The Wanderer: A struggle with Faith Essay

As the poet says, “...So fame Comes to the men who mean to win it And care about nothing else!” This represents a common pagan belief that fame and good things come to those who fight and win. This is also a common theme found all throughout Beowulf. In the poem, Beowulf fights monsters with violence to earn his honor and glory, which is against Christian morals and beliefs. Anglo-Saxon culture was evident as readers see that Beowulf, and everyone else during this time period, believed that everything was earned from how much glory someone could gain for themselves. This is pretty much the opposite in a Christian society as christians believe that all glory should be given to God. The idea of an afterlife is not really discussed in Beowulf since it is mainly based on worldly things. There is so much belief in the idea that someone’s worth comes from the material items that an afterlife is senseless. The author says, “And the most beautiful necklace known to men: Nowhere… on Earth is there anything like it.” (Beowulf 1195-1197). This is talking about the gifts that Beowulf was given and how these gifts were viewed as more important than anything else. Materialistic things were viewed as marvelous out of this world things as opposed to putting Christ in that place. Christians believe that materialistic things do not matter because the only thing that matters is Christ. In Christian beliefs, you cannot believe in the value of materialistic things and believe that

Anglo-Saxons saw their world completely depending on fate. During battles in Beowulf, the outcome would be decided by fate previous to the battle even commencing. The Anglo-Saxons don’t worry about the outcome of events because they think God decides their fate. He decides who will win, or who will lose and die. Battles will last as long as God decides, and won’t end unless fate has chosen a winner. Individuals don’t affects the actions that take place. All deaths that occur are based on fate, and God’s decisions.

In the Anglo-Saxon era, it is believed that fate, its powers, and the gloom which generally ensues with it, often decides the future of mankind. Fate always goes as it must, according to Beowulf, who resigns himself to a sure fate of death when he

The Anglo-Saxons were pagans, people who are not Christians. This is a trait that was shown throughout the poem. The warriors had the attitude that fate would decide their destiny. Beowulf leaves it up to fate as he prepares for the fight with Grendel: “Fate always goes as it must!” (1068). The people believed that Wyrd, the god of Fate, decided their future. The warriors showed a very fatalistic attitude. Beowulf proves this point when he tells Hrothgar not to mourn his friend Esher’s death:

When you have something to share, share it. When you have something to teach, teach it. Wiesel found that it was his responsibility as a survivor to share his story, and inform others of the horrors that happened during The Holocaust. The Holocaust was a horrifying period, when cruel and inhumane acts were committed by the Nazis in Europe. These acts took the lives of millions of people, and their culture met the same demise. The Jewish people were targeted as victims of Nazi persecution, and were put through brutal and unbearable circumstances, most of them which ended in death. In this story, the Wiesel tells about his traumatic experience in the Nazi concentration camps (Auschwitz and Buchenwald) with his father. From the start of this journey to the end, Wiesel many things about life and survival. He also changed greatly as an individual. In Night by Elie Wiesel, the author utilizes a hopeless mood and internal conflict, to reveal to the reader that exposure to an uncaring, hostile world leads to the destruction of faith and identity.

He does show hope, and faith in humanity, and explain that not all people he encounters are bad. For instance, Goodman Jackson would give him a small place to sleep, some fish to fill his belly when he was stuck overnight out on work. This was a better meal than he was getting back at his work home. “The Jacksons are very godly people and very kind to me; they’d do anything to help me.” I could see how this hope, and the niceness of others, could help him get through his day, as each day drew him closer to the end of his contract. It also goes to show that not everyone felt the mistreatment of servants during this time of history was right, that some people believed that servants were more than just property or a commodity, but were human

The Christian view of fate intails the idea that choices are predestined. Due to this belief, society entrusted all decisions in God’s hands, without vigilance. Evident in Beowulf’s battle with

Concerning this tragedy, however, the sober mind can comfort itself with the solace that this and earlier examples of their valor will live on in the world and that their death, whereby their errors were swept away through the fervent faith, has won the martyr’s crown. They fought, and, that no one of them should die without retaliating, each made a pile of corpses around himself; but, even so, the number of assailants did not diminish, for it was recruited from the horde. The Turks killed the horses, which, tough not able to gallop, were nevertheless of value in carrying the heavy armor, and the mail-clad Franks, now on foot, were overwhelmed among the thick-pressing enemy as if they were drowned in the sea; they were separated one from another, spilling the vitals from their defenseless bodies. During this engagement the king lost his small but renowned royal guard keeping a stout heart, however, he nimbly and bravely scaled a rock by making use of some tree roots which God had provided for his safety.

