Year: 2014-2015
Professor: Nellie Vázquez
Class: INGL 3001
College: University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus
Grace H. Rodríguez Cruz
Professor N. Vázquez
English 3001
September 3rd, 2014
The “Beowulf” epic and the Christian approach to Pagan
cultures
During the time “Beowulf” was created, the Christian
religion was surfacing as one of the most influential of all. The followers
would begin to write poems where they could attach the love for their religion
and the need to spread it to heroes and events so appealing that they would
capture the admiration of the pagans and teach them about their terms of
salvation and righteousness. “Beowulf” is one of these poems, if not the most
influential of the time. It is stated that the Old English Poetry had a set of
characteristics to which the timeless epic also holds dear to its source;
holding the figure of a Viking hero so close to a resemblance of Jesus Christ
and the everlasting battle with evil, which in this case, takes the form of
Grendel.
Even from the very beginning, the Christian references
are shown even when it is being talked about Grendel’s parents: “Monsters born
of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of
Abel’s death.”(verse 20) These make it more influential for a pagan audience to
learn about Christianity to understand the reference in a more enjoyable
matter. The people who would hear or read the epic would feel curious as to why
these similes are being done to feel more connected. The heroic part is
obviously centered on the main character: “Beowulf, Higlac’s follower and the
strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this
world-“ (verse 110) as one of the many ways we are referred to the heroic
prince. Another characteristic is the extensive use of figurative language;
from the examples found in the epic, one of my personal favorites will be the
reference to Beowulf’s sword in the fight with Grendel’s mother. “The iron sang
its fierce song, sang Beowulf’s strength” (verse 475) which bring the elegance
of the art of oral stories to the maximum visual image stimulation for the
audience and makes the next characteristic, the elegiac, even more beautiful to
experience. We can find triumph and failure in the epic. One of the examples is
the triumph over Grendel “The battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new
glory” (verse 340) and the failure can be felt almost at the end of the story
when old Beowulf is defeated in the dragon fight “…Wrapped around in swirling
flames-a king, before, but now a beaten warrior.” (verse 690). The audience
becomes very fond of our hero because we see his suffering, bravery and growth
throughout the poem. Our hero is glorified, persecuted, abandoned, adored and
has the charm to conquest himself some loyal readers and hearers. Just like
that, the Christians bring to life another version of Christ and a new set of
fans to learn more about this real-life hero who, like Beowulf, became a
legend.
Sources: "From Beowulf." The Language of
Literature: British Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2000. N.
pag. Print.
Kirtlan, Ernest J.B. The Story of Beowulf:
Translated from Anglo-Saxon into Modern English Prose. New York: Thomas Y.
Crowell, 1914. Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free Books, Movies,
Music & Wayback Machine. Web. 01 Sept. 2014.
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