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Religion and supernatural elements in beowulf
Christianities role in beowulf
Poetic themes in beowulf
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Christianity and the Beowulf Poet
In my initial study of Beowulf it seemed to me that the Christian references in it were overlaid onto the essentially pagan tale that makes up the bulk of the poem. So I innocently decided to investigate this incongruity as the topic of this paper. And so I found myself smack-dab in the middle of an argument that has evidently raged for the last one hundred years or so. I found sources that ran the gamut from the position that Beowulf was a quintessentially Germanic pagan work that had been corrupted by some revisionist monastic scribe (Mooreman 1967), to the assertion that the author intentionally created a Christian allegory along the lines of Book 1 of The Faerie Queen (McNamee 1960). I have chosen the middle ground in formulating my thesis, which after further study of the text and a wide range of criticism seems to make the most sense. The author of Beowulf is indeed the author of those Christian passages, but his intention is less to proselytize than to demonstrate that Christianity and his audience's Germanic heritage were not incompatible.
We know that eighth century Anglo-Saxon poets relied upon their native Germanic traditions and techniques to shape even overtly Christian poetry (i.e. The Dream of the Rood) and so it was with the Beowulf poet. The tales of Beowulf were already ancient legend when the poet began his work (whenever that was; dating the poem seems to be another of those old controversies with dates ranging from the 7th to the 11th centuries). The author skillfully uses this material to construct an entertaining tale while at the same time attempting to reconcile the concepts of the pagan wyrd (fate) and dom (renown or worth) with the Christian concepts of grace and final judgement. So it is that we have a poem that is overwhelmingly a pagan story, suffused with the old Germanic warrior culture ethos, yet sprinkled with many loosely Christian comments and a few explicitly Christian passages. However, it should be noted that while we refer to these passages as Christian, no reference to Christ is to be found within the poem.
The first of the Christian passages occurs when we are introduced to Grendal: God had condemned them as kin of Cain. The Eternal Lord avenged the murder in which he slew Abel.
The theology which appears in the Christian allusions in Beowulf is very vague and indefinete: there is no mention of Christ, the saints, miracles, Mary His Mother, specific doctrines of the church, martyrs of the church, the New Tes...
These allusions to Christian faith could lead a critic to assume that Beowulf is a Christian allegory. Critics who read the poem in this way often call Beowulf a Christ figure because he is a savior to his people. However, if the poem was really meant to be read in this way, I think that Beowulf would have been ultimately triumphant and would have survived his fight with the dragon. I do not claim to be a Biblical scholar but I can not remember any stories from the Bible where Christ did any killing or boasting.
In the epic of Beowulf, Herot is plagued by the monster Grendel. A hero, Beowulf is summoned to defeat the beast. Beowulf is a Christian and Pagan based poem that includes several examples of each element. There are several biblical illusions in the text that give insight into the use of Christianity but just the same, there are several references to the Devil and Hell and Cain. Therefore the poem must be both Christian and Pagan because it represents both.
A biblical allusion is a quick reference to a story or passage in the Bible. “For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty made him anathema, and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward” (107-114). In this quote the narrator is making a reference to the incident that occurred in the book of Genesis when Cain killed his brother Abel. This reference is very direct and we notice right away, but there are also some allusions that we don't really notice and really have to think about. When Beowulf was going to fight the dragon he had with him twelve warriors which is just like when Jesus was going to get crucified He had with him twelve disciples. “No help or backing was to be had then from his highborn comrades; that hand-picked troop broke ranks and ran for their lives to the safety of the wood. But within one heart sorrow welled up: in a man of worth the claims of kinship cannot be denied. His name was Wiglaf, a son of Weohstan’s, a well-regarded Shylfing warrior related to Aelfhere” (2596-2604). This quote is from the situation when Beowulf is fighting the dragon in the woods. All his warriors leave him except for Wiglaf. In the Bible, when Jesus is being crucified all of his disciples
The use of religion in the story alludes to the fact that Beowulf is a Christ figure by showing the reader that God has sent Beowulf to defeat Grendel, similar to how Jesus was sent to Earth to absolve people of sin. In the following quote, Beowulf is fighting Grendel and the narrator describes God’s impact on Beowulf. “The monster wrenched and wrestled with him/ But Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength,/ The wondrous gifts God had showered on him:/ He relied for help on the Lord of All,/ On His care and favour. So he overcame the foe, /brought down the hell-brute” (Beowulf 1269-1274). The “ wondrous gifts” that God had bestowed upon
...hem greatly. The Beowulf poet makes sure to include small but meaningful references to the paganistic background of the epic poem. There are too many pagan symbols scattered throughout the work to be ignored, and too many rules of the Christian religion are broken by the characters of the poem for an argument to be made against the paganism of Beowulf. Also, we must not forget that ideas such as fate and revenge, which are shunned in Christianity, are two of the main themes in this story. Consequently, even though the Beowulf poet may have been Christian, as for the poem itself, all signs point towards paganism.
