Essay on The Religious Context of Beowulf - 629 Words

There has long been controversy and speculation over the religious context of the poem Beowulf. Many believe that Beowulf was written to be strictly a Pagan tale, yet some insist that there is a subtle but definite theme of Christianity that outlines the poem. Although it is tough to decipher the actual intensions of religious outlook in Beowulf, (not having discovered the true author) it is safe to conclude that both Pagan and Christian components are established within the text. Beowulf was originally thought of as a Pagan tale which happened to be scribed by a Christian monk. This first piece of information confused people immensely. Some found it hard to believe that a Pagan legend would be left in the hands of someone who†¦show more content†¦The text roughly exhibits this as Beowulf indirectly alludes to the idea that god is watching over him and he often relieves him of help. In the text, a tension arises between the innate construction of the poem and the Christian ideals added. Throughout Beowulf, there is a combination of pagan ideals of fate or wyrd, and the will of God, the similar concepts of afterlife, and the contrasting ideas of the individual. According to Christianity, God instills within mankind a sense of free will, which directly contrasts with the pagan idea of fate. These characteristics of paganism and Christianity jointly convert. Christianity influenced much of the literature during this time period. Although the poem never mentions Christ, the poet did use various characters and references to the Old Testament. The poet uses them sparingly, but the references to biblical events and characters are plainly visible. Again, a strong example of the intertwinement of Christianity in the story is provided with the mere fact that the biblical figure Cain is supplementary to the story. The pagan elements in the epic poem are evident in the characters superhuman embodiment. Beowulf takes it upon himself to save the Danes from Grendel. In his battle with Grendel, Beowulf chooses not to use weapons; he relies on his bravery and tremendous strength. During the fight, Beowulfs strength takes over and heShow MoreRelatedThe Dream Of The Rood And Beowulf1488 Words   |  6 Pagespieces â€Å"The Dream of the Rood† and Beowulf there are two powerful kings being represented that are set in overlapping values that benefit their true courageous deeds. Both are considered good, but do they mean the same thing in Christianity and paganism contexts? Specifically, the two pieces both fuse together Christian and pagan ideals to show their two powerful kings represented in two completely different manners. 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Written down in approximately 1,000 A.D. by an unknown author, Beowulf, originally a pagan fable, became a Christian allegory upon its transcription by Christian monks. However, as scholars have debated over the religious context in Beowulf, the attempts by the monks to turn the epic poem into a Christian parable ended merged, including both original and Christian aspects. Throughout Beowulf, the epic combines pagan ideals of fate or wyrd and the will of God, the similar conceptsRead MoreEssay about Christian And Pagan Ideals In Beowulf1335 Words   |  6 Pagesvalues, and past events. Written down in approximately 1,000 A.D. by an unknown author, Beowulf, originally a pagan fable, became a Christian all egory upon its transcription by Christian monks. However, as scholars have debated over the religious context in Beowulf, the attempts by the monks to turn the epic poem into a Christian parable ended merged, including both original and Christian aspects. Throughout Beowulf, the epic combines pagan ideals of fate or wyrd and the will of God, the similar conceptsRead MoreBeowulf : Christian Or Pagan Epic?865 Words   |  4 PagesMichael Smith Waterman English 12 24 September 2015 Beowulf: Christian or Pagan Epic? Believe it or not, Thor was not just a fictional superhero that appeared in comics created by Marvel. Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of Germanic mythology and paganism. Pagans, a member of a community observing a polytheistic religion, dominated Southern Europe society and literature until Christianity slowly drove out paganismRead MoreChristianinty in Beowulf686 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is an epic poem that is highly revered by scholars. 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The poem does, however, give us great insight into the culture of the people who composed and told this epic tale.Read MoreBeowulf Society1744 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf Society The earliest known manuscript of Beowulf is thought to have been written in the tenth century, however, the poem had most likely been told as an oral tradition for centuries before that. In fact, the poems events date back to the sixth century. However, because there is only one manuscript of Beowulf still in tact very little is known about the poem or its author. The poem does, however, give us great insight into the cult ure of the people who composed and told this epic tale. Because