In order to evaluate the fusion of christian ideas and pagan heroic characteristics, the development of religion in britain must first be considered. The beowulf story has its roots in a pagan saxon past, but by the time the epic. Beowulf is a christian hero who is endowed with superhuman strengths representative of paganism. We can first see the christian influence when the author mention grendel as a beast out of hell and whose clan is cain that had been outlawed by the creator. Conflict and convergence in pagan value and christianity in beowulf by april40 throughout the epic beowulf, the poet strives to accommodate two sets of belief systems. Christianity and paganism appear side by side in the poem. In the essay below, originally written in 1967, benson studies the apparent conflict in beowulf between christian and pagan elements, observing that modern assumptions concerning the attitude of the christian poet and his audience toward paganism are incorrect. What evidence of christianity is there in this largely pagan poem. Religious and pagan themes in beowulf english literature essay. Professor awesome talks about the enormously complex issue of the date of beowulf and what that tells us about christian and pagan elements in the poem. Ramsay macmullen, christianity and paganism in the fourth to eighth centuries boston.
The first adversary in beowulf is no mere man, but a supernatural demon, angered by the very mention of gods creation. The article compares the usage of christian and traditional pagan beliefs in the epic poem beowulf, provides their examples and analyses them. Why is there an infusion of christian elements in the pagan. Symbolism of beowulf and grendel and the main conflict in the. Aug 21, 2015 professor awesome talks about the enormously complex issue of the date of beowulf and what that tells us about christian and pagan elements in the poem. But the only surviving manuscript of beowulf was written in the 11th century by christian scribes, who either inserted the christian overtones to the story, or were working from a manuscript set down. Eadgils was buried at uppsala gamla uppsala, sweden according to snorri sturluson.
Pagan and christian themes in beowulf essay graduateway. This clash of polar beliefs was a sign of the times. The engraved hilt of the sword that beowulf used to kill grendels mother. Paganism, christianity, and the date of beowulf youtube. Removing the christian insertions shows us what is expected of heroes, of men who do not shrink before the hard decisions of life or death, and a society that valued fame above all other rewards. A new, feminist translation of beowulf by the author of the muchbuzzedabout novel the mere wife nearly twenty years after seamus heaneys translation of beowulfand fifty years after the translation that continues to torment highschool students around the worldthere is a radical new verse translation of the epic poem by maria dahvana headley, which brings to light elements that have. Classic literature, original gangster s1 e15 beowulf. The conflict of christian and pagan values is evident in beowulf when beowulf was originally passed down, it most likely reflected more of the anglosaxon pagan traditions and beliefs, but when the poem was first written down, the majority of anglosaxons had converted to.
In the poem, the pagan aspects of the epic tale both conflict and blend seamlessly with the spiritual discourse of christianity. When beowulf asks for volunteers to fight against the dragon, all but one of beowulfs followers run into the forest in fear. The poem beowulf written by an unknown christian monk around a. When beowulf was written christianity was on the rise. Christian and pagan ideals are the motivation for vengeance in grendels mothers attack. The judeo christian mythos is worked into the text so the monster grendel becomes a. As a result, the beowulf poet is at pains to resolve his christian beliefs with. It is hard to ignore the christian and pagan elements of beowulf. Throughout the story of beowulf, one finds many elements of christian. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The theme of christianity and paganism in beowulf from litcharts. Christianity and paganism in beowulf research essay example.
Beowulf s followers build a giant tower to entomb him, a somewhat paganistic custom. Within this context there is a continuous theme of good versus evil. Benson goes on to argue that understanding the relationship between christian. The article compares the usage of christian and traditional pagan beliefs in the. The theme of christianity and paganism in beowulf from.
Throughout the story there are many elements of christian teachings. The conflict between the christian perspective of the narrator and the pagan activities of the characters in beowulf results in an uncomfortable tension between theologies. Hill talks well about the combination of the religions when he says many scholars, and perhaps most ordinary readers, have simply accepted this odd blend of pagan story and christian teller as perhaps illogical and somewhat puzzling on purpose and implications, but nonetheless. Beowulf is a great example of how christian beliefs and pagan views could coexists so well in a poem. These elements, that have been so uniquely combined in the poem, define the heroic warrior, beowulf, and the evil menace, grendels mother.
Jun 20, 2019 beowulfs synthesis of pagan and christian elements is a reflection of a period in which the ideals of the pagan age were alleviated by the placidity of the new faith. Tolkien elected to speak on the greatest, the most noble, and the longest of medieval anglosaxon poems, beowulf. The literary conflict between christian and pagan religious beliefs beowulf is one the premiere works of literature of the eighth century. The beowulf that we read today is therefore probably quite unlike the beowulf with which the first anglosaxon audiences were familiar. He had already lectured on beowulf numerous times during his courses at oxford, and he had especially focused his lecturing and teaching on lines 12511650, the. Beowulf, the main personality in the poem, shares this combination but has a distinct lean towards the christian side. Beowulf is an epic poem written in the medieval period. The one who stays with beowulf, is a young warrior named wiglaf.