Beowulf was written around 700 A.D. by an unknown author. While it is a part of English Literature, it does not take place in England. Instead, it tells the reader events that happened in Sweden and on the Danish island of Zealand. The pagan and Christian references suggest that the poem is most likely written about the time that the Anglo-Saxon society was converting from paganism to Christianity. Monasteries provided a place for learning and they also saved some of the manuscripts, such as the story Beowulf. Christianity does eventually replace pagan religion as far as Anglo-Saxons are concerned. Although the unknown author of Beowulf develops the main protagonist to represent both paganism and Christianity, the ideals conflict create a unique epic poem.
The poem Beowulf is a renowned story that displays many different surroundings and religious beliefs. Some may believe the story of Beowulf portrays pagan beliefs or customs and others believe that the poem is more in agreement with Christian ethnicity. The author of Beowulf uses both Christian and pagan elements in the poem to define the heroic warrior, Beowulf, and the evil dragons. After reading Beowulf the author clearly shows how Beowulf is a man who is filled with Christian customs and is willing to die and defend the world against evil using the help of God.
For years, religion has played a role in the lives of many, after all, there are hundreds of religions being practiced around the world. From the celebrations of special birthdays by the Jewish or Hispanic cultures or the celebration of holidays by Christians and many other religions. There is a great amount of differences when it comes to religion, whether it be beliefs or religious traditions, but contemporary society has become more aware the impact that religion can have on numerous different things. Additionally, religion has been a vast role when it comes to literature. In countless stories, readers will find the topic of religion being influential aspect. For example, in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales there were influences from the
With the creation of the Christian religion followers of it obtained peace and tried their best to avoid the impurities of the world, interestingly enough, these “worldly” impurities consume the religion that is Paganism, which Christianity is heavily based off of. As time has progressed mankind has always searched for their purpose. Religion is often used to help one discover their ultimate purpose and give them guidelines to live a pure life by that may be amorphous without spiritual guidance. The religious fundamentals in Christianity help its believers to fathom why they are on this Earth and what their greater purpose is. Unknowingly, they develop their character through this religion without knowing that it is heavily stemmed from Paganism! Many practices, cultural elements, and habits in Paganism are strongly seen as ignoble by a majority of the modern Christians. A supreme amount of the text in the Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf help to entirely clarify the religious transitions that have occurred between both Paganism and Christianity. Throughout the ages, human beings used a religious power to help them evaluate their lives and wellbeing, specifically Paganism, Christianity; the transition from paganism to Christianity illustrates how much religion effects one’s life.
