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The Influence Of Beowulf's Role In Christian Literature

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Beyond Beowulf’s role in history and its role in literature, it also plays a role in church history, as a Christian text. Beowulf is often seen as a Christian character who holds his moral and virtues above all else. The growth of the church in Anglo-Saxon England greatly influenced Beowulf; in fact, Beowulf himself is a figure of Christ in this epic poem. The conversion of Anglo-Saxon England to Christianity stands out in history. The religion that remains in control of the English people today is the same religion that their ancestors practiced in the seventh century. As the pagan people were brought to the Orthodox Roman religion, a new course was embarked upon. During the first four centuries the Church was an urban institution (Godfrey …show more content…

He exemplifies Christly characteristics when he thanks God for “His grace / Allowing [him] to bring to his people while breath / Still came to [his] lips” the treasure Beowulf had risked his life to get (807-809). Just as God is seen as the ultimate gift-giver, Beowulf demonstrates lordship, giving his treasures to his worthy retainers (Marshall 5). Beowulf’s decision to fight the dragon for his treasure is not motivated by greed, but stems from the love for his people. In a poem that continually celebrates gift-exchange, Beowulf’s gesture to his people is the epitome of lordship and generosity because he sacrifices himself for his people (Marshall 6). Not only did Beowulf give the treasure he won, but he “gives the golden / Necklace from around his throat to Wiglaf, / Gives him his gold-covered helmet, and his rings, / And his mail shirt,” ordering him to use them well, for Beowulf was at his last breath (820-823). Beowulf gives up his earthly treasures just as Jesus proclaims to do so in Matthew 6:19-21. The death of Beowulf shows his Christian side. Unlike Scyld, whose funeral contains many treasures, Beowulf never mentions to Wiglaf that he wants any treasure to be buried with him. In fact, Beowulf gives the remaining of his treasure to

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Impending Doom The language and usage of various traditional Anglo-Saxon literary elements in “Beowulf,” translated by Charles W. Kennedy, help the reader to understand the purpose of the folk epic. When Beowulf arrives to kill Grendel’s mother in an underwater hall, he and his men see “on the rocky sea-cliff,/…slaughtered Æschere’s severed head./ The water boiled in a bloody swirling/ With seething gore as the spearmen gazed” (931-934).

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The dragon had been hoarding gold for centuries, and the intruder’s miserly view of treasure has sharp contrast to the liberal meaning at the beginning of the poem. Beowulf does eventually win the gold hoard after killing the dragon, but it is a somewhat hollow victory. While he is glad to leave such a legacy for his people, Beowulf looks at it sadly, no doubt wondering whether his sacrifice was worth the reward. This time, the gold gifts do not bring him the same kind of honor. They are not given as a gift or as a reward; instead they are the spoils of a battle to the death, which is why the treasure was buried around him at his funeral pyre, so no one could gain the treasure that lead to the death of their

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The thing that stands out when reading the stories of Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and the Canterbury Tales is that the writers use Christianity to show conflicts in human nature. Also with these stories taking place in different times with writers who have different opinions about Christianity and how it has influences Society. For example, in Beowulf, the writer chooses to mash up the ideas of Christianity and paganism because during the time that the writer was transcribing the story there were missionaries trying to convert the Anglo-Saxons that lived in Britain, so the missionaries used Beowulf as a way to reach the pagans. This is also been done to other stories like in the Viking legend Thor god of thunder where at the end of the story the world

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The story of Beowulf isn’t just any ordinary story, but a story that has been told for centuries. A story of a hero who’s legacy has been told for so long. Beowulf’s life shows the characteristics of a true epic hero. He showed bravery, he used his strength against his enemies and in the end gave the ultimate sacrifice for his people.

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Wiglaf states, “I gathered them up, gold and silver, filled my arms as full as I could and quickly carried them back to my king” (Beowulf lines 3090). At the end of Beowulf's life he requests to see the gold he had won from killing the dragon. This shows how much treasure is worth to the Anglo Saxon culture. To these people, treasure and power were to die for. The Anglo Saxons would risk dying to get more treasure and to be deemed honorable by their

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When Beowulf prepared to face the wrath of the dragon he was joined by twelve men, just like the twelve apostles, and was betrayed by one, which was Wiglaf. Although strength and heroism may not be connected to Christian virtues, the author attributes both of these to God through the speech of his characters. Hrothgar states that Beowulf's killing of Grendel was achieved with the help of God; “First and foremost, let the Almighty Father be thanked for this sight (927-929). The Heavenly Shepherd can work His wonders always and everywhere (929-930).” This links Beowulf's power and fame back to God, and settles a pagan concept to Christianity.