This time period provides us with an idea for the mixture of christian and pagan elements because of an english society that was in the process of converting from paganism to christianity. Because of its complicated origin, beowulf has elements of both pagan germanic culture and christianity. Amidst the pagan setting of the story, there are many. A pagan hero takes the poem back to its pre christian roots, revealing a warriorsociety that valued duty, honor, bravery, and swift vengeance. Beowulf was written during a time when people were trying to reconcile their old pagan beliefs with their current christian beliefs. In the christian language and theme of beowulf thomas d. Christian and pagan ideals in beowulf 28 words 6 pages. The explanation that grendel is a descendant of cain is an obvious allusion to the early chapters of genesis. The beowulf poet, despite including numerous references to christian ideology, left in copious references to the pagan nature of beowulf s culture and the practices of his people. Even though the dragon slays him, beowulf still has the strength to kill the dragon. Grendel is an ogrelike creature, but also a demon with a part albeit a negative one to play in a christianized world.
In the fight with the dragon, beowulf is finally defeated. Beowulf was written in atime when christianity was going a major faith and paganism was still widelypracticed. While the former often maintains earthly good, the latter, in contrast, asserts heavenly salvation. Depicted on the hilt is the story of the christian. Meredith has studied literature and literary analysis, holding a masters degree in.
Beowulf is an epic poem featuring a conflict between pagan and christian beliefs. The story of beowulf probably originated as an oral. Pagan and christian aspects of beowulf freebooksummary. The european epic, beowulf, was written sometime in the eighth century in england. Beowulf was written in england sometime in the eighth century. On the one hand beowulf is reminded that pride will bring destruction. Along these lines, the gap of fifty years between the first two conflicts and the last marks the dividing line. Beowulf must make a boast a pledge that sealed ones fate to end the war of. Inducted into the prestigious british academy in 1936, a full year before he would publish the hobbit, j. Notice that the supernatural elements in beowulf are intermingled with the religious ones. Beowulf emerged from a pagan anglosaxon oral tradition, but its popularity continued well into the period when northern europeans adopted christianity, around the eighth and ninth centuries. Synthesis of christianity and paganism in beowulf literature essay. This is the reason for both pagan and christian references in beowulf. In this literary work a conflict between christian and pagan beliefs directly mirrors a social conflict during this time.
Honest names for all the books on your english syllabus. Symbolism of beowulf and grendel and the main conflict in the poem. Christianity and paganism in beowulf essay, research paper. Beowulf may have been drawn from pagan sources, but the author of the beowulf epic is definitely a christian. But the only surviving manuscript of beowulf was written in the 11th century by christian scribes, who either inserted the christian overtones to the. How the heroic code expressed i beowulf conflict with a.
Some scholars believe that the cause of the christian references in beowulf is that the monks who probably wrote down the story and modified it to better fit their beliefs. To further understand why beowulf has both christian and pagan influences you must first understand the anglosaxon culture. Christians believe in gods will and that he has a plan for everyone and people can choose to follow him and live by him. When the western mound to the left in the photo was excavated in 1874, the finds showed that a powerful man was buried in a large barrow, c. Harvard university press, 2014, isbn 9780674725201. It is one of the most important works of old english literature. Beowulf is an epic poem in which the main character beowulf has an internal conflict regarding two religions. In beowulf, the novel, the ideals of christianity and the pagan beliefs of the anglosaxon decedents combine together and both are seen in each character. The presence of pagan and christian customs in beowulf may seem like a conflict of interests, but it all flows together to make an entertaining story. Beowulf is a man who boasts, yet he also has wisdom and humility. The story of beowulf probably originated as an oral tradition sometime in the 7th century. Christian vs pagan influence term paper 1665 words 7 pages.
The author uses both christian and pagan elements to define the character of beowulf as a champion send by the god to get rid of the evil in the world. A research guide research paper examples on christian and pagan symbols in beowulf and other topics. Overall, beowulf contains many pagan themes and concepts, but yet it also contains many clear references to christianity. The element of religious tension is quite common in christian anglosaxon writings the dream of the rood, for example, but the combination of a pagan story with a christian narrator is fairly unusual.
Jul 28, 2016 english literature anglo saxon literature. Likewise the bards, sing songs and tell stories taken from genesis. The poems overarching conflict is between closeknit warrior societies and the various menaces that threaten their boundaries. It is an anglo saxon work with a peculiar spiritual atmosphere. Christian and pagan symbols in beowulf a research guide. Apr 15, 2005 beowulf is an epic poem featuring a conflict between pagan and christian beliefs. In augustines city of god, he attacks pagan culture and its pantheon of gods. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars.