Christian Symbolism in Beowulf Essay - 1592 Words

Christian symbolism in Beowulf within the poem Beowulf, the poet utilizes the Christian religion to symbolize the elements of good and evil and Heaven and Hell. Beowulf is the oldest known English epic poem. The manuscripts date back to about 1000 A.D., when two scribes wrote it down for posterity. The poem was handed down from the Anglo-Saxon period, and through the retelling of the poem, it changed a little each time. The poem creates an oral depiction of an epic hero who strived to fight against the forces of evil. There really was a â€Å"historical† Beowulf who helped the Geats and Danes fight off pirates, but he was neither King of the Geats nor Danish hero at any time. In fact, he was not considered a man of any extraordinary qualities,†¦show more content†¦The poet tells about â€Å"The Almighty making of the earth, shaping beautiful plains, marked off by oceans, then proudly setting the sun and moon to glow across the land and light it† (7-10). In the Bible, Genesis 1:1 reads, â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.† Immediately following this passage, it goes on to explain the history of Creation. Included in this description is how God made light and dark, land and ocean, plant and animal, and finally the ultimate creation, man. God gave the gift of free will to all of His children. Beowulf relies on God’s will and his own strength in his three battles. Beowulf’s first battle is against the evil monster, Grendel. â€Å"Beowulf trusts in his own strength as much as in God’s grace in his battle† (Chickering 272). After his first battle, â€Å"A pang of mortality strikes Beowulf as he looks back at the splendid neck-ring he has been given by Hrothgar as part of his reward for victory over Grendel†(Price 25). Beowulf was showing humility because he knows that he is human and could have been killed. The Bible speaks about humility in numerous books. For example, 1 Peter 5:5 says that â€Å"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.† Nearing death, Grendel realizes that he â€Å"once the afflicter of men, tormentor of their days—[knew] what it meant to feud with the Almighty God† (Beowulf 490-492). This passage shows GrendelShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Christianism In Beowulf843 Words   |  4 PagesWritten by an anonymous Christian monk circa A.D. 700, Beowulf is considered the mother poem of England. The tale is based in Sweden, as well as the small Danish island of Zealand. The poem follows the title character, Beowulf, in his battles with various monsters. Beowulf comes to the aid of Hrothgar to defeat the monster Grendel that had been terrorizing Herot Hall for twelve years. Beowulf also defeats Grendel’s mother at the bottom of the lake, in what is referred to as the ‘battle hall’. FiftyRead MoreChristian Allegory in Beowulf1027 Words   |  4 PagesThe Anglo-Saxon poem â€Å"Beowulf† takes the reader back into a time long past; one of family, fate, and fealty. Beowulf offers a gli mpse of a society struggling between two different paths, one path being the assimilation into the new Christian traditions and the other is the fast fading past of glorified warriors and family ties. In the poem, the reader can see the attempts of the poet to convey the values and stories of Judeo-Christianity in a society of Anglo-Saxon paganism. The poet illustratesRead MoreChristianity And Paganism In Beowulf1005 Words   |  5 PagesHave you ever wanted to have super strength? Have you ever wanted to be a savior? Well, that is every day for one epic hero named Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem about good versus evil written by an anonymous Christian monk. 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Propaganda is defined as â€Å"any systematic, widespread dissemination or promotion of particular ideas, doctrines, practices, etc. to further ones cause or to damage an opposing one.† An unethical attempt to persuade people to advance their own goals, motives, and perception towards others so that they can alter the Journey of Beowulf and the positive light he brings upon society against evil. Beowulf contains many Christian references throughoutRead MoreEssay about Beowulf as a Messianic Narrative1027 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf as a messianic narrative has been a subject of great controversy. Given the time period, ‘Christianity’ was not completely established, and it was entwined with cultural paganism, as seen woven throughout the text. The definition of a messianic narrative (containing the ultimate messianic figure) is found in Isaiah 53, a prophecy spoken by God through the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. This is the standard to which Beowulf mu st be compared to determination the nature of the poem. Many scholars suchRead MoreBeowulf Is Not Your Average Viking Warrior1498 Words   |  6 Pagesdealing harm by penetrating your foe make it the ultimate allusion to the male anatomy. However, in this battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf, our hero’s sword cannot seem to perform its intended function. This failed display of masculinity by Beowulf is only one of many that suggest that he is not your average Viking warrior. The Beowulf poet in, Beowulf, challenges the idea of a womanizing manly Viking warrior with a protagonist who exhibits displays of gender non-conformity, emasculatingRead MoreBack Before Written History Monster Stories Were Passed1248 Words   |  5 Pageshundreds of thousands of stories where monsters are exhibited throughout history. These monsters are just made up to scare or entertain people, the best kinds of monsters in stories are those that have hidden symbolism. The Epic of Gil gamesh and Beowulf, are two stories where there is heavy symbolism associated with the monsters. Both characters form relationships with the supernatural throughout their journeys. The monsters Gilgamesh faces act as distraction on his spiritual journey, while Beowulf’sRead MoreBeowulf And The Epic s Christian Identity896 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and the Epic’s Christian Identity Composed in early eighth century by an unknown author the epic poem Beowulf, follows the exploits of the protagonist of the same name. Originally composed orally by a tribe’s scop, the epic of Beowulf delivers insight on the lives and adventures of characters that lived in the sixth century. Although, the tale of Beowulf was formulated during post Roman collapse by presumably pagan people; written around seven hundred A.D., it is probable that a ChristianRead MoreHow Christianity and Paganism Coexisted in Beowulf Essay634 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is a great example of how Christian beliefs and pagan views could coexists so well in a poem. The poem Beowulf written by an unknown Christian monk around A.D. 700 compares the beliefs of many to the new beliefs that are beginning to form around the world. The poem shows how the people of the time thought about their world and how the things around them happened and they think that the devil controls these things.In Beowulf, we e xplore both Christian and pagan beliefs, and how they were able