Christian Influence On Beowulf

Before the Roman conquest of Britain, the Anglo-Saxon faith was rooted in Celtic paganism. The original scop of Beowulf, although unknown, can be almost certainly tied to this religion. Although Celtic paganism heavily emphasized the importance of Wyrd, or fate, it had no form of an afterlife. Instead, the Anglo-Saxon people took on heroic tasks in hopes of gaining fame. If they succeeded, this fame allowed them to live forever through storytelling.

(Beowulf 566-567) The Kenning “the shepherd of sins” is Biblical irony as it represents the Antichrist. Once again, this reiterates the idea that Grendel is from the lineage of Cane. In “Beowulf, the Old Testament, and The Regula Fidei,” Christopher M. Cain illuminates the inherent contradictions and similarities in Beowulf and Bible scripture. Cain notices that “Wyrd is used to translate both fate and fortune.

The heroic title of Beowulf, the protagonist, may be questionable. However, from the analyses of multiple Beowulf articles, evidence provided suggests that he is indeed a hero. The redefinition from these theories helps

The portrayal of someone who constantly defied the will of God by the alienated character Grendel and the embodiment of the heroic character Beowulf as someone who greatly admired the Lord show the value of practicing religion in the Anglo-Saxon

Godden also points to the Creation story in Genesis as parallel to the building of Heorot and Grendel lurking around as the source of evil. There’s also the story of the Flood on the sword Beowulf uses to kill Grendel’s Mother. I wouldn’t go as far as some critics who see Beowulf or Hrothgar as Christ-like figures, I just don’t see it and if they did refer to Jesus Christ in the poem, if he was anything like the version in The Dream of the Rood then Beowulf would be less

In the story of Beowulf, the hero, Beowulf, does not know about the issue until the call. In Beowulf the call is the acts of Grendel. Grendel is a descendant of the cursed son of Adam and Eve, Caine. In the bible, Caine kills his brother resulting in a curse brought upon by God. Due to this, Grendel lives a life of seclusion and rejection.

Since it began in oral convention, the epic Beowulf has no known creator. It does, in any case, serve as a representation of the Anglo-Saxon society it begins from. As a show-stopper, it additionally fills its need of good direction, today serving as an exhibit of what qualities were essential to the Anglo-Saxon individuals. Particularly seen through the characters of Beowulf and Wiglaf, the ballad Beowulf represents three critical ethics of now is the ideal time: boldness, honor, and faithfulness. Beowulf, the saint of the lyric, shows incredible fortitude in all that he does.

It is evident that the Beowulf poem should not be viewed as a historical document, but it is hard to deny its connections to its context and its time. In this essay I will explore and compare the Norton critical edition of The Beowulf poem and the revised edition of the Poetic Edda. I will look into how the two correlate with each other, some of the common themes and ideals that are evident in the texts as well as how the

I believe that Beowulf can be seen as a Christ figure throughout the epic of Beowulf. He shares many characteristics with Jesus. He faces a devil figure, sacrifices himself, and is recognized as a savior by his people. Beowulf to the Danes is a savior, taking away the fear that Grendel will kill all of Hrothgar’s people. In the Christian sense Jesus Christ is a savior to all Christians.

Biblical allusions in Anglo-Saxon literature make up most of the story Beowulf. Which gives more meaning and background to the story allowing people to associate the bible with the story. The way the author relates the characters from the story to the characters from the bible but not directly, gives it a more sincere sensation. The author builds on allusion throughout the story when he introduces Grendel, describes Hrothgar’s men, and when he discusses the battles Beowulf fought in.

The names of Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. are known worldwide. They have lead many fighting what they believe in. One man many people think of when being a leader to fight for his beliefs of the people is Jesus Christ. Jesus is loved by many and hated by the powerful, just like these three other men, but their is one comparison that has been made to a certain protagonist of ancient times. In the epic poem ,Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, is a leader who fights for the betterment of society while being the one that many look up to.

The thing that stands out when reading the stories of Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and the Canterbury Tales is that the writers use Christianity to show conflicts in human nature. Also with these stories taking place in different times with writers who have different opinions about Christianity and how it has influences Society. For example, in Beowulf, the writer chooses to mash up the ideas of Christianity and paganism because during the time that the writer was transcribing the story there were missionaries trying to convert the Anglo-Saxons that lived in Britain, so the missionaries used Beowulf as a way to reach the pagans. This is also been done to other stories like in the Viking legend Thor god of thunder where at the end of the story the world

The Anglo-Saxons mixed both Pagan and Christian traditions. Beowulf contains traces of both beliefs. In Beowulf, God is mentioned by two of the main characters, Beowulf and Hrothgar. In the poem, Grendel represents Lucifer and is described as a son, or descendant of Cain, a clear Biblical reference.

Beowulf took place in the sixth century, in times where “rank and ceremony, human solidarity and culture” were key components of social culture. Glory also played a huge role: “veterans with their tales of warrior-kings and hero-saviours from the past [rubbed] shoulders with young braves,” influencing the latter to strive for greatness (Heaney). Heroism and sacrifice are part of what “gave drive and sanction to the Germanic warrior-culture enshrined in Beowulf” (Heaney). Christianity played a large part in both Germanic society and the poem Beowulf.

Beowulf is an archetypal character within a legendary piece of text. He embodies the conglomerate of many Anglo Saxon values expressed throughout his heroic journey. Contrived by the mighty Northern Anglo Saxons, Beowulf is the manifestation of the Anglo Saxon ideals. This work of art helps us identify and analyze Beowulf’s ideals in a way that lets us deduce the values of the Anglo Saxon society. Examination of this poem lets us familiarize ourselves about a society obsessed with religion, vengeance and war-lust beings.