Christian Elements In Beowulf By Seamus Heaney

Between the year 800 to 1,000, Beowulf was written when Angelo-Saxon’s were in their early conversion to Christianity. It was during this syncretism, that the elements of paganism and Christianity became intertwined, as people tried to rectify their pagan beliefs with Christian beliefs. However, in Seamus Heaney’s translated version of Beowulf, the Christian and pagan elements show how religion is used by people to respond to various life scenarios. Clearly, Christianity was gaining more acceptance and popularity, but people still returned to their paganist beliefs and habits. Thus, Heaney’s translated version of Beowulf, portrays central Christian elements, as the non-Christian elements contradict Christian creation beliefs, while the Christian and non-Christian elements collaborate to form a more coherent epic poem about the difficulties in converting from paganism. First, the poem portrays central Christian elements that are vital to the text. For instance, through association, of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, one finds the first documented murder, which is also the breaking of the first commandment of thou shall not kill. Since God has ostracized the …show more content…
For example, the text states that, “Out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward” (p 9, lines 111-114). Clearly, Christianity does not support the pagan creatures mentioned in this passage. Another example from the poem is when, “The dragon began to belch out flames and burn bright homesteads; there was a hot glow that scared everyone, for the wile sky-winger would leave nothing alive in his wake” (p 137, lines 2312-2315). Undoubtedly, this pagan creature is not created by God, nor is it scripturally supported. Therefore, the non-Christian elements contradict Christian creation