The Criticism Of Beowulf

Christians champion the cultivation of spiritual rather than worldly treasure. Beowulf seeks fame by killing the dragon, not salvation through belief in the

significance religion had in inspiring the author and in what manner the author meant to inspire

Beowulf is an epic poem that, above all, gives the reader an idea of a time long past; a time when the most important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters.

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic that was transmitted verbally for hundreds of years before it was written down. Around the time of its composition, Christianity was beginning to gain prominence in England and was quickly replacing the animistic religion of the Celts. As a result of the dueling religions of the time, the poem includes influences from both Christianity and paganism, leaving its readers to wonder which religion had the most sway over the poet. Beowulf is a fundamentally more Christian epic on account of Beowulf’s resemblances of Jesus Christ, its allusions to the Bible, and its intimation of a supreme, monotheistic religion.

In the story Beowulf, there are a few different religions that are represented by the author. All the religions are portrayed in the story through the author’s eyes and his beliefs. The author makes clear what religion he believes in and his views. Some instances in the story also relate to the conflict between Christianity and the code of warriors. Throughout the story, the author is faced with the challenge of trying to portray his beliefs with a character whose actions are in conflict with his beliefs. Beowulf, in this story is based on the total opposite of the author’s beliefs and there are instances when his behavior is shown, and after there is symbolism of Christianity, to show its conflict with his behavior.

Bloom and Donaldson argue that whilst Christian elements are present, heroic paganism is more prevalent in Beowulf. This is supported by the death of Beowulf, reading, “of all the world-kings, [he was] keenest for fame,” summarising Beowulf, and suggesting his life only amounted to self-glorification.

“The Pagan and the Christian elements that combine in the person of Beowulf complement, rather than oppose, one another. Beowulf’s

He shows how much the social value of gold is again when he faces off against Grendals mother and for the third and final time when facing the dragon. Out of all the shapes, images and metaphores in Beowulf, gold is the most potent, and most evolving physical element in the epic poem, translated by Seamus Heany. Rich and famous have been synonymous these days, and were so in Beowulf's days as well. Fame and fortune go hand in hand and all Beowulf is after in the story is Fame. Gold is a thing of honor and of

Throughout history, people have lived, and died, for religion. It has influenced art, music, politics, and even science. In the past, religion permeated every aspect of life. While religion is still an important aspect of many people’s lives, it is now largely separate from other facets of society. In the world of Beowulf, religion plays a very important role in understanding the lives of the characters, as well as the life of the monk who transcribed this once verbal story into a written text.

As an originally Germanic oral epic, Beowulf contains many virtues that constitute a society defined by heroic influences. These overwhelmingly Pagan virtues, including honor, loyalty and perseverance sometimes extend to Christianity, but often contradicts it. A good example of this is the virtue of physical strength and honor through battle which in Christian teaching would be seen as unnecessary or even sinful. The author most likely used this piece to spread Christianity through Pagan culture, but in the process, he has diluted what is truly Christian in this story. The contradictory themes of Paganism and Christianity in Beowulf serve to dilute the Christian ideals promoted by the poem’s author.

Beowulf, the story of a man of superhuman strength who battles against a variety of demonic monsters to save King Hrothgars kingdom from fear and later defends his own kingdom against a dragon which ultimately leads to his death, is thought to be written sometime around the 8th century. The timing is significant because it is around the same time that the English society was teetering between pagan and Christian beliefs. This shift in societal beliefs is evident throughout the poem with references to God, Cain, and fate being decidedly Christian, and other references to heroic legends of the Germanic times reflecting much more pagan influences. Now there is still debate on whether the Christian influences were added later to a once pagan centric poem, but the end result of both points of view being combined in this work is not.

In Beowulf both pagan aspects and references to Christianity play an important role. The presence of the two of them might seem contradictory, but studying the poem more closely reveals that instead there seems to be some kind of interplay, in which they at times react to or even support each other. Typical pagan elements arise in the form of the celebration of any heroic features, and a strong presence of heroic values and codes. Fame, strength and a warrior’s reputation are considered to be very important throughout the entire poem. This is evident in the way Beowulf is addressed, using words such as “the winner of fights” (Beowulf 70) and “warrior prince” (Beowulf 63).

Overwhelmingly pagan at its core, the great epic Beowulf is built on ancient values and is deeply rooted in pre-Christianized Anglo-Saxon culture, yet still contains a lingering, albeit essential, air of Christianity’s influence. Although the great epic Beowulf is comfortable amidst its Christian backdrop, the essential pagan elements have caused a debate amongst English literary critics over its intended religious appeal. Some may argue that the epic’s core values are decidedly Christian, constant worship of an omnipotent God riddled with biblical references; yet, even these remarks are decidedly vague.

Man can only survive with the protection of God. With the arrival of Christianity, our society has made many changes to accommodate its demands. This requires putting all of one’s faith in Him otherwise, we would have no purpose. Not only have our lifestyles adapted to this shift, but it has also affected our literature. Christianity's values, morals, and beliefs have influenced much of history's literature and continues to have an impact on today’s as well. This can be clearly seen in the heroic epic of “Beowulf”. By including Christian references in the poem, Beowulf is able to highlight the key characteristics of Christianity such as faith, loyalty, and courage.

[W]e are remarkably lucky to have [Beowulf]: not only is it unique, the sole survivor of what might have been a thriving epic tradition, but it is great poetry. Approached as an