Paganism and Christianity in Beowulf

Beowulf is an epic poem that centers around the hero Beowulf, a Geat from Sweden who crosses the sea to Denmark in a heroic quest to save King Hrothgar, king of the Danes and the builder of Herot, and his men from the demonic monster Grendel who kills and feasts on Hrothgar’s warriors. Beowulf’s adventure does not end when he defeats Grendel though, he must also kill Grendel’s mother because she seeks revenge for her son’s death. Once Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother, he goes home and soon becomes the king. However, his last adventure in old age leads him to his death. He fights and slays a vicious dragon with the help of a Geat warrior named Wiglaf. Beowulf pays a heavy toll for his last victory since he dies from the great wounds that the dragon inflicted upon him. Throughout these three central battles in the poem, pagan and Christian themes and concepts are intertwined. Beowulf is oral art. This poem, originally pagan, was handed down from one minstrel to another with many Christian changes and embellishments leading to the mixture of the two religions. Scholars and critics have long debated whether the poem is truly pagan or truly Christian. The poem as a whole though is ultimately pagan with Christian elements sprinkled throughout it. Beowulf is a hero whose ultimate goal is to just achieve success and who is driven and guided to achieve such success by forces beyond his control: he is fated to be a hero.

When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s sufferings, he immediately decides to aid the king by traveling to Herot and killing Grendel. One prominent factor that encourages Beowulf’s journey is the pagan belief that “the omens were good, and they urged the adventure on” (3 118-119). Beowulf wants to achieve success, glory, and fame ...

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...his battle since he is fatally wounded. With his dying breath, Beowulf tells Wiglaf that “’I sold my life for this treasure, and I sold it well’” (16 806-807). Beowulf wants a grand tomb built for himself and tells Wiglaf that “’when the funeral flames have burned me, build the tomb here, at the water’s edge, high on this spit of land, so sailors can see this tower, and remember my name, and call it Beowulf’s tower, and boats in the darkness and mist, crossing the sea, will know it’” (16 811-816). Beowulf wants his name to live on forever. He wants eternal glory and fame. He also tells Wiglaf that “’you’re the last of all our-far flung family. Fate has swept our race away, taken warriors in their strength and led them to the death that was waiting. And now I follow them’” (16 821-824). Fate is against Beowulf and it is telling him that it is time for him to go.