Analyzing Christian Elements in Beowulf

Omar Dandan

Alyse Jones

ENGL 2111-003

01 November 2012

Analyzing Christian Elements in Beowulf

Christianity has been the dominant religion in Europe for well over 1,000 years and that fact can be reinforced by the widespread influence and power it upholds in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. Throughout the story, the noble heroes portrayed constantly reiterate the role and importance of God in their lives and how helpful he has proven to be in strengthening them. Beowulf, although displaying a wide range of Pagan elements, is dominated by distinct Christian elements that drive the meaning of the poem and provide an underlying theme that was prevalent during the time period.

Beowulf was composed by an Anglo-Saxon monk in somewhere around the year 700 C.E. Although it is a mystery as to who exactly composed the poem, it certainly is no mystery as to the environment and the influence to which that particular monk composed this epic poem. Through analyzing Anglo-Saxon history, one can confirm that the inhabitants of the time period were raised and lived by the Christian morals and typically “a literate Anglo-Saxon poet would in the normal course of things have learnt to read in a monastery” (Goldsmith 1). With that being said, it is undeniable to recognize the Christian elements that were incorporated into the poem simply because of the situation in which the poet was a part of. During the time in which they learned to read they often read a considerable amount of Psalms, as well as the rest of the Bible. This can be supported by the Cain and Abel reference to the book of Genesis. The poem opens with that powerful allusion to provide an example as to how nefarious Grendel truly is. In the text it is proclaimed that “…he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan, whom the creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts (ll. 104-107). This is crucial to the development of the plot, for it compares Grendel’s evil to that of Cain who...