Beowulf Pagan Vs Christian

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Beowulf: Pagan and Christian Themes Beowulf is a renowned epic tale that displays different religious beliefs. The tale highly regards the concepts of notoriety, retaliation and destiny. Mixed in, are also the qualities of loyalty, humility, and sacrifice for the good of others and compassion for those less fortunate. Beowulf is a story based on Pagan and Christian beliefs. The pagan elements Beowulf are apparent in the characters heroic image. Beowulf takes it upon himself to save the Danes from Grendel. In his battle with Grendel, Beowulf chooses not to use weapons; he relies on his own strength (Beowulf 681 - 685). He wrestles with Grendel until he is able to rip one of the monster's arms out of its socket. These superhuman acts also appear in the fight with Grendel's mother. When Beowulf enters the water, he swims, without the use of oxygen, downward for an entire day before he sees the bottom (Beowulf 1491 - 1496). During the battle, Beowulf realized that Unferth's sword was of no use against the monster’s thick skin. He grabs an enormous sword almost too heavy to hold, and slashes through the monster’s body (Beowulf 1556 - 1569). Beowulf’s strength continues into the battle with the dragon. He decided that he must retaliate for his people and fight the dragon. Beowulf is seriously wounded himself, yet he still manages to gather the strength, to deliver the final blow that slays the dragon (Beowulf 2701 – 2704). The fights of Beowulf can be translated into a story between the powers of good and evil. This is an example of Pagan traditions. Jesus Christ was the son of God. His sole purpose on Earth was to take all the sins from mankind, and sacrifice himself so we could all be saved. Beowulf also threw himself into the mess of battle, knowing his day would also come. He took it upon himself to relieve his people who were

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