The long journey of an epic hero can be considered a metaphor for _____.xjzjzjuzbznIzhsndnduxjxjjxjxjxjxjxnxkxixjxjxnxnxReligious Influences in Beowulf
At the time of its creation Beowulf was influenced my mostly pagan ideas and rituals, but as time went on and the age of Christianity began some aspects of Beowulf had been changed to include Christian ideas. It is believed that Beowulf was originally composed orally by a pagan poet, but it was transcribed by Christian monks, which may account for the Christian elements in the poem. Beowulf contains the pagan ideas of nobility and fate; these are evident throughout the battles that Beowulf fights. The satanic manner in which Grendel and the other monsters are described might attribute for the Christian influences in Beowulf. The different transcriptions and translations of Beowulf have left many religious influences on the story. Beowulf is an epic poem that centers around the hero Beowulf, a Geat from Sweden who crosses the sea to Denmark in a heroic quest to save King Hrothgar, king of the Danes and the builder of Herot, and his men from the demonic monster Grendel who kills and feasts on Hrothgar’s warriors. Beowulf’s adventure does not end when he defeats Grendel though, he must also kill Grendel’s mother because she seeks revenge for her son’s death. Once Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother, he goes home and soon becomes the king. However, his last adventure in old age leads him to his death. He fights and slays a vicious dragon with the help of a Geat warrior named Wiglaf. Beowulf pays a heavy toll for his last victory since he dies from the great wounds that the dragon inflicted upon him. Throughout these three central battles in the poem, pagan and Christian themes and concepts are intertwined. Beowulf is oral art. This poem, originally pagan, was handed down from one minstrel to another with many Christian changes and embellishments leading to the mixture of the two religions( Boucquey) . Scholars and...