Christian Influences In Beowulf

Beowulf is an epic tale of adventure and overcoming great challenges, with sprinkles of Christianity to spice up the English work of art. The eighth century bore witness to the struggle between Pagan and Christian influences to see which religion would come out on top. Since Beowulf was assumed to have been preserved in the written word by a monk it is filled to the brim with Christian influence, but the pagan themes rear their heads every now and then. A common theory is that a monk heard the tale of Beowulf after it was passed from generation to generation orally and transposed the story into writing with a personal Christian influence. That would explain his disdain for the Pagan elements in the story. Though the monk was a Christian, there …show more content…
Beowulf opens the story with a pagan ritual of a Viking funeral to send off a brave warrior to Valhalla, “High over head they hoisted and fixed a gold signum, gave him to the flood, let the seas take him, with sour hearts and …show more content…
This beginning sets the stage for the honor and integrity that warriors carry throughout their journey for glory and honor. “The virtues of courage in war and the acceptance of feuds between men and countries as a fact of life stem from the older pagan tradition” (Warsh). It also represents the strength Paganism still carried. During the siege that Grendel brought against the people of Herot, some townsfolk were praying to Pagan Gods, “They prayed aloud, promising sometimes on the altars of their idols unholy sacrifices if the Slayer of souls would send relief to the suffering people” (Beowulf 174-177). The townsfolk had yet to vanquish the importance of paganism in their society much to the writer’s dismay. “When Hrothgar and his counselors turn to their stone gods in an attempt to rid the country of Grendel, the poet makes it clear that idol worshiping is a