Beowulf Religious Undertones

The epic poem, Beowulf, known as one of the preeminent pieces of Anglo-Saxon writing, was first written down by a Christian monk in the 8th century after being passed down orally from generation to generation. The poem conveys the ideals of heroism and kingship through the story of Beowulf, a Geat from Sweden, and his battles with monstrous Grendel, Grendel’s vindictive mother, and the greedy dragon. Around the same time, the Anglo-Saxon people were beginning to be introduced to new Christian concepts

disagreements on ideology. Thus, as the world is challenged with change, many will search for stability and something or someone to reassure one's self everything will be alright. The assumption that is often made by many, in the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, is that due to the Christian elements within this poem it is not just powerfully influenced by Christian beliefs, but also projects an overall Christian theme and accordingly condemns the Anglo-Saxon's pagan belief system. However, there are also

quests for valor, constant battles for glory, and a continued dedication to the king is a common theme throughout Anglo-Saxon literature, but why? Reflecting on the history of literature, leading up to today, divulges a surprisingly conspicuous undertone of all written works. Literature is often influenced by and reflects the time in which it was written. After all; writers are human, and the human instinct to adapt to one’s environment often manifests itself in written works. There are many ways

A pilgrimage is a very sacred aspect of religion. It is an act of religious devotion, where a person or groups of people travel to a holy site in honor of a religious figure (Quinn 76). Almost every literary work ever produced at the time that Chaucer lived had religious undertones. This was because of the simple fact that "the church was the fountain of literacy and sole purveyor of what education there was during

In the Old English poem, Beowulf, many religious beliefs are presented in ambiguous ways throughout the epic. Both biblical and secular elements are exhibited in the story, in which various characters choose to live in the moment and practice pagan practices, while others, like Beowulf, continue to obey God and his teachings for a bright future in the afterlife. Moreover, the most prominent element of religion in this Epic boils down to Christianity, followed by a few Pagan beliefs. Christianity

in 2014, most people are logging on to social media at night to share stories and memories while checking out the latest hashtags and earning ‘likes’. Beowulf is known as the first English epic, although its true genre is controversial, and

overthrow the tradition. The tribes were brought together to fight the “outsider” enemy. These “outsiders” were viewed as being different based on their life, religious, and/or cultural views. Two of the most significant elements in defining how epics create nations are the effects war and Christianity had on the culture. The epic of Beowulf was successful in defining Anglo-Saxon culture.

Before the eighth century, England was a pagan society, the English originated from a society marred in idolatry and polytheism. The intermingling of Christian and pagan elements in Beowulf are consistent with the attitudes toward religion that are found in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Beowulf was written in the Middle Ages (500-1000) on Scandinavia, which was a highly pagan society, however the narrator is telling this story within the timeframe of medieval Anglo-Saxon Britain

reflects such rich history and customs packed into its literature. The foundation of much British literature that integrated the convention of British civilization came during the Medieval Period. The Medieval stories of “The Dream of the Rood,” Beowulf, and The Canterbury Tales contained some of the British culture concerning gender, religion, and the view of heroes. One aspect of British culture of the Medieval times was the stereotypes of gender and certain expectations in gender roles. For example

video game. Despite being known as a comedy, anyone who has read Inferno realizes that the story is full of symbolism, double entendres, political messages, allusions, religious undertones… the list goes on. However, there are several comedic elements in the story that distinguish it from other epic poems such as The Odyssey and Beowulf. Dante, unlike most other poets of the time, intended for his poem to have a parodic style, oftentimes poking fun at Christianity and its beliefs. Some of these comedic