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
Almost all of the characters in the movie, besides one Christian missionary, seem to have declared a faith in pagan ideology. In the movie Beowulf and Grendel there is a part of the movie where a man is talking to Beowulf about Christianity and he states, “The Celt (missionary) says that Jesus Christ never sleeps, that he walks amongst us.” and Beowulf replies “Oh, that’s all we need, a god gone mad from lack of sleep”. Switching from reader of the poem to watcher of this film one can completely tell a difference in the manner that Beowulf addresses Christianity, and that one quote is the tone that Beowulf has towards God and the Christian religion in the entire film. Despite all of the negativity in the movie many of the characters in the movie decide to get baptized and to give their lives to Christ, but not Beowulf. In the epic poem Beowulf essentially presents himself to God, granting all of his glory to God and thanking him for all of his fortune, but in the movie Beowulf blatantly disregards God and doesn’t have any desire to partake in the Christian
Contrary to the epic poem, Grendel does not have this vicious and evil appearance; he simply resembles a large feral man, and unlike in the poem Grendel is not killing for his own recreation, he is killing to avenge his father. When a viewer of the film Beowulf and Grendel is introduced to Grendel they do not think of him as some evil monster that is a descendent of Cain, but rather a primitive man simply trying to avenge the death of his father. Hollywood decided not to make Grendel a senseless killing machine, but rather something more of a man seeking revenge for the murder of his
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...
The only credit given to Grendel’s origin is when the narrator states that he is a spawn of Cain himself. In the movie, however, Grendel’s father is seen in the very beginning of the film with baby Grendel. Grendel’s father is killed by the Danes while Grendel watches. Hrothgar raises his sword at baby Grendel, but drops it, and decides not to kill him out of mercy. Hrothgar would later regret not killing Grendel, but the important part is: Why is Grendel introduced with a father and why is he killed five minutes into the movie? Later on in the film it is revealed that the reason for Grendel’s father’s death was because he stole a fish from the Danes. The most logical explanation on why Grendel needed a father in the movie is to probably give Grendel a reason to terrorize and pillage the Danes. On the other hand, in Beowulf:The Epic, Grendel doesn’t really have a reason to be evil; he just is. As stated earlier, Grendel is a spawn of The First Murderer himself. A descendant of Cain is good enough reason for Grendel to be the evil monster he is. He attacks the legendary mead hall because the sounds of their festivities, music, and drinking, annoys him. “Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark (Grendel)...It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud banquet every day in the hall, the harp being struck and the clear song of a skilled poet telling with mastery of man's beginnings, how the
The significance of religious beliefs in the tales of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, portrayed diverse roles in each story. Although it was clear that God was highly-favored and worshipped in each of these tales, the abundance of praising Him was greatly differed. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the green knight are written to be believers of God and his mighty works and miracles. In this passage, the significance of religious beliefs in these tales are explained by presenting how Beowulf and the characters of his time praised the Lord for all of his works, even those that pertained to evil doings, Sir Gawain praised the Lord for blessings and strength instead of his unfortunate times, and how each character was destined to become more like Christ, living their lives being heroes and God-like.
Anglo-Saxons, was known as the Dark Ages, In the Anglo- Saxon society there people cherished family and values. The Anglo-Saxon aspiration was to have power and honor the actions of a hero. Although there society got introduced to Christianity this did not stop their, beliefs they had about a historic hero and their epic values. The Anglo-Saxons was a blend of Christian like traditions and Paganism. In Beowulf the story consist of both views of both Christianity and Paganism all throughout, the poet shows us how he uses his Christian beliefs to make an allusion of the bible by referring to Grendel as a “ monster born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God”(21) the poet uses Christianity to describe Grendel as the devil in biblical terms.
