Beowulf Essay example:
Written in the 8th century when society was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity, the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is believed to be the “lone survivor of a genre of Old English long epics” (Norton 29). Although the author of Beowulf is unknown, “it is now widely believed that Beowulf is the work of a single poet who was a Christian and that his poem reflects well-established Christian tradition” (Norton 29). Some scholars also believed that epic was originally written as pagan folklore but “it eventually was expanded to include Christian elements” (Smith par.3). In the final battle between Beowulf and the dragon, as well as throughout the entire epic, there are various parallels between pagan beliefs, “drawing on pagan epic tradition for kings, heroes, and monsters while drawing on new Christian beliefs to present these characters as noble, in possession of the natural knowledge of God, willing to battle his enemies on earth, and therefore capable of redemption” (Smith par. 2).
“Now I am old but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning” (Norton 86). Beowulf is the ideal hero – strong, courageous, honorable, and chivalrous. He vows to protect his people for his own glory and status in society. He is also blessed with superhuman strength, another pagan characteristic. Although old in age and wounded from the dragon’s fire and fangs, Beowulf is able to destroy the dragon with one final blow. “He tuck it deep in the dragon’s flank. Beowulf dealt it a deadly wound” (Norton 90). Beowulf wanting a memorial mound for his people for him to remember him by is another pagan belief of immortality and carrying what is in one’s present life on to the afterlife. This is why Beowulf asks Wiglaf to show him the dragon’s treasure so that he may lay with it before he dies. “Order my troop to construct a barrow on a headland on the coast, after my pyre has cooled. It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness as a reminder among my people – so that in coming times crews under sail will call it Beowulf’s Barrow” (Norton 92). Beowulf is given a pagan ceremony with the burning of his body on a pyre. From a Christian perspective however, Beowulf’s character is paralleled to Christ. Akin to Christ, Beowulf is a savior to his people. He attempts to battle the dragon alone, just as Christ faces Satan alone in their final confrontation. “This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me” (Norton 86). He believes in fate that is ordained by God, akin to Jesus accepting his fate of crucifixion. Before heading out to battle the dragon, Beowulf pauses to have his last discussion with his men and the thief who stole the cup from the dragon, identically as the last supper Christ had with his disciples and Judas, the traitor. Throughout the entire epic he constantly recognizes God as his Protector and in the last moment of his life, he confesses and gives thanks to God. “To the everlasting Lord of all, to the King of Glory, I give thanks that I behold this treasure here in front of me, that I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die” (Norton 91). He is aware, as Christ was aware, that he was at the end of his life. Just as Christ sacrificed His life for the sin of man, Beowulf sacrifices his life for the sin committed by the thief who stole the dragon’s treasure.
Analogous to Beowulf, the dragon embodies pagan and Christian characteristics as well. Pagan folklore has often depicted evil in the form of a monster with supernatural features and powers. The dragon represents the evil that terrorizes and poses a major threat to society. This dragon personifies death and the evil of man that must be defeated by good. Greed, a major trait of the evil of man, is the cause of the dragonТs rage and revenge. “The hoard-guardian scorched the ground as he scoured and hunted for the trespasser who had troubled his sleep” (Norton 81). The dragon is also a symbol of Satan and Satan’s power. Like Satan, the dragon inhabits a dark and fiery lair, distant from all that is good. “It is no wonder then that the evil beasts themselves move about in darkness while shrouded in mist and tormented by the flames of their inner anguish. They seem always to carry their hell within them, as Satan himself notes: “Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell’ (4.75)” (Smith par. 8).
Good vs. evil was a common theme used in pagan folklore where the hero (Beowulf) battles and kills an evil monster (dragon). Although Beowulf chooses to fight without any weapons in the first two battles against Grendel and Grendel’s mother, he uses a sword and shield to conquer the dragon. “In this episode and in his final encounter with evil, Beowulf employs a weapon, and so his final two encounters are bloody. These battles allude more strongly to pagan rather than Christian practices, and I believe this is due to the fact that, ultimately, Beowulf is a fallen mortal and cannot be the true hero that Christ has become” (Smith par. 10). The pagan belief that good always prevails is also apparent in the conclusion of the 3rd battle when Beowulf defeats the undefeatable dragon regardless of his old age and severe wounding. As written in the Apocalypse, a knight by the name of “The word of God” defeats the dragon, as well as Beowulf, who is also a servant of God, defeats the dragon. The dragon “is made to fall by Beowulf (2831b-35) in much the same way that Satan is made to fall by Christ” (Smith par.11). Christ forgave his enemies upon knowing of his mortal life coming to an end and confided in his disciples during the Last Supper that He would resurrect from the dead. Peter was the only disciple who unquestionably believed that Jesus would return. Similarly, Beowulf’s men lose faith in their king’s abilities to defeat the dragon and run away, except Wiglaf. Wiglaf is also a pagan symbol of the strong kinship ties and loyalty to his king. “Go on, dear Beowulf, do everything you said you would when you were still young and vowed you would never let your name and fame be dimmed while you lived. Your deeds are famous, so stay resolute, my lord, defend your life now with the whole of your strength. I shall stand by you” (Norton 89). Wiglaf also washes Beowulf’s wounds after the battle, just as Jesus’ wounds were washed after his crucifixion.
According to the pagan heroic code, it is better to die on the battlefield than to live and lose shamefully. Thus, Beowulf is the ultimate pagan hero. Although Beowulf gives thanks to God and acknowledges Him as his Protector, his slaying of the dragon wins Beowulf heroic merit rather than attaining eternal salvation in the eyes of God. His motives for battling the dragon may have seemed to be Christ-like in the sense that he fought to save his people, however, at the moment of his death, he seeks material gratification through worldly treasure instead of spiritual gratification, and making sure his name is glorified and remembered. Beowulf was written as a classic example of pagan legend with Christian parallels and morals added to make the poem acceptable to a changing society. The ambiguity between Christian values and pagan folklore is results in continuous criticism and analyzation among scholars, students, and critics.
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