Beowulf Allegory Analysis

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Beowulf’s Gory Allegory In the dark ages people were always looking for a deeper meaning in everything and rightly so, seeing as the authors of that time often wrote in allegories. Lacking technology and education, information was best spread through stories that could be easily recited. Different groups would use different influences, full of deep symbolism, to better illustrate their message. The monks flooded the pagan epic Beowulf with christian influence and reserved the last books as an allegory of Christ’s crucifixion. In this epic, the monks used uncanny and deliberate parallels with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ such as Beowulf’s twelve warriors abandoning him, his sacrificial death, being martyred for the will of God, and being a humble king whose followers offer them praise and glory. As readers of both The Bible and Beowulf will notice both protagonist were accompanied by 12 followers. Out of “twelve of the braves Geats” eleven left Beowulf when his was faced with certain death, and in the gospel readers can see that Jesus’s twelve disciples, excluding John, abandoned him as he faced his greatest battle, death.(884) “ his comrades/...they ran for their lives...And …show more content…

As Jesus knows, his battle is approaching with satan he says “Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matt 26:39). This illustrates to the reader that his death and battle must be of the Lord’s will, thus unpreventable. The idea of God’s unpreventable will is presented in the death of Beowulf, when it is said that “ No one could have kept/ Life in their lord’s body, or turned/ Aside the Lord’s will”(842-844).Since Beowulf had been viewed as having divine right he could have only died if God willed it. The authors utilization of capitalization makes a clear distinction between nobility and

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  • Paganity And Vristianity In The Epic Of Beowulf

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