In this religion, Christians believe that: no one can survive and be protected without the faith of believing in God, that the son of God is to be humble and unselfish, and that the life that one life and happiness was given to them by God. Beowulf a New Telling was originally written in Paganism then converted to Christianity. Christianity and Paganism are very close religions. There are many discussions rather Beowulf has Element of Christianity or not. People say that Beowulf represents God through his leadership, and risking his life for the peoples benefit, much like God did. Although others believe that Beowulf's heroic pride for defeating the demons, comes in conflicts with the Christian values. When Beowulf is taking on the monster, he says “Grendel, child of Cain, come down into Heortot. I am Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow. I am Beowulf, not afraid of you. I am Beowulf, come to kill you!”(Nye 69). As people know too much pride in oneself will lead to a decline in the person's life. Beowulf is continually referring back to God as his savior in this book, Beowulf talks about his battle with Grendel's mother and says that he would have died if it wasn't for God guarding him. People thrilled of the win, “His men were too astonished to rise a cheer. Some fell on their knees and offered thanks to God” (Nye 122). Meaning with someone’s dedication to the faith of God, with his protection you will be safe. Much like God, he sacrifices to die on the cross for his people and the future, Beowulf sacrifices his life while fighting the dragon for his
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.
In England’s history, the country has had many different cultures come and go as the main population of the land. First there was the pagan population consisting of many barbaric groups like the Anglo Saxons whose way of life consisted of pillaging, brotherhood, and materialism. However, the Romans soon conquered the lands, bringing their own Christian religion. This changed the landscape of the country entirely, as Christianity preached peace, God, and righteousness. Beowulf was written by a Christian monk in an attempt to convert the previous Pagan population to the increasingly popular Christianity. As a result, Beowulf tracks the transition of the aging Anglo Saxon way of life to the new and improved way of life with Christianity. The author
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.
Beowulf highlights descriptions of pagan religious rituals and the warrior culture the epic poem Beowulf reveals different accounts of paganism, a tradition of the Anglo-Saxon English. When Grendel is attacking Herot, the people and warriors think that they are in danger, so they call to “old stone gods” (175-178). This showed that the people still sacrificed and worshiped the gods of pagan traditions, even though they might have been converted to Christianity. In Beowulf, the author refers to Grendel as a monster, who represents the ultimate evil in this culture because he's the product and sin, of a man who killed his brother. The recurring theme of good vs. evil was a part of paganism because it’s common for a hero (the good) to battle a monster (the evil) in pagan views. Beowulf expresses this but showing the battle between Grendel and the hero Beowulf. The epic poem clearly highlights the beliefs and traditions of paganism, a tradition in which the Anglo Saxons believed in. In the nonfictional text of A History of the English Church and its People, by Bede, no reference is made about paganism
For years, religion has played a role in the lives of many, after all, there are hundreds of religions being practiced around the world. From the celebrations of special birthdays by the Jewish or Hispanic cultures or the celebration of holidays by Christians and many other religions. There is a great amount of differences when it comes to religion, whether it be beliefs or religious traditions, but contemporary society has become more aware the impact that religion can have on numerous different things. Additionally, religion has been a vast role when it comes to literature. In countless stories, readers will find the topic of religion being influential aspect. For example, in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales there were influences from the
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.
The literature of the past can reveal a lot about the lives, culture, traditions, and history of the people who wrote it. Through a story, poem, or any other form of writing, lifestyles, people, and society can be described in great detail. Beowulf is a great example of this. Beowulf is one of the most important works in Anglo Saxon literature, being one of the few surviving works in Old English. It tells the story of a warrior named Beowulf, who travels to Denmark to help the Danes defeat a monster named Grendel. He then goes on to defeat Grendel’s mother and returns home to rule over his people as a great king for many years, until he is forced to fight a dragon attacking his land, dying in the process.Throughout the poem, elements and culture
The author of Beowulf demonizes Grendel by depicting him as being purely a monster as compare to John Gardner who depicts Grendel not as a savage monster but as an intelligent being who has human like qualities and characteristics. In the traditional story Grendel is depicted as a blood-thirsty fiend driven by his greedy animal instincts. ...
Beowulf has been handed down orally since the early centuries. In the eighth century, Beowulf was officially written down for the first time. As an epic poem, Beowulf tells the story of a legendary hero who has supernatural courage and strength which have helped him become the hero he is after fighting in numerous battles, all coming out on top. Beowulf was summoned to a land to help eliminate a beast of a man, once and for all. The cultural elements represented in Beowulf are shown in spiritual beliefs, the mannerisms of the warriors, and the burial ceremony.