During the Anglo-Saxon times, the values and beliefs of the Germanic people were considerably different from the beliefs and values of the modern age, which were reflected in the oldest surviving Old English piece of literature, Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem written anonymously during the Anglo-Saxon period in England spanning from the fifth century to the eleventh century. The epic poem takes place in sixth-century Scandinavia. “Recited originally in Old English, Beowulf is based on legends and chronicles of the various Northern Europeans who migrated to England.”(Literature: The British Tradition 18). During the fifth through the eleventh centuries“... the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons included loyalty, valour, selfishness, and a sense of …show more content…
During the poem, one would also be able to find many references to Christianity which were abruptly followed by Pagan references. One instance of abrupt flow is in the first episode. The quote, “... Hrothgar’s glorious throne, protected by God” (Beowulf 83-84), obviously speaks of god, only to be suddenly followed by the quote, “Sometimes they sacrificed to the old stone gods,” (Beowulf 90), which makes a blatant reference to the practice of Paganism; the old stone gods refer to the Germanic gods that were worshipped in Paganism. In this particular case, the reader is first told that God protects the throne and soon after, that after suffering Grendel’s wrath, King Hrothgar resorted back to his Pagan beliefs hoping to alleviate the suffering Grendel has thrown upon the kingdom. In this part of the poem, one can infer that King Hrothgar is man with Christian belief, but only momentarily, as a last attempt, resorted to his old ways. King Hrothgar’s actions are reflective of the Anglo-Saxon period by jumping from one religious idea to another in a short amount of text. During the final battle between the fearsome Dragon and Beowulf, in his dying words, Beowulf thanked God for all that God had given him (Beowulf 816-818), and shortly after while crowning Wiglaf the next king, spoke of how “Fate has swept out race away”(Beowulf …show more content…
The most desirable traits were: loyalty, strength, bravery, wisdom, and fame. Beowulf himself was easily the most admirable character based on the standards of the time. In addition to Beowulf, Wiglaf, who made an appearance in the final episode, was an incredibly honourable warrior. During Beowulf’s battle against Grendel’s mother, there was a contrast between the Geats and the Danes, “The Danes gave up, left the lake and went home, Hrothgar with them. The Geats stayed, sat sadly, watching,” (Beowulf 574-576). In this portion of the story, the warriors of Beowulf remained for their prince, and while they did not believe he survived, they stayed and waited for him nonetheless. The Danes, however, left as soon as they thought that Beowulf had perished. The writer represented the Geats as very loyal men, which reflected positively on Beowulf, while representing the Danes and Hrothgar as disloyal men. The Anglo-Saxons would have definitely preferred the Geats after this particular development. Another trait that Beowulf had represented was strength. The first mention of Beowulf was, “Follower and strongest of the Geats – greater And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (Beowulf 110-111), to Anglo-Saxons, the idea that one was the strongest out of everyone was one that every warrior strived towards, because they believed that strength was representative of the character. In
The theology which appears in the Christian allusions in Beowulf is very vague and indefinete: there is no mention of Christ, the saints, miracles, Mary His Mother, specific doctrines of the church, martyrs of the church, the New Tes...
In the epic of Beowulf, Herot is plagued by the monster Grendel. A hero, Beowulf is summoned to defeat the beast. Beowulf is a Christian and Pagan based poem that includes several examples of each element. There are several biblical illusions in the text that give insight into the use of Christianity but just the same, there are several references to the Devil and Hell and Cain. Therefore the poem must be both Christian and Pagan because it represents both.
The Old English epic poem Beowulf poses something for an enigma for scholars. The poet was surely a Christian, but the poem depicts a pagan society, so what sort of religion is being expressed. Most recent scholars have argued for a Christian reading, but others still hold out for a pagan one. Some have suggested Christian-pagan syncretism. Pagan beliefs involve sacrifices to the old stone Gods, making heathen vows, hoping for Hell’s support, the devil’s guidance in driving their affliction off. This was their way and the Heathen’s only hope.Some suggest Christian-pagan syncretism. Anglo-Saxon epic heroes are willing to put their own lives in danger for the greater good. Beowulf highlights the code’s points of tension by relating circumstances
Beowulf, an epic poem, written by unknown and translated by Seamus Heaney, is an artifact of the Anglo-Saxon era because it is a piece of literature that was documented once. During the time it was written, writing was not common. The poem reveals a lot of the Anglo-Saxon practices and beliefs, but it also is compared to Christianity because was written down by a christian monk.
