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Epic Of Beowulf's 'Religion Revealed In The Final Battle'

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Beowulf is a story that has a lot of interesting facts and history behind the story than what it tells you in the poem. The story of Beowulf began to spread in this world before it was even written on paper. People may believe that the story that they read now is not the same story as it was once told because of this reason. For this reason, story of Beowulf is commonly caught in confusion on whether it is Christian or Pagan based. Even if the poem is based on one religion or the other, the reader can still have enjoy the poem due to its action packed battles. As this poem all comes together, it creates a great piece of history that could have been forgotten and puts it all into interesting story. The poem of Beowulf that most people read today …show more content…

The fight on which religion is in the poem, is due to the fact that there was treasure in the battle against the fire breathing dragon and if Beowulf could be seen as godly. The fact that it's treasure and how Beowulf went for the treasure can be known as coveting. In the Bible it says that it is a sin to covet over something and this happens when Beowulf fights the dragon for the treasure. While some people say he done it for the gold, others say he did it for his kingdom. People may see Beowulf in the story as a hero similar to God and this helps prove why he would go die for his kingdom and have them take the gold. In a similar reference to this, Jesus died for all the sin in the world so that people would have a place in heaven. In the journal that Joseph Marshall wrote on the religion of Beowulf, he states “Taken out of context, this passage seems to indicate avarice, but it is important to notice that Beowulf is only gratified because he was able to acquire the treasures for his men” (Marshall, 2010, p. 6). This shows that the character of Beowulf was affected by Christianity itself and he portrayed some of the aspects of a

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As we delve into the background of Beowulf, we discover something a little peculiar. Most stories have a basis in one religion or another, giving the story a moral base, which makes Beowulf rather unusual. Uniquely, in Beowulf, we see a religious affiliation with not only Paganism but in Christianity as well. All of these elements, along with lovable characters, is probably why Beowulf is considered an undying classic. The story of Beowulf was formed in a time where Paganism was the dominant religion, and the story of Beowulf

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During the eighteenth century when Beowulf was written, only priests and high religious leaders were literate. Considering this as a main factor, Beowulf was written specifically for people of the Catholic religion. This proves to be effective because when reading Beowulf, the connection between the poem and religion was made. For example, in the beginning of Beowulf, many people fled from the land they were living, in fear of “Grendel.” “Grendel” represents the sin and evil throughout world.

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The Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf is a piece written hundreds of years ago in what is considered old English. It was first an oral tail that was then translated onto paper. This story has many cases of strong morals, courage of heroes and the forces of good and evil. The poem is a prime example of the morals and personality that people had in the early Scandinavian ages.

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World War One, a global war, was the beginning of changing of how wars would be fought. Many changes in both military and civilian technology began a result of "The Great War". When Archduke Frany Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajivo, Bosnia, in June 1914, threats escalated and mobilization orders followed. The central powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire,was pitiful against the Allied Powers, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan. In 1917 the United States joined the Allies.

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From Beowulf religion compared from real life, religion there is somewhat a comparison. It has some differences, but then some things in common as well. Religion is a part of the poem, movie, and as well real life. Beowulf is one of the types that don’t care about faith or anything having to deal with Christianity. He thinks that he is fine the way he is and thinks that baptism won 't give him protection.

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“Beowulf” is an epic poem that happened to be set in Scandinavia even though it was written in England. This medieval poem consists of 3,182 lines, it is even said from archaeological discoveries that this story, is oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon manuscript (also considered one of the most important) may be true. Beowulf, the protagonist in the story is known as the bravest and the strongest warrior. In his time, only to later be named as a kind, gentle and generous king. For instance: “Crying that no better king had ever / Lived, no prince so mild, no man / So open to his people, so deserving of praise” (lines 895-897).