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In addition, Beowulf is also generous because when Beowulf arrives back to his homeland. He is carrying many riches from his battles against evil in Hrothgar’s land. He goes and talks to his king, whereupon he gives all of it to him and the queen, even a prized golden collar. Beowulf simply said that all he gained was gained as a retainer of his king, so it all belonged to him (lines 82-83). This shows that Beowulf had no greed and did not desire any gold or riches.

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Critically assess the extent of Christian and Latinate influence on Beowulf. When first reading Beowulf it would appear that the Christian references within it superimpose onto the essentially pagan view that makes a huge body of the poem. Therefore, within this assignment, there will be investigations of inconsistencies. Sources clearly show that Beowulf was written by Germanic pagans that had been debauched by some leftist ecclesiastic wordsmith , to the insistence that the author designedly created the Christian allegory along the lines of Book 1 of The Faerie Queen. It is know that Germanic traditions and techniques were used by Anglo-Saxons to frame Christian literature, just as it was with the poet of Beowulf.

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The Christian influence in Beowulf’s epic adds certain meaning and connotations for the events that are happening within the story. Without it, many implications written would hold no meaning, and instead appear to be completely random and without any reason. In Beowulf’s fight against Grendel’s mother, Beowulf managed to survive a fatal blow due to miracles created by God (Seamus, pg 107). If Christianity is taken out and God is removed from the story, Beowulf’s survival would’ve been very unlikely or he was truly lucky. A moment after, however, Beowulf stumbled upon a lucky encounter once again; a godsend sword that is able to slay Grendel’s mother was just hanging around the cave walls (pg. 107-108).

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Owning vast amounts of treasure can be thought of as Beowulf's sole mission in his lifetime. Throughout the poem Beowulf, his attitude towards treasure does not change at all. Instead,

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“But God’s dread loom was woven with defeat for the monster, good fortune| help against Grendel was with them| through the might of a single man they would win” (Raffel, 696-9). Beowulf is supported by the help of God and his comitatus to defeat Grendel. Beowulf also had faith in his comitatus that they would have his back. To the people Beowulf is the help against Grendel they are looking for and believed he could lead them away from darkness. Jesus is loyal to his disciples and is loyal to God.

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I believe that Beowulf can be seen as a Christ figure throughout the epic of Beowulf. He shares many characteristics with Jesus. He faces a devil figure, sacrifices himself, and is recognized as a savior by his people. Beowulf to the Danes is a savior, taking away the fear that Grendel will kill all of Hrothgar’s people. In the Christian sense Jesus Christ is a savior to all Christians.

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805 Words | 4 Pages

He has true honor and respectfully distributes treasure and gifts to those whom he believes rightfully deserves them. Beowulf’s loyalty to the Danes helps shed light on his true character. He expresses that he believes he may die in battle between Grendel, but that does not dissuade him from fighting the beast. Another example is when Hygelac dies, Beowulf is asked to take the throne. In doing so, that would mean the the son of Hygelac would be stripped of his own inheritance, which is dishonorable in Beowulf’s eyes, and thus he declines the offer.

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1151 Words | 5 Pages

In particular, Beowulf’s action of traveling to the land of the Danes to save them from Grendel and his mother is a noble act. However, the motive of this decision is fueled by the hero’s desire for greed, fame, and power. After returning from his quest, Beowulf informs his king, Hygelac, “‘Thus the king acted with due custom. I was paid and recompensed completely, given full measure and the freedom to choose from Hrothgar's treasures by Hrothgar himself’” (Heaney 2144-2149).

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A hero's journey is a pattern of narrative identities that appears in many dramas, storytellings, myths, and psychological development. The journey consist of twelve different steps and in the story Beowulf we read about the magnificent and rough journey that Beowulf and this men accomplish. Many people question if Beowulf is considered a hero and if what he did was good. The journey that he embarked on, leads me to believe that Beowulf is a hero and always will be. The first step in the hero's journey is called the “call to adventure” this is when something is disturbed from external pressure of from inner conflict.

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