Anglo-Saxons brought their own Pagan beliefs to the newly conquered land that is known today as England. The Pagan religion of the Anglo-Saxons was deeply rooted in fate, which the Anglo-Saxons called wyrd. For Anglo-Saxons, fate can be defined as the force that determines the outcome of a person's life. The poem, The Seafarer, was written during the Anglo-Saxon era when fate meant everything to the people. The verses of The Seafarer can be directly related to passages from the Bible. The unknown author of The Seafarer vividly displays how religious the Anglo-Saxons were through his/her writing. For example, the following quote from The Seafarer directly speaks about religion, as well as fate. The author states that “fate is greater and God is mightier than any man's thoughts” (lines 115-116). This quote specifically clarifies that no mere mortal
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For instance, the following quote clearly expresses their belief in an afterlife. According to the author of The Seafarer, “and his fame afterwards will live with the angels for ever and ever, the glory of eternal life, joy with the Hosts.” (lines 78-80) The author states that although every man will die, his/her legacy will continue on in heaven with the angels. All in all, the Pagans believed that their main goal and focus, in earthly life, was to reach heaven where their salvation would be reached. The Anglo-Saxon Pagan religion encompasses many beliefs that are depicted within the literature of the time period. These include the concepts of an almighty God, fate, sins, and last but not least the afterlife. Through readings like The Seafarer we see that the Anglo-Saxons felt that if they followed the many aspects of the Pagan religion, they would ultimately be rewarded with an afterlife when they ascended into
For instance, the following quote clearly expresses their belief in an afterlife. According to the author of The Seafarer, “and his fame afterwards will live with the angels for ever and ever, the glory of eternal life, joy with the Hosts.” (lines 78-80) The author states that although every man will die, his/her legacy will continue on in heaven with the angels. All in all, the Pagans believed that their main goal and focus, in earthly life, was to reach heaven where their salvation would be reached. The Anglo-Saxon Pagan religion encompasses many beliefs that are depicted within the literature of the time period. These include the concepts of an almighty God, fate, sins, and last but not least the afterlife. Through readings like The Seafarer we see that the Anglo-Saxons felt that if they followed the many aspects of the Pagan religion, they would ultimately be rewarded with an afterlife when they ascended into