The Christian Epic Beowulf

The epic Beowulf is the basic good vs. evil long narrative poem. A local town is being terrorized by a sin stained demon named Grendel. The town’s people pray for a savior for many years and eventually their prayers are answered. A legendary warrior by the name of Beowulf arrives to defeat the wrathful creature. As he promised, Grendel had met his match and Beowulf did it bare handed.

This epic is without a doubt a Christian epic. There are many references made to the bible. For example, the epic mentions, “The Almighty making the earth”(7) in the beginning. A non-Christian epic would not us these words as a vehicle for the setting of their drama. The mentioning of any reference to the Bible or anything precluding to it, would not be used in a pagan epic. Other words, spoken in the Christian favor where “banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Abel’s death”(21). This quote refers to a story of the Bible and conflict of good and evil. Never the less, reinforces the concepts of this epic being Christian. At the same time it shows these persons realize the wrath of God’s power, further more strengthening the notions being discussed. Another phrase that makes these thoughts believable is “…protected by God”(84). Pagan societies refuse to condone God and everything he stands for so yet again, why would a non-Christian epic mention anything referring to God. In the end the hero wins and evil is defeated, God is the hero and satin is the evil. In a Christian epic this is the only true ending.

We will never truly know weather this is a Christian epic or not. But the facts are presented hear and there is no doubt Christianity is present in this epic which either way strengthens my argument. If you still don’t believe these arguments, then how would it be possible for a pagan epic to refer to Christianity or the bible as many times as it does and say it isn’t a Christian epic?

Word Count: 345