Pagan And Paganism In Beowulf

In the classical poem Beowulf scholars like to argue that the characters and society are from a pre-Christian era, but the narrator regularly makes Christian statements. Throughout the poem characters display and reflect contradicting paganism idolatry with the then emerging Christian religion. The mix of ideas within the text is not a struggle for religious power but the understanding of ideas of the Pagans heroic code and Christianity’s self-sacrificing virtues and how they are blended with the Pagan ideals of fame, fate and vengeance with the contrasting Christian beliefs of sacrificing for the good of people, humility and loyalty to one God. It is important to note why the author fused the two religions together and how the mix of both …show more content…
The dictionary defines Pagans as a member of a religious, spiritual or cultural ideals based on the worship of nature or earth. There were three Pantheons, Roman, Greek and Celtic Pantheon and they all very (pathos.com). People or cultures of primitive or ancient thought believed there is no one God and that Paganism evolved from mythology. Christians believe in only one god and pray to Jesus, where as pagans do not believe in Jesus and strongly believe in earth itself. Pagans believe if you are good to the universe, the universe will be good to …show more content…
Concepts of Christian are revealed in Beowulf with an underlying pagan tone. By using three monsters in the story, Grendel, Grendel’s mom and the Dragon there are many Christian and God references forcing you to feel sympathy and perseverance and grasps the appeal to Christian audience. The characters sometimes model biblical roles. Take for example the struggle of the underdog and Beowulf’s battle with Grendel and compare it to the struggles Jesus went through to save his people from evil. With such similar stories of Christian culture and Beowulf, the effect Christianity had on Beowulf is too hard to ignore and to say that it is purely Pagan would be careless.
The role of fame is lathered heavily in the plot of Beowulf. In the opening scenes fame is one of the first Pagan ideas introduced. The beginning scene in Herot, Beowulf hears of king Hrothgars troubles with Grendel and travels over seas to volunteers to battle the feriousous beast. Fame in Paganism is highly praised and to be famous or heroic in Beowulf is to possess great prowress and accomplish many heroic deeds. Beowulf demonstrates his fame when he boasts about his triumphs before he arrives to help Hrothgar and battles the three monsters in the