The Pagan Beowulf Essay, Research Paper

The Pagan Beowulf

Scholars have argued about the spiritual stance of the heroic poem verse form Beowulf for centuries. Although the adult male who put the verse form down on paper, known as the Beowulf poet, was a devout Christian, the existent verse form itself is heathen. There are many hints in the heroic poem that lead us to this decision such as the legion mentions to pagan symbols, viz. the symbol of destiny. Besides, the cardinal thought of retaliation in the verse form opposes the thoughts of Christianity. The verse form besides contains many breaches of the Ten Commandments, which prove that the narrative is non Christian. However, the biggest hint to the pagan religion of Beowulf is the scene that contains the entombment of Beowulf and the edifice and adoration of the tower, all of which go straight against the Christian faith.

Pagan symbols such as Corvus coraxs, firedrakes and monsters, and toxicant can be found throughout the heroic poem of Beowulf. The Corvus corax was a symbol from Norse mythology ; it was the courier for a war God named Odin. We find the mention to this heathen symbol after Beowulf defeats Grendel & # 8217 ; s female parent. He and & # 8220 ; the Geats slept till a black-feathered Corvus corax sang his cheerful vocal & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1587 ) . This mention to such a heathen symbol is merely the first piece of grounds for the pagan religion of the heroic poem. We besides know that Beowulf is a narrative based on the licking by a warrior hero of two monsters and a firedrake. However, firedrakes and monsters are non portion of the Christian faith, so if the narrative were Christian, there would be no Grendel, his female parent, or the firedrake at all. Yet the full

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narrative is based around these three characters. We can non disregard the fact that these existences are present in the narrative, nor can we disregard the fact that these existences are in no manner Christian. Finally, the allusion to toxicant aids turn out that this heroic poem is heathen every bit good. Beowulf is killed by toxicant that came from the firedrake & # 8217 ; s Fangs when the firedrake spot the warrior on the cervix. There is no grounds anyplace that leads us to believe that toxicant is portion of the Christian faith, once more stressing the pagan religion of the verse form. Although all of these are of import heathen symbols that lead us to believe that this verse form is non Christian, likely the most important heathen symbol is that of destiny.

The thought of destiny ruled the lives of the heathens. Their belief was that you were born with a destiny, and there was nil that could alter this fate. This thought becomes evident in Beowulf several times. As Beowulf is deceasing he refers to his go forthing this Earth as merely portion of his fate when he says that & # 8220 ; [ m ] Y yearss have gone by as destiny willed & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1604 ) . The thought of destiny is called on once more when Beowulf asks Wiglaf to win him as male monarch of the Geats. He tells Wiglaf that he would hold given the award to his boy, if he had one, but destiny did non let it. We see a mention to destine a concluding clip when Wiglaf speaks of Beowulf after his decease. He offers that every bit much as Beowulf & # 8217 ; s people tried to convert him to go forth good plenty entirely, to let the monster to populate on everlastingly, there was no altering Beowulf & # 8217 ; s fate. Beowulf & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; [ f ] Ate, and his will, [ w ] ere excessively strong & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1611 ) . Fate is clearly a non-Christian thought, and its presence in the verse form helps the instance for Beowulf being a heathen narrative.

A immense subject in Beowulf is the retaliation ethic that all of the characters possess. During the clip in which the narrative takes topographic point, retaliation is really common. If one male monarch and his ground forces kill a warrior from another land, it is inevitable that the pained male monarch will

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retaliate and the combat will merely travel back and Forth. The lone manner for this to stop is if a

adult male monetary value is paid, and a armistice called. This sort of behavior is decidedly non Christian, so when we see illustrations of this behaviour in Beowulf, we can deduce that the narrative is non-Christian. Grendel & # 8217 ; s female parent is a chief character that seeks to avenge. The Beowulf poet tells us that & # 8220 ; there & # 8217 ; s another one, a 2nd hungry [ degree Fahrenheit ] iend, determined to revenge the first & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1577 ) . This refers to the choler that Grendel & # 8217 ; s female parent had over the loss of her boy to Beowulf & # 8217 ; s strength and the retaliation that she sought on the warrior. She is so angry that Beowulf killed her boy that she can believe of nil else but paying Beowulf back for what he has done. Beowulf besides shows his inclination to desire to seek retaliation on his enemies. He informs his soldiers that & # 8220 ; [ i ] T is better to revenge our friends, non

mourn them forever” ( Norton 1578 ) . And later we learn that Beowulf’s equals, viz. Wiglaf, congratulations him for taking the enterprise and winning his ain retaliation. We even see Grendel taking retaliation on the Danes in Herot hall merely because they irritate him with their conviviality. Beowulf contains much accent on the retaliation ethic, and this clearly contrasts with the Christian belief that turning the other cheek is the best manner to decide a struggle with an enemy. Based on this fact, we can presume that this is another manner that the heroic poem is, in fact, a heathen narrative.

