The context of a manuscript enables the close study of the Anglo Saxon period, the manuscript on which a text is written provides a bridge between those reading the literature and the script its self. As John D Niles said when studying old English poetry the format in which it is presented allows a clearer view of the original intent of that piece. The original manuscript can portray common themes by the position of the texts within it, and the layout of each text on the page also gives vital clues in deciphering the text. “For medieval books often constituted composite artifacts in which each component depended on its environment for part of its meaning” Nile`s theory is that by studying the text in its original context many more factors
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A possible factor in compiling this particular sequence of texts The passion of St Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander to Aristotle, Beowulf and Judith may be that most of these texts contains qualities of monstrous and supernatural themes. An example of the corresponding nature of the texts is that St Christopher`s beast like nature is very similar to that of Grendels in Beowulf. Christopher`s beast like nature is further explored in The Old English martyrology where he is described as “From the race where people have dogs` heads and from the land where folk eat each other” . This portrayal is very similar to that of Grendel whose monstrous nature leads to commit the sin of killing and eating man. Grendel is described as being a cannibal with no regard for the life and as a cannibal which is similar to St Christopher “A soldier asleep, suddenly tore him, Bit his bone-prison, the blood drank in currents, Swallowed in mouthfuls” Thus there shows a clear link in the compilation of the manuscript as there is common theme of bestiality and cannibalism running through a large proportion of the texts. Sam Newton therefore argues that the Nowell Codex is in line with and Anglo Saxon interests during the declining years of the tenth century in fantastical supernatural happenings. This perhaps suggest that the inclusion of Beowulf was not just down to the idealised heroic nature of the text, but was included in the manuscript due to the interest in the
A possible factor in compiling this particular sequence of texts The passion of St Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander to Aristotle, Beowulf and Judith may be that most of these texts contains qualities of monstrous and supernatural themes. An example of the corresponding nature of the texts is that St Christopher`s beast like nature is very similar to that of Grendels in Beowulf. Christopher`s beast like nature is further explored in The Old English martyrology where he is described as “From the race where people have dogs` heads and from the land where folk eat each other” . This portrayal is very similar to that of Grendel whose monstrous nature leads to commit the sin of killing and eating man. Grendel is described as being a cannibal with no regard for the life and as a cannibal which is similar to St Christopher “A soldier asleep, suddenly tore him, Bit his bone-prison, the blood drank in currents, Swallowed in mouthfuls” Thus there shows a clear link in the compilation of the manuscript as there is common theme of bestiality and cannibalism running through a large proportion of the texts. Sam Newton therefore argues that the Nowell Codex is in line with and Anglo Saxon interests during the declining years of the tenth century in fantastical supernatural happenings. This perhaps suggest that the inclusion of Beowulf was not just down to the idealised heroic nature of the text, but was included in the manuscript due to the interest in the