Christian And Pagan Aspects In Beowulf
Beowulf is an epic poem with pagan origins, yet it is rife with Christian elements. The second quotation from the first part assigns fate as the ruler of all men, a distinctly non-Christian view. Additionally, the gaining of earthly treasures as rewards for virtuous conduct, here the spoils from a defeated enemy, is not heroic in any Christian sense.
Christians advocate the advancement of spiritual rather than worldly treasure. By seeking worldly fame rather than eternal salvation, Beowulf is clearly motivated by a pagan value system.
The imagery, actions, and symbols of Beowulf operate from a still extant pagan viewpoint. The poem is filled with monsters, weapons with magical powers, races of giants, and references to Norse gods.
The Christianizing process was done to add Christian moral anecdotes to make the poem more acceptablt to a society that was changing from the old pagan ways to a new Christian order. The appeal of the poem lies, however, in the poignancy......
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