Collection of Found Objects

The story of Beowulf originates from pagan myth and legend yet is filled with Christian ideals and beliefs that sit alongside pagan imagery and sentiment within the text. The unnamed poet that recorded the oral tradition of Beowulf does so after the Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity around 700 c.e. and thus includes Christianity in his recounting of the ancient stories. Examining the interplay between the occurrences of pagan and Christian ideals gives us some insight into the possible reasons for the inclusion. The two main types of interplay are: Christianity undermining pagan belief, and pagan ideals undermining Christian belief. The secondary question that we will examine is how those beliefs and ideals shape the narrative of Beowulf.

Because Christianity was not part of the original stories of Beowulf, the inclusion of it could have two purposes, which are not mutually exclusive: inclusion to camouflage the heresy of paganism (and preserve the stories by avoiding condemnation from the Church authority) and inclusion to undermine pagan ideals outright. The first type reads as a “seasoning” of sorts; an unnecessary yet obvious inclusion of Christianity. An example is when “God” sends a “good king” and Beowulf to the Danes and the “large gift God had given [Beowulf]”. These are the narrator’s words (the character’s dialogue has a different weight and will be discussed below) and could easily be changed to “the gods” or “Odin” without losing any meaning to the story. The other type of religious inclusion is far more intentional because it undermines pagan belief in the text head-on. The poet chides that as the Scyldings were terrorized by Grendel, they made sacrifices and appeals to the “soul-slayer” (the devil) because he was their hope, “the hope of heathens”. Again, when Grendel and his mother are being introduced, lengthy bits of text are devoted to the origin story of the monsters. Though pagan belief would accept them as a sort of horrifying yet naturally occurring monster, the poet tells of the descendants of the biblical character Cain who was banished from his tribe as an outlaw after killing his brother and “From him sprang all bad breeds, trolls and elves and monsters”. Later in the story, when Beowulf successfully kills Grendel’s mother, the poet specifically tells us of how Beowulf was given victory with the use of magical items. There is an impenetrable chainmail shirt that protects him from a knifed deathblow and a magical sword that has the power to do what his first sword (a very bad gift) failed to do -> kill Grendel’s mother. Yet glory is given to “God… wise Lord… Ruler of the Heavens”. Considering these examples it seems evident that the author sought to recontextualize the Germanic stories of monsters and heroes within the enlightened view of an ultimately sovereign Christian God.

And yet, even with the polished vernier of Christianity laid over the stories of heathens long ago, a durable patina of pagan ideals persists within the stories. There are several instances in which the author mixes the two systems of belief and allows pagan ideology to undercut Christianity, such as reciprocal gifting. But it is much clearer when the author uses the contrast between beliefs to provide tension between characters and move the story along. The author presents Hrothgar, king of the Scyldlings, as a man who believes in God and “speaks consistently as Christian”. He gives credit to God for the coming of Beowulf though he was told two pages prior by Beowulf himself that he had come to help with the Grendel problem after “the best wise earls” had “examined the omens” and urged him on to defeat Grendel. He asserts “alone I shall settle affairs with Grendel”. Then later after defeating Grendel, corrects Hrothgar’s attribution of God’s victory by saying “With much good will we have achieved this work of courage” (emphasis added). Beowulf does use Christian terminology, but viewed within the context of his steadfast paganism, can be read as code-switching at best. An example of that incongruity is when Hrothgar and he first meet, Beowulf says that he doesn’t fear death because “The one whom death takes can trust the Lord’s judgement” and only several lines later says “Fate always goes as it must”. Again, while feasting at Heorot, Beowulf says “Fate often saves and undoomed man when his courage is good”. Then in preparation for battle with Grendel says, “may wise God, Holy Lord, assign glory on whichever hand seems good to Him”. Because the concept of fate is part of the pagan worldview and is completely at odds with the will of a Christian God, it seems the author is intentionally using the conflict of paganism and Christianity between Hrothgar and Beowulf to tell a larger story of good and evil to convey a set of morals to his Christian readers. Nowhere is this better evident than in the “sermon” delivered by Hrothgar as Beowulf prepares to go back home. Hrothgar tells Beowulf, and us, that only through humility and steadfast trust in God will anyone achieve “eternal gains”.

If the author’s purpose for the inclusion of Christian ideology in Beowulf was simply to camouflage and protect the stories from the scrutiny of the church, it would seem it successfully did so. Afterall, a manuscript survived over a thousand years for us to read; though one could argue that because there aren’t more copies, perhaps it didn’t escape condemnation of heresy and destruction while this singular copy sat hidden in a cellar to be discovered much later. What can be decided with more confidence, is that the author himself believed in the God of the Christian church and interpreted the Germanic myth and legend through the lens of a God-centric worldview. What remains to be seen, is whether the fate of Hrothgar and of Beowulf are indicative of their respective beliefs. Will good king Hrothgar follow the Lord and have a peaceful and honorable end, while Beowulf performs heroic deeds for his fellow man and ultimately meets a tragic or dishonorable end?