The Book of Kells by R.A. Macavoy

The combination of Christian and pagan elements and references now shows Beowulf’s position in English history. These elements, that have been so uniquely combined in the poem, help define who Beowulf is. In conclusion Beowulf is a great poem whether it is a Christian or pagan poem.

A major difference between the two was that Carolingian architects used stone only for important buildings such as churches and castles. Their buildings and plans for unfinished buildi... ... middle of paper ... ...r own. The Medieval time period was an important era for the growth of culture throughout the entire world. We owe many innovations used in design, architecture and overall style to the works of the many artists that flourished in the middle ages. Each of the four periods of development were unique to one another, yet followed an overlying religious theme that defined the medieval times.

How a person behaved on earth would determine if they were to be sent to heaven, hell, or purgatory. The Catholic Church was a “major source of moral and spiritual instruction in medieval Christendom,” but was also the source of the “artistic productivity” during this time as well (148). This caused a revival of more than one thousand monasteries and abbey churches. These monastic churches attracted many Christian pilgrims which eventually resulted in the Pilgrimage Church. Although churches were influenced by the Romanesque style, the Gothic cathedral were being built which started the synthesis of different styles.

Their goal of spreading the Catholic gospel created the need for literacy among the newly establi... ... middle of paper ... ...Irish beliefs often adapt with ease to an encroaching culture, and as such, the ancient fairy-faith has survived in one form or another even past the 1900s (2,3). It was still common belief in the early 1900’s when Lady Gregory began recording folklore, that Ireland was occupied by the human descendants of the Celts, and a god race of fairy people known as the Sidhe (1). These beliefs still managed to coexist with Catholic doctrine (3). Often the Catholic monks would change native Irish legends to fit into the Christian canon (3). The goddess Dana, or Brigit, considered the mother of the fairy people who are believed to inhabit the island, became St. Brigit, one of the patron saints of Ireland (3).

Lindisfarne and Christian Influences in Beowulf The Beowulf manuscript, written around the year 1000 and containing approximately 70 Christian references/allusions, could owe part of its Christianization to the Catholic bishops, priests, monks and laity who made The Lindisfarne Gospels a reality about 300 years prior. “. . . the poem is the product of a great age, the age of Bede, an age which knew artistic achievements of the kind buried at Sutton Hoo, an age in which art and learning were united to produce great gospel books like the Lindisfarne Gospels, now in the British Museum,  .

These are elements in their literature that influenced an early settlement that shaped England. The literature of the Anglo-Saxons had a major role in how literature was written. The influence of religions such as Paganism and Christianity were huge on the elements of how their stories were written. ”About 400 Anglo-Saxon texts survive from this era, including many beautiful poems, telling tales of wild battles and heroic journeys. The oldest surviving text of Old English literature is “Cædmon 's Hymn”, which was composed between 658 and 680, and the longest was the ongoing “Anglo-Saxon Chronicle”.

The locations of the two types of cathedrals also contributed toward the change between Romanesque and Gothic, as well as the power of the relics and the community to raise funds for the Gothic cathedrals. There are several reasons the architecture of the cathedral changed from Romanesque to Gothic in the Middle Ages. The Romanesque period lasted from 1000 to 1200 AD. Today's France was the center of Romanesque architecture and the birthplace of one of the most beutiful features of medieval architecture, the ambulatory with radiating chapels. "Romanesque is the name we give to christian architecture in Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to about the close of the twelfth century.

In order to build the dome that crowns the magnificent structure, builders needed to use pendentive construction, a technique that the Byzantines invented which involves mounting a dome over a square chamber. Once inside the Hagia Sophia the amount of elaborate detail in the mosaics, impressive columns, and awe inspiring half domes it is easy to see the importance the people placed on religion. Examples of Byzantine architectural inspiration can also be found in Italy. The city of Ravenna, which lays on the East coast of northern Italy, was subject to Byzantine influence. Ravenna has the most well-kept Byzantine style art.

The poem contains aspects of Christianity what form it takes in the story. It is also sort of a history of how the English language has changed in the many years from then until now. The poem also contains many mythical references and it contains  a great hero. Beowulf is considered an artifact by many because "it is the oldest of the English long poems and may have been composed more than twelve hundred years ago. "(Beowulf 19)  It deals with events of the early 6th century and is believed to have been composed between 700 and 750.

The contributions the Byzantine Empire made during this time not only preserved past knowledge, but also brought new ideas and styles that would influence first the west, and eventually, the world. Art was a major area of achievement within the Byzantine Empire, and in no other area was more accomplished than in the creation of Christian inspired art. A fine example is the renowned 8th century piece, the Crucifixion of Christ, a piece that aims to display Christ as a royal figure, but also depicts his suffering and aids in teaching the central truth of Christianity; something dearly important to the Byzantine's.i In the St. Catherine monastery in Ravenna, monks painted stunning icons and mosaics such as the icon of Christ. In 867 CE, the Patriarch Photius installed a grand mosaic of Mary and Jesus within the Hagia Sophia. This mosaic remains important as one of the two dominant depictions of Mary and Jesus throughout the rest of history.