Preview

Christian And Pagan Views In Beowulf

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
160 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Christian And Pagan Views In Beowulf
The Conflict of Christian and Pagan Views in Beowulf Beowulf was written in England during the late first millennium by an unknown monk. Even though this poem is one of the first works of English literature does not have the setting of England. This epic was possibly written after the Germanic people invaded England. During this time Anglo-Saxons just became Christian. Leaving the religion the people were originally following, paganism. This poem is the first work of literature to show both views of the religion. Overall, Beowulf contains pagan symbolism, Christian symbolism, and throughout this epic tale.
Paganism is represented multiple times throughout the poem through different characters and messages. The character Grendel is an evil
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Paganism In Beowulf
    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Theme Of Paganism In Beowulf

    Another one of Christian beliefs that is defined in Beowulf, is the representative of Paganism. The paganism components talks about in Beowulf, fist talks about Grendel’s portrayal. Grendel is described in these lines: “Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild Marshes, and made his home in a hell” (l. 16-18). All the way through the poem the devilish monster Grendel, that has hate towards Herot Hall and the meeting of his men partying. In line for to this he waits on them till after partying are over in the Herot Hall once the men are intoxicated and comes in and murder Hrothgar’s men parting him to live in grief and mourn the death of his men. The funeral Beowulf demanded before he die also…

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Christian influences of beowulf
    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Christian influences of beowulf

    In the epic Beowulf , the story was translated by two scribes, A and B, into the manuscript…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast Beowulf
    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Beowulf

    Beowulf was written by an unknown Anglo Saxon poet from 700 A.D. and has been passed on ever since then. The story has been said to have taken place in 500 A.D. It is about a Kingdom called Denmark ruled by King Hrothgar whom is said to be a good ruler. The kingdom has been cursed for hundreds of years by a monster named Grendel. Every time the people of Denmark gathered in the hall of the kingdom Grendel would hear the music of god and it would hurt his ears because he was a Son of Cain. Then one day Beowulf King of Geats, comes to the Danish Shore and without fear stands up to guard and boasts about himself and explains to the guard that he is there to defeat the monster that has cursed the land. There are two different stories to the tale…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Religion In Beowulf
    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Theme Of Religion In Beowulf

    Beowulf is a historical and elegiac Anglo-Saxon poem. Religion is an irritable subject and one of the main topics. The heroic character Beowulf is a depiction of superior and God. Grendel is the delineation of the Pagan beliefs as well as the corrupt in the world. This poem is composed of internal and external complications between the Pagan’s and the Christian’s beliefs. Even though Paganism is meticulously extended throughout the text, there are several references about Christianity. Keywords and phrases such as “fate”, “hoping for hell’s support, and many more help the reader understand the different religions that are visible in this poem. The anonymous author of Beowulf thrived with the legendary poem by embracing Paganism, Christianity, and the conflicts of both religions.…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Christian Elements In Beowulf
    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Christian Elements In Beowulf

    Beowulf is the stepping stone for the creation of many stories of good vs. evil, ending with the hero receiving unending praise and adoration. With that many of the people who read of the epic poem now relate to it on many levels, my belief is that the Christian elements throughout this poem make it more intriguing to the modern day peruser. The author of the poem is unknown but based on the style of wording used and the Paganistic elements it is believed to have originally been scribed by Christian monks. Beowulf is a 'story' that has been passed down for generations being used as entertainment by the Anglo-Saxons in 10th century England. The biblical jewels hidden throughout this story not only help a reader to relate to the author’s work…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Religion In Beowulf
    • 1427 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Religion In Beowulf

    Culture defines a person’s belief, characteristics, certain practices, values, way of thinking, and acting about a certain position. Each individual is represented by their own culture, and how it is supposed to be done in a certain way. In the epic, Beowulf, and the movie Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf shows two different perspectives and feelings towards religion. Not only this, but extra characters are added to the movie that were not a part of the poem, and causes a character conflict. During the epic and in the movie, religion is treated very seriously during the time of Beowulf because of the different cultures in the scenes and how each character is not like the other. The cultural values, within both…

    • 1427 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Christianity In Beowulf
    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Christianity In Beowulf

    The story of Beowulf is a well known epic poem and a significant piece of literature. Many people still read and enjoy it today. Beowulf offers readers the opportunity to explore beliefs and customs of the past. Not only is the story entertaining, it is also educational. There are several different lessons one can learn from Beowulf. Religion is one of the main themes of the story. Individuals studying the religious aspects of the tale will see two main beliefs: paganism and Christianity. These two beliefs contain similarities and many differences. Readers will be intrigued to see Christian influences throughout the English tale, which was written during a time deep in pagan tradition. There are a plethora of lessons to learn from the story,…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    What Is Paganism In Beowulf
    • 1611 Words
    • 7 Pages

