Literature all through history uses symbolism to portray different ideas, religions, and beliefs. Throughout Beowulf symbolism is used both to reinforce the importance of religion and to impress the values of the Anglo Saxons upon the reader.
Beowulf contains multiple instances of the usage of symbolism to Christianity. Symbolism is portrayed through the characters and situations in the epic poem. According to the Danes in the epic, Beowulf is viewed as a savior. Staver states, “Jesus is the young warrior who comes to earth to fight with Satan” (Staver 155). This means that Beowulf is a symbol of Jesus for the way Beowulf leaves his home to embark on a journey to rescue Herot by defeating Grendel, and it shows the way the Anglo Saxons projected their faith in Christianity through Beowulf. Also, Grendel is used in Beowulf as a symbol of Christianity as a representation of Satan or a spawn of hell. In the modern English translation of Beowulf, Rafeel writes:
…. He was spawned in that slime,
Conceived by a pair of those monsters born
Of Cain, murderous creatures banished
By God, punished forever for the crime
Of Abel’s death… (Rafeel 19-23)
These lines use vivid detail to show symbolism to Christianity by specifically stating how Grendel was born from the first murderer of Christianity. In addition to using characters from Beowulf as a symbol of Christianity, the epic uses various situations to symbolize the Christian beliefs of the Anglo Saxons. One example of the way Beowulf uses situation as a symbol of Christianity is when Beowulf decapitates Grendel and uses the head of his malevolent victim as a token of his combat. Staver reports, “In the Bible there are examples of trophy heads, like the stories of Goliath an...
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Mackie, W.S. “The Demons’ Home in Beowulf ”. The Journal of English and Germanic Philology. 37.4 (Oct., 1938): 455-461. JSTOR. UIP. Web. 21 March 2014.
McNamee, M.B. “Beowulf: An Allegory of Salvation”. The Journal of English and Germanic Philology. 59.2 (Apr., 1960): 190-207. JSTOR. UIP. Web. 23 March 2014.
Rafeel, Burton. “Beowulf ”. Literature: The British Tradition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2012. 40-64. Print.
Shippey, T.A. “Symbols in the World of the Poem”. Bloom’s Literature. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 21 March 2014. .
Staver, Ruth Johnston. “A Companion to Beowulf”. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 2005. Print.
Thayer, J.D. “Resolving the ‘Double Curse’ of the Pagan Hoard in Beowulf”. The Explicator. 66.3 (Aug., 2008): 174-177. Magnolia. Web. 21 March 2014.
It is common opinion that Beowulf was written by a Christian poet. This was probably true because at the time when it was written, most of the few people who knew how to read and write were in the clergy. There are various references within the poem to elements of the Christian religion. However, the story is about Pagan people and certain aspects of their culture are even glorified. The ambiguity of Beowulf’s religious content has caused confusion as to what significance religion had in inspiring the author and in what manner the author meant to inspire or influence his audience. I do not think that Beowulf is a Christian allegory because Beowulf had very little in common with the Biblical figure of Jesus Christ. I think that religion was not the primary thematic concern of the writer. Although there are discrepancies between the two styles of thinking, Beowulf seems to praise values which were considered moral and good among all humanity, both Christian and Pagan.
Christianity had recently took hold in England at the time of the writing of Beowulf. Many people believe that Beowulf is a Christian story, when in fact it is not. Instead, the poem reflects a society that has a deep pagan background and has brought with it stories from its pagan past. Beowulf is a Germanic tale that was likely first composed in the first half of the eighth century, but it was not until the late tenth century that it was committed to parchment. At the time of its writing, the Germanic tribes were clearly pagan, as seen by such evidence in the text as Beowulf’s cremation at the end of the epic and the direct reference to swearing oaths at “pagan shrines” (line 175). As Christianity’s teachings and values began to take root in these pagan societies over the decades and eventual centuries, the stories of the Bible began to be worked into the tale as it was told, retold, and retold even again. When it came time to be written—probably by a Christian monk (or monks) whose beliefs, it is fair to say, flavored the work—the bards and storytellers had crafted an epic with the Christian permutations already in it. However, that is not to say that the writer was ignorant when it came to what message he desired to relate to the reader.
Different religious values are emphasized throughout the poem, in which Pagan values are included. Throughout Beowulf we see that the pagan people value the heroes just as Christians value God. Pagans focused more on power and fame. “Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere” (24-25). The quote conveys the fact that power is of great importance
Beowulf is an interesting story in that it has a meaning that is firmly rooted in fantasy creatures based in mythical origins while providing insight into religious ideals and practices of the time. It also speaks of tradition and the struggle of man against things perceived as evil. In this tradition especially, Beowulf is an incredible allegory regarding the struggle of good and evil in the Christian tradition.
Grendel represents Paganism. The killing of Grendel and his mother, represents the ending of Paganism and the beginning of Christianity. The cause of Beowulf’s pride and self-centered personality may come from the belief in the afterlife. Literary critic, Alfred Bammesberger supports this claim by stating, “The poem focuses on the royal glory… on the heroic achievements of Beowulf” (Bammesberger). All glory would carry over into the afterlife, meaning that the deeds that he performs will follow him into the afterlife. All the conflicts come back to those beliefs. In addition, Beowulf displays characteristics of pure pride, as well as carelessness, while battling the external conflicts which leads to his death. To conclude, “Beowulf” has many distinct conflicts and even more hidden meanings and
In “Beowulf” translated by Burton Raffel, the character Beowulf is portrayed as a brave, courageous, and very pious man. In the pagan tale the underlying motif of Good vs. Evil heightens these characteristics even to the point where Beowulf comes across as a symbol for God and Christianity. He battles “the demon” Grendel (ln. 16), Grendel’s mother, and a fierce dragon, all in order to save those who need aid, primarily the people of Herot. This too is very Christlike because he is serving those lower than himself for the sole purpose of doing the right thing. Although Beowulf is very brave all throughout, he becomes boastful and greedy from the time he first battles Grendel to when he takes on the dragon.
