Religion In Beowulf Essay

Beowulf has been read by millions of readers and critiqued by hundreds of scholars, yet it remains a popular classic worldwide; perhaps the very construct that weaves varying religious contexts has helped to create an enduring interest in this poem. Christian mores mingling with Germanic myth and nature’s religion create a distinctive relationship seldom seen in other literary works. One of literature’s earliest epic poems, Beowulf, contains a unique amalgamation of religious concepts that, at times, seem to contrast each other. Considering the time period and popular worldview of the time during which the poem was written, it is likely that the author was intentional in the style and content of his work Beowulf, written sometime between

The idea of a strong and unmatched warrior is built on the Germanic tradition, in which war, feuds, and fighting are supported, and pride, honor, and physical strength are highly valued. Comments about Beowulf in the poem remark on his strength: “A thane, they declared, with the strength of thirty / In the grip of each hand” (380-81). However, other lines support the traditional view of Christianity, in which one’s strength or might depends on the will of God: “He relied for help on the Lord of All / On His care and favor. So he overcome the foe” (1272-73). The poem “reflects well-established Christian tradition,” but at the same time, “references to the New Testament are notably absent” (Norton 37). One article states, “The historical Scandinavian feuds are referred to so frequently that it is obvious that the poet wishes them to be present in his hearers’ thoughts as he tells his tale” (Osborn 973). Author Marijane Osborn delves deeper into the idea of feuds by mentioning a “cosmic” feud that was written into Beowulf via biblical history. When Grendell is introduced, it is with a rendition of biblical tradition, as the poem first referred to this character as a “demon”