In the great epic Beowulf, written by an unknown author in around 1000 AD, the main character, Beowulf, is portrayed as a Christ-like figure. While reading the story of Beowulf, I picked up on some of his qualities, which reminded me of Jesus Christ. Two of the qualities that particularly stuck out to me while reading this novel was Beowulf’s heroic reputation, and his urge to conquer and accomplish everything that comes his way.
When the reader is first introduced to Beowulf they may notice the Christ-like qualities shown through his actions, victories, and his personality. Beowulf was very well respected and loved, just as Jesus was. To most, Beowulf was a hero and was worshiped for his defeats. These similarities are evident just as the novel opens up, and all throughout the story as well. One particular line stuck out to me while comparing Beowulf to Jesus, “ Hell’s captive caught in the arms of him who of all men on Earth was the strongest (Cantos11, 225-230)”. That line in Beowulf is a perfect example of how highly the people of Geatland view Beowulf, and how Beowulf can be compared to Jesus. Here, the author is describing Beowulf as the strongest man on Earth, something that we Christians believe Jesus is and always has been.
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When looking up the definition of Jesus I came across much abroad answers, but one website linked perfectly the definition of a hero, Beowulf, to the definition of Christ. On one of this websites pages it says “Jesus never possessed a spirit of fear. His faith was so strong that it allowed Him to willfully submit to the plan of God( beliefnet 3)”. This quote caught my attention, because it made me think of the ending of Beowulf. Beowulf never showed fear towards a battle, and always accepted the challenge. He was always so confident, and always accepted whatever was thrown his
Lessons in Faith from Beowulf “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) This quote from the Bible tells us that anything is possible through Christ, which is a key element in the book Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic, who battles many monsters and during this we can be taught lessons. Though Beowulf encounters many challenging trials, he always overcomes them through his faith in God.
Beowulf: Hero or Hedonist? The way something appears at first is not necessarily what is actually true. Just ask Barney Stinson of the TV show How I Met Your Mother, for example. If you asked anyone who has seen the movie The Karate Kid, they would most likely say the main character of the film, Daniel, is the hero.
One of the common themes in Beowulf is religion and life after death. As would be expected of a work scribed by monks, the epic has many references to God and Christianity. However, Beowulf also has many pagan elements that contradict the beliefs of Christianity. Beowulf himself, though he praises God in many occasions, is not guaranteed a spot in Christian heaven because he is an “unbaptized pagan” (106n3). The many pagan elements in this epic emphasize the Anglo-Saxon values of glory, vengeance, and wealth.
I chose to write my essay over the first topic given in the unit one Assessment document. I analyzed how religion was a common motif throughout “Beowulf”, “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”, and “ The Wife of Bath Prologue”. In the Poem “Beowulf”, him and his community had a tendency to view god highly, and thank him for their accomplishments. They were highly influenced by religion, which is why they applied it in their every day life. Then in “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”, the community also was influenced by religion because of the code of chivalry.
Beowulf possessed the poised demeanor necessary to defeat all evils by the arrogant swing of his sword. The commitment shown by lending his life to the welfare of his people was imperative in order to be called a flawless warrior. Beowulf embodied the determination that Anglo-Saxons saw as unmeasurably valuable. If nothing more than just fiction, Beowulf is the ideal hero of the people from who he originated. “They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame.”
Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.
I believe that Beowulf can be seen as a Christ figure throughout the epic of Beowulf. He shares many characteristics with Jesus. He faces a devil figure, sacrifices himself, and is recognized as a savior by his people. Beowulf to the Danes is a savior, taking away the fear that Grendel will kill all of Hrothgar’s people. In the Christian sense Jesus Christ is a savior to all Christians.
“Throughout the epic narrative, the emphasis is placed on the solitary nature of the hero’s task. Beowulf appears to live and fight alone” (Fisher). He became the savior of the Danes and the Geats because he saved the people from great
Beowulf is a Christ-like figure because of his selfless leadership to protect others, not for himself. Beowulf is seen as a Christ-like figure because he is unearthly . Jesus and Beowulf are leaders who make loving decisions and
In the epic Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is depicted as a heroic figure who fights monsters and defends the weak. During its time, Beowulf would be considered a great hero, however in today 's standards Beowulf would only be considered a great warrior. That’s because a hero should value the lives of the people and not seek to be rewarded. Instead, Beowulf committed heroic acts for his own selfish reasons and never shows to values the lives of the people. From fighting Grendel to slaying the dragon, Beowulf only fought because he value the fame and fortune that comes along with those accomplishments.
The Christian influence in Beowulf’s epic adds certain meaning and connotations for the events that are happening within the story. Without it, many implications written would hold no meaning, and instead appear to be completely random and without any reason. In Beowulf’s fight against Grendel’s mother, Beowulf managed to survive a fatal blow due to miracles created by God (Seamus, pg 107). If Christianity is taken out and God is removed from the story, Beowulf’s survival would’ve been very unlikely or he was truly lucky. A moment after, however, Beowulf stumbled upon a lucky encounter once again; a godsend sword that is able to slay Grendel’s mother was just hanging around the cave walls (pg. 107-108).
Beyond Beowulf’s role in history and its role in literature, it also plays a role in church history, as a Christian text. Beowulf is often seen as a Christian character who holds his moral and virtues above all else. The growth of the church in Anglo-Saxon England greatly influenced Beowulf; in fact, Beowulf himself is a figure of Christ in this epic poem. The conversion of Anglo-Saxon England to Christianity stands out in history.
The story of Beowulf isn’t just any ordinary story, but a story that has been told for centuries. A story of a hero who’s legacy has been told for so long. Beowulf’s life shows the characteristics of a true epic hero. He showed bravery, he used his strength against his enemies and in the end gave the ultimate sacrifice for his people.
Christopher Reeves once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Although Beowulf was human, he was not an ordinary individual, hero, or king, for he was a man who displayed superhuman qualities in his efforts to protect the Danish and Geatish people. Beowulf, who was established Geatish warrior that spent his life in battle, showed these extraordinary characteristics that made him an epic hero, one who possesses superhuman, almost god-like qualities. Being constantly on a quest, risking his life for glory and the greater good of society, and being superiorly intelligent, courageous and strong are the three most important reasons why Beowulf deserves such a notable
Beowulf took place in the sixth century, in times where “rank and ceremony, human solidarity and culture” were key components of social culture. Glory also played a huge role: “veterans with their tales of warrior-kings and hero-saviours from the past [rubbed] shoulders with young braves,” influencing the latter to strive for greatness (Heaney). Heroism and sacrifice are part of what “gave drive and sanction to the Germanic warrior-culture enshrined in Beowulf” (Heaney). Christianity played a large part in both Germanic society and the poem Beowulf.