    What Is Paganism In Beowulf

    Beowulf was originally written as a pagan oral tradition before the Christian monks infused their religion into it. The epic hero showed his faith to God as he battled the monsters and depicted the world of Christianity. However, the ideas in the poem are presented in both Christian God and pagan power which exemplifies Wyrd. Christianity and paganism are at opposite ends of the religious spectrum and each represent different beliefs and customs. Christians believe and follow the teachings of Christ and depend on the Bible for Spiritual guidance, but paganism is based on the belief and worshiping of other gods through sacrifices. Interspersed in each line is both elements, from the prologue to its end, each element tells its own story.…

    • 1611 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf: An Epic Hero's Journey
    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Beowulf: An Epic Hero's Journey

    Beowulf is an epic that follows the main character, Beowulf, and his quest for glory. Throughout his journey, Beowulf fights three monsters to protect the citizens of Denmark and Sweden. When this story was first told by the Anglo-Saxons, their main religion was Paganism. Paganism is a polytheistic religion which believes in animism, that spirits control every part of existence. As time went on, Paganism began to fade and Christianity started to take over. Beowulf is a prime example of dual authorship in literature since monks who wrote down the journey of Beowulf incorporated Christian ideals into the originally Pagan story due to the spread of Christianity.…

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Good and Evil in Beowulf Essay Example
    • 1061 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Good and Evil in Beowulf Essay Example

    The story of Beowulf was probably composed in England sometime in the Eighth Century AD, and written down circa 1000 AD, by a literate scop (bard) or perhaps a Christian scribe who was possibly educated in a monastery. The poem was created in oral tradition and was transferred to writing over time. It had its roots in folk tales and traditional stories until some very talented poet put it in something very near to its current form. The poem was more than likely performed for audiences at court or on the road as the scop found audiences to support him. It was sung or chanted rather than recited it, and usually to the accompaniment of a harp. There was a constant struggle between good and evil in the story. Beowulf, God, and Wiglaf represented good in the poem whereas Grendel, his mother, and Cain portrayed the contrasting side of evil. Beowulf and Grendel represented the ultimate struggle of good and evil. Grendel tried to destroy everything around him while Beowulf tried to do good all the time.…

    • 1061 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Christian Influences In Beowulf
    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Christian Influences In Beowulf

    The epic poem Beowulf is a tale of a warrior, named Beowulf, and the events that lead to his death. One of the main concerns of the epic poem was whether or not it is of pagan or Christian origin, or whether it has pagan or Christian influences. Even though the poem appeared to be originally a pagan story, there are many clues in the text that point to Christian influence and tradition. Beowulf is essentially a Christian story with Christian customs: that man's survival depends on the protection of God, that earthly gifts come from God, and also that Beowulf is a Christ-figure.…

    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Christianity vs. Paganism
    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Beowulf Christianity vs. Paganism

    The poem of Beowulf stands as one of the earliest works in English in which it deals with feuding, religion and fate. The poem Beowulf relates to his heroic deeds against Grendel, His mother, and the dragon while combining elements of christian ideas as well as pagan ideas. Around 700 A.D researchers speculated that the poem Beowulf was written by an unknown author in the West Midlands of England. They also included that the unknown author was a christian monk, who had much knowledge into the bible. Through the Anglo-Saxon Beliefs illustrated in the poem, Beowulf, characteristics of Christianity, paganism, and the clashing of the two ideas are representing through the epic hero Beowulf.…

    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Good Vs Evil
    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Beowulf Good Vs Evil

    Beowulf is a story that takes place in medieval Europe, the main part of the story is about a knight, Beowulf, that has to fight evil creatures such as a dragon. No one is exactly sure who wrote Beowulf, Paleographers believe from characteristics of the scribal hands that wrote the soul surviving text, that the manuscript was copied down in the late tenth century or early eleventh. This early copy of Beowulf is still around today. This single manuscript can be found in the British Library in London. Scholars believe that the story itself was written between 650-800.…

    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Research Paper On Beowulf
    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Research Paper On Beowulf

    Beowulf is a traditional epic poem. It was written in Old English in the Anglo-Saxon period by an unknown poet. It is written in England between 700 and 1000 a.d. Beowulf is consisting of 3182 alliterative lines. "It is generally agreed that the poet who put the old materials into their present form was a Christian , and that his poem reflects a Christian tradition. " There is only one copy of Beowulf that kept for many years.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Fate In Beowulf
    • 1598 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Fate In Beowulf

    Although Beowulf is a work of fiction, it is also an epic poem. Therefore, its story represented the culture and history of its characters, the Anglo-Saxons. Epic poems were stories of heroes and legends that were written during or near the time period in which their characters lived. They were meant to share the culture and history of the people with future generations and others around the world. Because of this, Beowulf is an accurate account of the culture, including the religion, of the Anglo-Saxons in the sixth century, the time period in which Beowulf takes place. Historically, Beowulf takes place sometime after the Anglo-Saxon people traveled from Germany to England and settled there. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that in A.D. 449, “then came the men from three powers of Germany; the Old Saxons, the Angles and the Jutes” (48). Once the Anglo-Saxons arrived in England, they began to be influenced by the…

    • 1598 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics