Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Beowulf – Defining God
BEOWULF: Defining God The epic poem of Beowulf is truly one-of-a-kind. What other old world poem can lay claim to withholding its own pagan roots and references while being transcribed by a Christian poet? Like other poems of the ââ¬Ëold world', Beowulf's story has its beginnings in oral tradition. Around 850 AD the stories were culminated and written down in the Anglo-Saxon language of the time by a Christian poet. The poet doesn't let the fact that they were Christian severely affect the poem either. That does not mean that his opinions are kept quiet. There are plenty of references to the Christian God throughout the entire poem. It makes you wonder exactly how many different ways can someone refer to ââ¬Å"Almighty Godâ⬠[1314]. And let us not forget the ubiquitous Bible lesson; ââ¬Å"And from Cain there sprang misbegotten spirits, among them Grendel, the banished and accursedâ⬠[1265-1266]. But our poet does not loose sight that these people are pagans with this reference; ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ s he advanced, hurrying to address the Prince of Ingwinsâ⬠[1318-1319]. Ingwins are the friends/worshipers of the god Ing; in other words the Danes of this poem. Being pagan, they are also unaware of the origins of the ââ¬Ëmisbegotten' as noted when Hrothgar says: ââ¬Å"They are fatherless creatures, and their whole ancestry is hidden in a past of demons and ghostsâ⬠[1355-1356]. Give credit where credit is due, the poet remained true to both religions without compensati ng for the other; ââ¬Å"praise Godâ⬠1398. OK, which one?
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