pagan and christian themes in Beowulf
Though Beowulf is almost entirely Pagan there are certain unexplained christian references that seem out of place. While there are no actual references to Jesus Christ there are some references to god that don't seem to go along with the rest of the story. Scholars have several different theories as to why these references show up in Beowulf but no one knows for sure. Beowulf was most likely written down after the Anglo-Saxons had been christianized. But the actual story of beowulf was likely around much earlier than that. This is the reason for both pagan and christian references in beowulf. Some scholars believe that the cause of the christian references in Beowulf is that the Monks who probably wrote down the story and modified it to better fit their beliefs. Since it was written down after the christianization of Scandinavia the monks transcribing the story were most likely christian. Since beowulf is such a pagan story they probably added the christian references while writing it down. But what is paganism? And what makes Beowulf such a pagan story? Pagans believe in magic and many of them practice magic. They also believe in the existence of gods and goddesses that affect our daily lives. Pagans believe in supernatural monsters and magical heroes. Beowulf and Grendel are perfect examples of this. Beowulf is a hero with superhuman or magical powers. Grendel is a demonic supernatural monster. There are also other mythical beasts included in Beowulf such as a dragon and sea monsters. These types of creatures are completely pagan. In Beowulf, some of the creatures and ideas that, at first, seem to be completely pagan, connect to christianity in some roundabout way. For example, lines 86 through 98 of Beowulf say, Then a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark, nursed a hard grievance. It harrowed him to hear the din of the loud banquet every day in the hall, the harp being struck and the clear song of a skilled poet telling with mastery