The Unity of the Unknown and the Eternal Security: The Anglo-Saxon Belief
in Christianity and Fate Imagine a life in which one is simply a pawn at the
hands of a mysterious higher force stumbling and meandering through life's
tribulations. Until Pope Gregory the Great was sent to spread Christianity
throughout England, the Anglo- Saxons believed solely in this passive,
victimizing philosophy. These pagans still clung to much of their heathen
culture after the wave of Christianity swept through England leaving no one
behind. Literature derived from this period (including Beowulf, "The Seafarer,"
and "The Wanderer") directly reflects the maintaining of Christian ideals, as
well as the belief in fate's unknown and often grim path. For example, the epic
poem, Beowulf , declares, "...Fate will unwind as it must!" (line 284).
Meanwhile, the same work implies God has the authority in this great world
by stating, "And all his glorious band of Geats/Thanked God their leader had......
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