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Examples Of Allusions In Beowulf

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An allusion is an expression to call something to mind without mentioning it directly. Beowulf has many religious allusions in it. Some of these allusions are Cain and Abel, The Great Flood, and Pagan worship. Two of these allusions, Cain and Abel and The Great Flood, are biblical allusions. There are many allusions in Beowulf. First, it is important to know the story Beowulf. Beowulf is a story about a monster named Grendel who goes around murdering the people of Herot run by the king Hrothgar. The character Beowulf is informed of what Grendel has been doing and decides to go stop/kill him. Beowulf is described as the strongest and bravest of all the geats. “”The strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” …show more content…

Paganism is someone who has religious beliefs that are not the main world religions. “And sometimes they sacrificed to the old stone gods made heathen vows, hoping for Hell’s support, the Devil’s guidance in driving their affliction off. That was their way, and the heathen’s only hope, Hell always in their hearts, knowing neither God nor his passing as he walks through our world, the Lord Of Heaven and earth; their ears could not hear his praise nor know his glory” (Beowulf 90-980). This shows that what they were doing and how they were acting was bad but then again they did not know of God so they thought it was okay. “Wyrd is akin to fate and symbolized by the Norns, or three women who control the paths of both gods and humans. Wyrd was considered an inescapable and destined path through life” (Spies). Wryd was used in Beowulf when Beowulf told Hrothgar “Fate always goes as it must” (Beowulf 455). This is an example of wyrd because Beowulf realizes that the fight is now in fates hands and whatever happens is what is meant to happen. This is a similar belief paganism had. They believed whatever happened was happening for a

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