BEOWULF AS A CHRIST-LIKE FIGURE The epic poem, Beowulf, recounts the tale of a man named Beowulf who sacrifices his own safety to save the Danes from two evil dragons. Then, years later, Beowulf risks his life yet again to save his own people from a dragon. Throughout the story, Beowulf is presented as a Christ-like figure. This is manifested in the events that take place, the way that Beowulf speaks about himself, and the way the people treat him. The first way Beowulf's likeness to Christ is revealed, is through the events that take place. After Beowulf tells Hrothgar that he will fight Grendel, there is a celebration. During the celebration, Welthow, the queen "raised a flowing cup" (615) and poured "a portion from the jeweled cup/ For each" (621-622). When she got to Beowulf, she "thanked God for answering her prayers" (625). This event is strikingly similar to the Last Supper when Jesus passed around a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. Then, the crucifixion is portrayed when Beowulf fights Grendel's mother. During the stuggle, other monsters come to watch and beat at "His mail shirt, stabbing with tusks and teeth/ As they followed along" (1510-1511). Similarly, when Jesus was crucified, crowds drew near laughing at him, hurling insults, and spitting on him. Finally, Beowulf is said to have "Gone to a glorious death" (3037) and his soul "Left his flesh, flew to glory" (2820). This is similar to the resurrection of Jesus. All of these events clearly parallel the events of Jesus' day. What Beowulf says also shows his similarity to Christ. Beowulf says "I already knew that all/ My purpose was this: to win the good will/ Of your people" (633-635). Jesus also knew that it was his mission to come down to earth to save his people from their sins. Later, Beowulf says: . . . No one else could do What I mean to, here, no man but me Could hope to defeat this monster. No one Could try . . . (2532-2535) Likewise, Jesus was the only man who could do his job. Thus, no man could defeat evil without the help of God. Many of Beowulf's statements are true to what Jesus said and felt. One other way Beowulf is linked to Christ is through the way the people act towards him and speak of him.
Beowulf displays Christian influences in the description of Grendel especially through the allusions to the Old Testament. According to Daniel Anlezark, Grendel’s murders and terrorization of the Pagan’s caused by their tendency to idolize demons is an allusion to the times when the Hebrews committed idolatry after their escape from Egypt (Anlezark 264-69). Likewise, Leonard Neidorf argues that the alteration between Cam and Cain in various scribes is used interchangeably with similar connotations where Cain is linked with antediluvian monsters, whereas Cam is associated with postdiluvian monsters (Neidorf 601-15). However, this is not the case. Grendel who inhabited the world after the flood contradicts how Cain is related with the antediluvian
Beowulf is a story of a heathen hero set in a pre-Christian era, yet the poem itself is crafted in language with which a Christian audience would be familiar. Since Dorothy Whitelock’s The Audience of Beowulf was published in 1951, the readers and scholars of Beowulf have generally agreed with her hypothesis, which is that the poet was a Christian composing for a Christian audience (Irving 177). As Whitelock asserts, “The Christian element is not merely superimposed; it permeates the poem” (Whitelock 4). However, the pagan themes of this tale of ancient Germanic heroes are likewise impossible to ignore. Although scholars throughout the ages have tried to prove that Beowulf is either a pagan text or a Christian one, this essay will discuss
Beowulf has been estimated to have been written over twelve hundred years ago. According to The Norton Anthology Of English Literature, “It is now widely believed that Beowulf is the work of a single poet who was a Christian and that his poem reflects a well-established Christian tradition,” (37). This conclusion was likely drawn by accounting for the time at which Beowulf was written and factoring in most people in the area of where it was believed to be written had already been converted to Christianity. In a way, this provides the best explanation for why Beowulf contains a high level of Christian influences for the story to have taken place when it did. Dr. J. Michael Stitt of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas says that, “Much of this epic poem is dedicated to conveying and exemplifying the heroic code which values such attributes as strength, courage and honor. Conflicting with this ideology are other factors such as Christianity, and these tensions affect the lives and decisions of the narrative's characters.” If the one of the main focuses in Beowulf is the heroic code and the heroic code convicts with the authors beliefs than why did he write it? This is not to say that authors do not write about things that they ...
Even though many Pagan influences appear in the poem, Christian influences override them. An example would be when Beowulf saved the Danes from Grendel. He also expressed a fair attitude towards battles when he refused to use a weapon. The idea of loyalty, a hero, and a giver are all signs of Christianity. Beowulf could be seen as Christ when trying to help the people as Grendel could be compared to Satan who tries to destroy happiness and well-doing.