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It is later mentioned when Beowulf fights the dragon, which leads to his own demise because he went against wyrd, or his destined path. Christianity may have adopted several ideals from paganism so it can be stated that there are aspects of Christianity that existed in Paganism. The original story is told the story is told in late medieval Anglo-Saxon Britain, which has been Christianized, but it's about early medieval Scandinavia, which is pagan. The narrator of the poem compromises by making constant references to God's decrees in general terms, but never discussing Jesus or the specific tenets of Christianity. Although the poet can't get away from the fact that his hero, Beowulf, would have been a pagan, he can suggest that Beowulf's trust in God translates easily into a Christian context.

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This story follows how the narrator of Beowulf struggles between the Christian beliefs and values of the narrator and the Pagan activates done by the charterers in the story. The narrator however does say he believes that Beowulf would have been Pagan, but still thinks that the trust Beowulf has in God makes him a Christian. There are many references to God in this story. For example in Beowulf it states “Afterwards a boy-child was sent to Shield, a cub in the yard, a comfort sent by

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It is not clear if the poem was written from a Christian perspective or if it was just a pagan theology. However, there are many allusions to Christian beliefs. Beowulf’s epic poem is a contrast of good and evil in which Beowulf represents good while Grendel, his mother and the dragon are the embodiment of evil. Through a Christian perspective, Beowulf can be seen as a Christ figure in the sense that both come to the people in a time of need, acknowledge God as their protector, and sacrifice themselves in life and body to protect mankind from evil.

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When the Poem is published, the author is undoubted Christian and addressing a Christian audience. In addition, The monks were among the only few who would have access to the literary knowledge of old English require to write this poem. The symbolism and biblical allusion presented in Beowulf represents the of the transition from a paganistic society toward a society based on Christianity.

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Realizing that he had no beneficiary and that he was going to die , Beowulf battled the monster with total surrender. This sentenced the Geats to a falling flat society upon his passing. While these demonstrations unmistakably exhibit Pagan conduct, Christian friars interpreting this ballad urgently needed to fuse the temperances of Christianity and depict Beowulf driving a righteous life. In doing as such, they incredibly changed the importance of the epic

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The Christian value that this poem holds is very strong and powerful. Withing Beowulf it is shown several time the faith that they had in their one personal God, Beowulf particularly, is always asking for God’s help and protection through each battle and thanks God afterwards. Beowulf is also God-fearing because towards the end of the poem he declares to be leaving happily because God saw his sword being washed in blood and lastly, he thanks God for being with him throughout his mission and for all the treasure he will be leaving for the people he bravely fought

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Christopher Cain, professor and expert in Old English and Medieval Scandinavian literature and culture, published an essay analyzing the relationship between Beowulf and the Old Testament, as well as the presence of paganism in this poem. In the essay, it is noted that “the general tone of the poem and its ethical viewpoint are decidedly Christian;” the poet relied heavily upon the Bible, as can be evidenced by “allusions to Cain, the Creation, and the Deluge,” which are all Old Testament allusions (Cain). The characters themselves also serve to represent Christian ideologies, though references to Germanic culture appear frequently. For instance, this is embodied in the scene where Beowulf is fighting to rid Heorot of Grendel, and “Beowulf recognizes it to be God's will that determines the outcome of the fight—” not his own strength (Cain).

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The significance of Paganism and Christianity are both present in Beowulf. Beowulf was written between the 8th and 10th century’s, when the Anglo-Saxon society was beginning to change from Paganism to Christianity. It was first written to essentially to be Pagan works, over time through different writers have changed to a more Christian perspective. Christianity is a religion based upon monotheistic beliefs, belief in one personal and transcendent God and based through Jesus’s teachings. This religion teaches that God has a path for everyone, that people may choose to follow and live by him.

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Beowulf is a literary composition regarded as a literary composition of two differentiating religious beliefs. The original religion held in Europe, Paganism, was centered around the belief that there were many gods, and followers of the Pagan religion prayed to them for a specific outcome of success and fortune. Christianity was spread time-accordingly with the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. It is centered around the belief that there is only one higher power and prayer should be used to give thanks to God, rather than to pray for something an individual desires. Understanding the differentiation in the religions held within Beowulf and in the outer historical events is very important to understand where the English language originated.

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