Beowulf's character is very much similar to that of Jesus' in many ways. To the Danes he is recognized as a saviour, releasing them from the bonds of fear and death that Grendel had placed on Hrothgar's people. Friederich Klaeber writes that the poet raised Beowulf, "To the rank of a singularly spotless hero, a defending, protecting, redeeming being, a truly ideal character. In fact we need not hesitate to recognize features of the Christian Saviour in the destroyer of hellish fiends, the warrior brave and gentle, blameless in thought and deed, the king that dies for his people." (Klaeber 11). The battle with Grendel is a direct conflict between the powers of good and evil. Grendel is perceived as nothing short of an incarnation of the Christian devil. Many of his characteristics resemble those of Satan; he belongs to the lineage of Cain, the first murderer, and his home stirs up visions of hell (Norton 45-48). The dragon also resembles that of Satan. Lusting over gold and riches, the dragon protects his hoard with fire and fear. In Revelation 12:9, Satan is revealed as "the great dragon...the serpent of old". In the events including the battle with the dragon, one might notice a striking similarity with that of Jesus' experience in the garden of Gethsemane (Mathew 26:36-56). It is here that Jesus ventured with His 11 disciples (minus Judas) and was willingly seized to be later crucified and killed. The disciples had done nothing to help Him while Jesus accepted His own death for the benefit of His people. Beowulf, escorted by eleven lords also confronts his own death while his men abandon him in fear. It is only one, Wiglaf, who chooses to stand bravely beside his liege-lord in battle (Norton 60-62). In likeness, Peter follows Jesus and His captors from a distance to see the outcome of the trial. In contrast, Peter denies Jesus in fear rather than help Him (Mathew 26:58-75). The Christian elements in the poem are almost clearly without question so deeply ingrained within the poem that one cannot explain it away as mere coincidence.
In the novel Beowulf, Beowulf is portrayed as a Christ figure. Beowulf is given gifts and guidance by God, has to defeat a representation of Cain, and has a purpose for being on Earth, and that purpose is to serve and absolve the people of their problems. Jesus endured all of these as well. Through use of religion, it is evident Beowulf is a christ figure and Grendel is a representation of Cain.
Pythagoras once said: “ If there is light, then there is darkness” Whenever over the past or in the modern society, light and darkness follows each other. Of course, the light always defeats the darkness just like good overcome all the evils. Same thing happens in the epic of Beowulf which tells a story of the ancient hero Beowulf came to destroy the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. To show the conflict between the light and darkness, the author uses imagery and symbolism.
Scholars have argued about the religious stance of the epic poem Beowulf for centuries. Although the man who put the poem down on paper, known as the Beowulf poet, was a devout Christian, the actual poem itself is pagan. There are many clues in the epic that lead us to this conclusion such as the numerous references to pagan symbols, namely the symbol of fate. Also, the central idea of revenge in the poem opposes the ideas of Christianity. The poem also contains many breaches of the Ten Commandments, which prove that the story is not Christian. However, the biggest clue to the paganism of Beowulf is the scene that contains the burial of Beowulf and the building and idolization of the tower, all of which go directly against the Christian religion.
Christian symbolism in Beowulf is extremely obvious and prominent throughout the entirety of the poem. The author utilizes the Christian religion to symbolize the elements of good and evil and Heaven and Hell to help the spread of understanding of the religion throughout time.
The poem Beowulf is a renowned story that displays many different surroundings and religious beliefs. Some may believe the story of Beowulf portrays pagan beliefs or customs and others believe that the poem is more in agreement with Christian ethnicity. The author of Beowulf uses both Christian and pagan elements in the poem to define the heroic warrior, Beowulf, and the evil dragons. After reading Beowulf the author clearly shows how Beowulf is a man who is filled with Christian customs and is willing to die and defend the world against evil using the help of God.
Examples of symbolism are clear through out the epic poem Beowulf. It clear these events are not supposed to be taken literally, but its the symbolism behind these events that make up the story. From the formation of the mead halls, and the defeat of Grendel and his mother. Finally, Beowulf's last battle with the dragon are all symbols that are in the story. The mead hall is a symbol of power, Grendel's claw is a symbol of pride, and the dragon is a symbol of greed and sacrifice. And while there are many more in the story, these are three that are particularly noteworthy.
Beowulf symbolizes the Anglo Saxons and their culture and social values. Beowulf through out the poem was closely related to what the Anglo Saxons had believe and what they valued. The creature Beowulf battled was creatures from the myths of the Anglo Saxons. Beowulf represents the greatness of the Anglo Saxons era from their time of glory to the end where they fall to their enemies.
Even though many Pagan influences appear in the poem, Christian influences override them. An example would be when Beowulf saved the Danes from Grendel. He also expressed a fair attitude towards battles when he refused to use a weapon. The idea of loyalty, a hero, and a giver are all signs of Christianity. Beowulf could be seen as Christ when trying to help the people as Grendel could be compared to Satan who tries to destroy happiness and well-doing.