The Ten Commandments besides have an consequence on the narrative. The characters continually break some of these regulations of Christianity in the heroic poem, which makes clearer the statement for the pagan religion of Beowulf. For case, the First Commandment states that & # 8220 ; You must hold no other Gods except me & # 8221 ; nevertheless, we see the Danes praying to Gods beside God in the face of danger ( Exod. 20.3 ) . When Grendel attacks Herot hall at

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the beginning of the narrative, the Danes grew terrified, & # 8220 ; and sometimes they sacrificed to the old rock Gods, [ m ] ade pagan vows, trusting for Hell & # 8217 ; s back up & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1554 ) . In

this transition the Danes are blatantly interrupting this Commandment. And non merely are they interrupting the Commandment, but they are naming on the aid of Lucifer, clearly non something a Christian would hold done. Another Christian regulation that is non abided by in the verse form is the Sixth Commandment, which states that & # 8220 ; You must non slay anyone & # 8221 ; ( Exod. 20.13 ) . Throughout the verse form, we see many cases where slaying is a cardinal subject. Grendel murders the Danes and a Geat, and Beowulf kills Grendel, Grendel & # 8217 ; s female parent, a firedrake, and many other monsters. Even Beowulf, in the terminal, is murdered. If the verse form were Christian, we would anticipate that so many regulations of the faith would non be broken. Since they are broken, and so often so, pagan religion must be assumed to be the steering force in this saga. There are two more Commandments that are broken in the verse form, and they are the most of import. They are both broken towards the terminal of the heroic poem and trade with the decease of Beowulf.

The decease of Beowulf and the events that follow thenceforth are about purely heathen thoughts. First of all, Beowulf is non buried in a Christian manner. He is put on a pyre, and so he is set on fire until he is nil but ashes. This type of funeral is strictly heathen, and negates any deduction that this portion of the narrative is Christian. Next, another Commandment is broken, and this clip it is the Second 1. The Commandment provinces that & # 8220 ; you must non do for yourselves any graven images & # 8221 ; , and goes on to state that & # 8220 ; you must non idolize or function any graven image & # 8221 ; ( Exod. 20.3-4 ) . Beowulf conflicts with this when the Geats built a immense tower in memory of Beowulf and entombed his ashes inside the wall. Then 12 of the most brave Geats circled the tower of Beowulf on their Equus caballuss

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singing his congratulations and idolizing his name and memory. The Beowulf poet tells us that the work forces began & # 8220 ; stating narratives [ o ] f their dead male monarch and his illustriousness, his glorification, [ P ] raising him for his heroic deeds & # 8221 ; ( Norton 1613 ) . This sort of behavior clearly struggles with the Commandment God gave us to populate by. Christian religion does non let for such worship of person besides the Lord, and would non O.K. of this type of scene in a verse form. Since the scene is included in the heroic poem, it is merely more grounds turn outing one time once more that Beowulf is a heathen heroic poem verse form.

Although there are many Christian mentions in Beowulf, the heathen 1s outweigh them greatly. The Beowulf poet makes certain to include little but meaningful mentions to the paganistic background of the heroic poem verse form. There are excessively many heathen symbols scattered throughout the work to be ignored, and excessively many regulations of the Christian faith are broken by the characters of the verse form for an statement to be made against the pagan religion of Beowulf. Besides, we must non bury that thoughts such as destiny and retaliation, which are shunned in Christianity, are two of the chief subjects in this narrative. Consequently, even though the Beowulf poet may hold been Christian, as for the verse form itself, all marks point towards pagan religion.

Beowulf. Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Expanded Edition Volume 1.

ED. Maynard Mack et Al. New York: Norton, 1995. 1546-1613.

Holy Bible. International Children & # 8217 ; s Bible. New Century Version. Word

Publication, 1083. 55-56.