Religion In Beowulf

Beowulf can easily be considered the magnum opus of Anglo-Saxon literature. Often times considered the “mother poem” of England, Beowulf is on par with Greece’s Iliad and Odyssey. Within its pages, the titular character embarks on captivating quests and adventures, leaving the reader with a quick snapshot of Anglo-Saxon life and culture. Set in the dreary land of sixth-century Scandinavia, the poem displays important Anglo-Saxon ideals such as male dominance and revenge. Written by an unidentified seventh-century Christian monk, the epic story of Beowulf is brilliantly infused with both Christian and pagan mythoi. By some accounts, Beowulf, himself, represents Jesus Christ while the three antagonists represent separate entities of Satan. Regardless,

The first main example comes in passage four as our hero boasts of his accomplishments. He says “I drove five giants into chains, chased all of that race from the earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters and killing them one by one.” Then, in lines 554 - 559, a deer is described as being hunted by packs of hounds. As the dogs chase the stag to the banks of Grendel’s lake, he refuses to enter the water, not out of the desire to die, but out of the fear of pure evil. In passage fourteen, the author utilizes imagery yet again. Beowulf battles the dragon as “flames beat his iron shield” and his sword “breaks into the [dragon’s] scaly hide.” Lastly, in the final passage, Beowulf’s followers circle around his tower. They cry out and proclaim his

Stocking the poem with alliterations is one key in keeping with this style. In line 227 - 228, the letter “c” repeats as the author writes “The keeper of the mead came carrying out the carved flasks.” Another commonly used literary component in Beowulf is the caesura. In fact, it is used in nearly every line. Caesuras divide the four beat lines in half, and make the poem flow unobstructed. Furthermore, kennings, a trait specific only to Anglo-Saxon writing, are highly utilized. Kennings, such as “Higlac’s follower” and “the strongest of the Geats” in lines 109 - 110, describe Beowulf, a character in the poem. Others describe objects not as important to to the story, like the mead described in line 229’s kenning “bright sweetness.” Lastly, the author uses a powerful litote at the beginning of passage seven. Beowulf describes how he treated sea monsters to “a feast.” However, since a litote takes something grotesque and presents it as something enjoyable, it takes on an entirely different meaning. He kills them, leaving their bodies for