The use of religion in the story alludes to the fact that Beowulf is a Christ figure by showing the reader that God has sent Beowulf to defeat Grendel, similar to how Jesus was sent to Earth to absolve people of sin. In the following quote, Beowulf is fighting Grendel and the narrator describes God’s impact on Beowulf. “The monster wrenched and wrestled with him/ But Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength,/ The wondrous gifts God had showered on him:/ He relied for help on the Lord of All,/ On His care and favour. So he overcame the foe, /brought down the hell-brute” (Beowulf 1269-1274). The “ wondrous gifts” that God had bestowed upon
Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no exception. "Beowulf" is set in the Anglo-Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England. In this dangerous, violent time people lived in constant peril and jeopardy. These conditions only allowed people of great bravery to survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous. These warriors fought for their leader and tribe in return for treasure and protection. This relationship between the lord and his men was the basis of the Anglo-Saxon society. The epic poem "Beowulf" is a perfect example of how this system worked in these trying times.
Beowulf is among the earliest surviving works of literature. It was written in Old English and dates back sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem is set in Scandinavia, and tells the story of the heroic warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf was the perfect hero. He fought for his people and defeated evil with his ability to bring on justice. Three of Beowulf’s traits that serve as evidence of this were his remarkable physical strength, his ability to put the well-being of others before his own well-being, and his courage.
Beowulf essay Beowulf, the first epic poem recorded in the English language, is believed to have been told by word of mouth for centuries before finally being written down around 1000 A.D, and the poem is believed to have taken place in modern day Sweden and Denmark. The epic poem Beowulf was originally told and recorded for the same reason all epic poems were born, to display the strength and dominance of a culture, and Beowulf was the Anglo-Saxon’s method of showing their superiority. The epic poem birthed several movies based off of the hero Beowulf. One of those movies is Beowulf and Grendel. Despite Hollywood having access to the epic poem, Beowulf, they still managed to leave out several very important things from the poem in Beowulf and Grendel.
Beowulf was written around 700 A.D. by an unknown author. While it is a part of English Literature, it does not take place in England. Instead, it tells the reader events that happened in Sweden and on the Danish island of Zealand. The pagan and Christian references suggest that the poem is most likely written about the time that the Anglo-Saxon society was converting from paganism to Christianity. Monasteries provided a place for learning and they also saved some of the manuscripts, such as the story Beowulf. Christianity does eventually replace pagan religion as far as Anglo-Saxons are concerned. Although the unknown author of Beowulf develops the main protagonist to represent both paganism and Christianity, the ideals conflict create a unique epic poem.
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.
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.
Beowulf was written anonymously like most poems during the Anglo-Saxon period. During this time period, “there was a rigid code of behavior that stressed bravery, loyalty and [the] willingness to avenge” (Rougeau-Vanderford “Themes in Beowulf”.) His character represents the true values of the Anglo-Saxon values, from his sacrifices, to the loyalty he shows his people. The Anglo-Saxons culture believed that “life was regarded as valuable,” (Rougeau-Vanderford “Themes in Beowulf”) making Beowulf’s sacrifice the ultimate display of
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.
Beowulf is one of the greatest surviving epic poems. It was composed by Germanic people more than twelve hundred years ago. Although it is written in Old English, it deals with the Scandinavian forebears of the Anglo-Saxons, the Danes and the Geats. This epic poem concerns itself with Christianity, internal and external evils, and the warriors defeating monsters.
Beowulf is the single greatest story of Old English literature and one of the greatest epics of all time. Ironically, no one can lay claim to being the author of this amazing example of literature. The creator of this poem was said to be alive around 600 A.D. and the story was, since then, been passed down orally from generation to generation. When the first English monks heard the story, they took it upon themselves to write it down and add a bit of their own thoughts. Thus, a great epic and the beginning to English literature was born.