Examples Of Paganism In Beowulf

Beowulf is the oldest surviving Old English poem and often regarded as one of the most important pieces of English literature, although the author is anonymous. It is because of its age that Beowulf is the subject of interest of many critics. However, the work is not just examined for its importance as a poem or a work of art, but it is also studied and criticized for what it is not: whether that be a history of Sweden or a pagan work. It is this mistake of focusing on the wrong elements that JRR Tolkien, in his essay Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics, claims is an error. Tolkien holds that in the course of trying to decipher Beowulf as a historical document, or as a kind of synopsis of pagan guidelines, the beauty and meaning of the
To emphasize his point he gives an example of a man who begins to build a tower out of old stones. When his friends discover the stones were once part of an ancient building, they tear down the newly built tower in order to find ancient carvings and inscriptions. At first the friends would say how interesting the tower is, but then during their process of ruining it they would complain about what a disordered mess it is in. In doing this the man’s friends not only completely disregard the man’s creation, but also totally destroy it. Such is the way that many critics have treated Beowulf, disregarding the author’s creativity in his artwork while looking for something that is not
Tolkien rebuts these condescending statements with the more well rounded argument that the enemies and mythology in Beowulf have their own place of importance and special value. The critics declare that there is not much to the story, that what is shown to be important in the life of Beowulf is naught else but the killing of monsters. It is here you find an example where the critics completely miss the point of Beowulf. It is out of the imagination of the author that these monsters have sprung, and just like the lyrics to a ballad, they each have a distinct meaning. Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon are all antagonists who epitomize different evils; the battles fought against them are symbolic of the struggles of man with these evils and how they overcome them in different ways. These enemies of Beowulf are distinct from the enemies of other mythologies, because they are not only enemies against Beowulf, but against God as well. Tolkien points this out; emphasizing that while it may seem like the poem lacks depth and story, the symbolisms have more meaning then they are given credit for. He also makes clear that the worth of the hero is not denied when one accepts the monsters for the role they play in the