BEOWULF ESSAY
Throughout the epic "Beowulf", there are many elements of Christianity that conflict with references to the Anglo-Saxon pagan culture. The Anglo-Saxons believed in a fatalistic, dark, gods religion. The Author uses Christian and Pagan elements to symbolize the good Beowulf and the evil dragons. The Author presents the Anglo-Saxon culture in the epic, however, he does describe many Christian elements the Anglo-Saxons were influenced by during their reign.
In the beginning of the epic, the author describes God and how God created the earth. This story of the creation of the earth comes from the book of Genesis in the bible. Along with this Christian reference, the author tells us who Grendel was, a descendant of Cain. According to the bible, Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. In Anglo-Saxon culture, killing one's own kin was an non-repayable sin. This is a symbol of Grendel's evil. These two references, however greatly conflict with the......
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Approximate Word Count: 936
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |