The Anglo-Saxon Belief In Christianity And Fate Essay, Research Paper

The Unity of the Unknown and the Eternal Security:

The Anglo-Saxon Belief in Christianity and Fate

Imagine a life in which 1 is merely a pawn at the custodies of a cryptic higher

force stumbling and meandering through life & # 8217 ; s trials. Until Pope Gregory the

Great was sent to distribute Christianity throughout England, the Anglo- Saxons

believed entirely in this passive, victimising doctrine. These heathens still clung to

much of their pagan civilization after the moving ridge of Christianity swept through England

go forthing no 1 buttocks. Literature derived from this period ( including Beowulf, & # 8220 ; The

Seafarer, & # 8221 ; and & # 8220 ; The Wanderer & # 8221 ; ) straight reflects the maintaining of Christian ideals, as

good as the belief in destiny & # 8217 ; s unknown and frequently inexorable way. For illustration, the heroic poem verse form,

Beowulf, declares, & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; Fate will wind off as it must! & # 8221 ; ( line 284 ) . Meanwhile, the same

work implies God has the authorization in this great universe by saying, & # 8220 ; And all his glorious

set of Geats/Thanked God their leader had come back unhurt, & # 8221 ; ( 598-599 ) as if

God was the make up one’s minding factor in the great defender & # 8217 ; s wellness. The connection

convincedness in God and destine influences the civilization, mentality on life, and the assorted

independent life waies of Anglo- Saxons. These early Germanic people believe

& # 8220 ; destiny & # 8221 ; – an anon. power & # 8211 ; controls the present, future and past ; yet, they besides

believe the power of God is a resolute supremecy non to be denounced.

Our earliest warriors put aside their heroic independency and allow wyrd & # 8217 ; s foreign

bureau command their positions and their lives & # 8217 ; paths clip and clip once more. These heathens

even let fate to act upon their position of life which was fatalistic and desolate.

& # 8220 ; The Wanderer & # 8221 ; proves the Anglo-saxons had small to populate for and much to fear as it

tells the narrative of an anon. adult male stripped from his gold-lord. This literary work

illustrates stoic purdah and inexorable hopelessness by utilizing phrases like, & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; what a bitter

companion/Shoulder to shoulder sorrow can be, & # 8221 ; ( lines 26-27 ) and & # 8220 ; Wretchedness

fills the kingdom of Earth, & # 8221 ; ( 98 ) . Along with their mentality on life as a whole, destiny

controls the heathens determinations and deficiency at that place of. & # 8220 ; The Seafarer & # 8221 ; shows an illustration

of the Anglo-Saxons submissive function by voicing the narrative of a crewman agony through

adversities because he was meant to be a crewman and is drawn to the familiar sea. The

crewman explains his painful life style by saying, & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; my soul/Called me thirstily out & # 8230 ; & # 8221 ;

( lines 36-37 ) connoting this harrowing lifestlye is non a witting pick, but more

of an duty to something other than his head and bosom. Even the bravest warrior

fell victim to this insecure and unpredictable fortress. Beowulf, who is & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; -greater/And

stronge

R than anyone anyplace in this universe, ” ( 110-111 ) , explained on his deathbed

that & # 8220 ; Fate has swept our race off, /Taken warriors in their strength and led them/to

the decease that was waiting. And now I follow them. & # 8221 ; ( 834-836 ) . The fate heathens

face is frequently sorrowful, juggling and unjust.

While Anglo-Saxons & # 8217 ; lives are systematically at the clemency of fate, they are still really

influenced by their value of Christian ideals. Although these heathens believe destiny is a

force beyond their control make up one’s minding life & # 8217 ; s every bend, they besides believe loving, honouring

and obeying God will ensue in redemption and ageless felicity. These apparently & # 8216 ; new & # 8217 ;

joys of God intrude their positions on decease, peace, humbleness, warfare and life in general.

Christian religion eases the barbarous warriors & # 8217 ; behavior and morale. Religious civility plays a

cardinal function in the softening and lessening of conflicts. & # 8220 ; The Seafarer & # 8221 ; reflects the

Anglo-saxon belief that depending on one & # 8217 ; s spiritual actions, Eden is one & # 8217 ; s

wages and decease one & # 8217 ; s penalty: & # 8220 ; Death springs at the saps who forget

their God./He who lives meekly has angels from Heaven/To carry him bravery

and strength and belief. & # 8221 ; ( 106-109 ) . & # 8220 ; The Wanderer & # 8221 ; proves decease was one time

idea of as a inexorable and dark stoping: & # 8220 ; All this Earth ages and droops unto death. & # 8221 ; ( 57 ) ,

while & # 8220 ; The Seafarer & # 8221 ; conveys that decease besides became a hope of beatific grace:

& # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; strawing his coffin/With hoarded wealths intended for Heaven & # 8230 ; & # 8221 ; ( 97-98 ) . Both destiny and

Christianity influence the Anglo-Saxon civilization, and their forces

organize a loanblend of uncertainness and confidence: & # 8220 ; Thus the joys of God/ Are

fervent with life, where life itself/ Fades rapidly into the earth. & # 8221 ; ( 64-66 ) .

The Anglo-Saxon belief in God and destine influence their civilization, mentality on life, and

their ain independent life waies. It is possible these sometimes contradictory ideals

Heathens hold so sacred are symbols of human existences timeless desire to divide one & # 8217 ; s

ain behaviour and the events of one & # 8217 ; s life. Fate is a disinclined method of apologizing

why things happen as they do, and a agency of faulting occurances on an unrenowned

domination. Possibly, the Anglo-saxons hold Christianity with such high reputation

because it is the Orthodox set of ethical motives that these barbarian war-lords and lost psyches

demand in their life style and civilization. Christianity offers an inducement to those who believe

and honour the Lord- a apparently simple exchange of religion and congratulations for ageless joy

and Heaven. The integrity of destiny and Christianity consequences in an explaination for normally

baffling and sometimes unjust events, every bit good as an ageless promise and protection

from God. Possibly one should non put in a destiny that merely happens regardless

of how one acts, but invest in one & # 8217 ; s actions irrespective of how a destiny merely happens.