In the epic poem Beowulf, the cast of characters clearly show the danger of sins and the ease of slipping into them, and the hard work of the heavenly virtues and the rise above the sins of man. The many characters in this epic, most notable being Grendel and Beowulf, show the clear contrast between the sins of man and the heavenly virtues of man. The first character of sin, Unferth, shows the sin of pride, as he attempts to undermine Beowulf’s feats, stating that Beowulf lost to the man who he was attempting to beat in a race, while in actuality Beowulf killed a sea monster single-handedly to save his friend, effectively enforcing humility upon Unferth. The most pitiable antagonist of this epic is that of Grendel, who shows the sins of wrath
