our fear of the unknown. However, David Foster Wallace claims that if we “choose to look differently” at situations, unfamiliar people and ideas are no longer “monsters,” but simply different perspectives that we chose not to see. Regardless, extreme individualism and loss of connection with religion and God can still lead to this feeling of “monsterization” because it causes one to lose control of oneself simply because of the persistent desire of worldly control and power.

- In Dr. Faustus, we see the recurring theme of good vs. evil all throughout the book. However, in reality there is no true good and especially no true evil. Faustus is simply seen as evil because he turns to new ideas, such as magic, instead of going the more common and accepted way of following the Catholic church. People's ideals were shifting during the English Renaissance.

- Good Angel vs. Evil Angel

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In Beowulf and in reality, there is no defined line between good and evil. Inside everyone, there is both good and evil, and it is a constant struggle as to which one will win. However, one cannot exist without the other. Therefore, Beowulf is not simply a hero, and Grendel is not a just a monster. In Beowulf, Grendel is believed to be a monster, “a grim demon,” “a fiend out of hell” (Heaney 100). However, from Grendel’s perspective, he is simply an outcast who is lonely and misunderstood by others. He only kills others when he is disturbed by their celebrations in Heorot Hall, but his intentions are not to harm anyone.

- If we choose to see people differently, they will not be categorized into good and evil. Grendel is not a monster but an outcast who wanted to be understood. Beowulf may have been a strong, victorious hero, but he also had flaws like everyone else. I believe Beowulf does not have a hero or a monster because both Beowulf and Grendel have strengths and weaknesses and good and evil. What matters is how we choose to see them. I do not believe in monsters because I choose to view them differently.

- Grendel is automatically seen as evil simply because of his genealogy, which is outlined in the very beginning of the story. This raises the question: does a person's genealogy and family history determine his goodness? How important is heredity to one's identity? Does one's family lineage matter, or can he make a name for himself?

pg. 9 described as Cain's descendent

- "Moves beyond the pale bigger than any man, an unnatural birth called Grendel by country people in former days. They are fatherless creatures, and their whole ancestry is hidden in a past of demons and ghosts" (95).

Grendel is completely dehumanized --> How is the evil of Grendel developed when he is called a descendent of Cain? No morality or guideline. Ancestry is important, what you carry with you.

We can see Grendel's humanity when we see his mother's protectiveness and love for Grendel --> humanizing.