However, when closely examined, these particular lines give us insight on how the soldiers did not care what orders they were given. They believed, that if they had faith in each other, and in themselves, no harm can come to them. As a result, they had a clear goal and the motivation to fight against death. Many individuals would spend time to analyze about the decisions that would involve suicide. It is difficult for us to clearly visualize when death starts to overwhelm us, especially during a war. However, it is not difficult for us to believe in something that would give us the courage, stability, and strength to overcome the impossible (Griggs, Newspring Church).Weather it is faith in God or in a person, there is no obstacle, not even death, that a person can not overcome. Due to the soldiers act of valor, it is no wonder that the poem’s ending says in lines 53-54, “Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade.” By having faith in something, people can accomplish numerous wonders, and our physical lives can also improve. For example, by praying, it will reduce our high blood pressure, stress, and will allow the immune system to

The atmosphere of much of Beowulf is dark and pagan. There are many references to an impersonal fate that controls the destinies of men. “Fate goes ever as fate must,” (line 455) says Beowulf, only a few lines after he has referred to the judgment of God. Not long after this, when Beowulf tells of his battles with sea-monsters, he says, “fate spares the man it has not already marked.” He does not say God spares the man. And the poet’s words, “fate, the grim shape of things to come” (lines 1233-1234) does not suggest Christian hope and joy. The two perspectives, pagan and Christian,

“The Seafarer”, an elegy from the Exeter Book Elegies, discusses the idea that the Anglo-Saxon way of life is fleeting, and the only way to overcome this is living a life free of sin. The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf continuously digresses into stories whose purpose is to teach the main character how to behave in order to become a heroic figure. In the excerpt from first work mentioned, the speaker believes that soon the “pomp” and “lordly fame” associated with the warrior culture of the Anglo-Saxon world will be a thing of the past (82, 85). Conversely, in the Beowulf excerpt, which tells the story of the bad King Heremod, the attitude of the speaker is that warrior culture is a central part of life. The speaker of “The Seafarer” excerpt explains the benefits of being a man who is “humble” and “strong minded” (108, 109). On a similar note, the speaker of the Beowulf excerpt condemns those who are selfish “he gives no golden rings” and “angry” (1749). Both the poem and the epic discuss the ideal way that a man should conduct himself. The importance of these lessons in “The Seafarer” is to live an everlasting life in heaven while in Beowulf the reason is to gain glory on earth and be remembered.

The fear and adore toward the one and only who is omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence seem more profound. In the British literatures and history, the love to God has been worshipped through the most personal understandings. Since the Anglo-Saxon period and forevermore. The mighty God, the representation of all good and power, the definition of "truth", become the most graceful love that ever happened to mankind. The mercy of God remain still benevolently through the brightness and darkness, days and nights, good and evil. Even if days of earthly glory are over, the glamorous civilizations are fallen, God would still be with mankind and welcome the loving arrangement that will bring great blessings to the human being, the day of judgement. Living within the profound and blessed love of God, people of England illustrate their unshakable faith and belief with gorgeous words to strive against the pain and sufferings. For instance, in the old English elegy Seafare, as the seafarer announces the suffering he has endured while traveling over the ocean in the middle of winter, he reveals his faith in God: he experiences the "grim sorrow at heart [that he has] /known in the ship/ [with] many worries." He struggle in "the anxious night". However, he takes his life as his purgatory in the impermanent world. While putting his fate in the hand of the absolute

The Anglo-Saxon heroes actively choose to suffer and face their wierd. However, their keeping of the allegiance enables them

With his poem, “Invictus”, William Henley declares humans the sole governors of their destinies, and in doing so, suggests that they have faith in themselves, rather than in God. He draws on the experience gained from his life of hardship due to illness in expressing this idea to readers, and it is particularly effective because he illustrates a clear example of a human who remains unconquered, despite the external difficulties faced. Throughout the poem, he uses several literary devices to effectively communicate his point. Imagery, diction, biblical allusions, and the organization of the poem to depict the battle for control are all skillfully wielded in voicing his message. Henley’s ideas blatantly challenge one of the core principles of the christian Victorian Era; that of the absolute sovereignty of God and his consequent control in each person's destiny. In questioning that narrative, and proposing an alternative, “Invictus” empowers its audience to take ownership of their lives and embrace the opportunities that come with having no restrictions placed on them by religion. It sets humans free to live as they please, because in the end, they alone have the final say over their destiny.

In the poem a man longs to find a permanent home ,and treads the idea of appealing to no true destination after the loss of his lord. The poem is written as an elegie, which displays a solemn tone followed by a serious reflection. Unlike “The Seafarer”, the speaker has developed a deepening voice of Christian Values. The speaker's introduction expressed the voice of a christian moralist as he says, “..oft to the wanderer, weary of exile, cometh God’s pity, compassionate love. Though woefully toiling on wintry seas”. The speaker’s exile causes him to feel unrighteous and unaccepted by God. In the poem the man further details his emotions of loss due to the the death of the lord, and he explains what he believes a wise man is to him. He says, “a wise man in patient, not swift to anger, nor hasty of speech, neither too weak, nor too reckless, in war, neither fearful nor fain, nor too wishful of wealth... a brave man must bide when he speaketh his boast until he know surely the goal of his spirit.” The man expresses how a wise man must be righteous and dwell in the custom his religious faith has set. He creates a precedent for Christians to follow in the Anglo-Saxon society through his strong opinions. Religion may have arised from early literature and is still relevant today.