Example Of The Biblical Motif In Beowulf example essay topic

The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting Grendel's mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon storyteller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. As I read Beowulf, I found it full of important character elements such as Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes. Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by their status. But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an element of honor.

To the Anglo-Saxons, a character's importance, as well as their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but was also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments. Hrothgar, king of the Danes, is one example of the Anglo-Saxon measurement of importance in Beowulf. In Stanza 1, the storyteller describes his wealth and importance, not as mounds of gold or jewels, but instead as his ability to [lead] the Danes to such glory. and as his tendency to In battle, [leave] the common pasture untouched, and taking no lives. I think this is truly heroic how Hrothgar shows compassion for the commoner who does not fight in battles, but he proves the full extent of his honor and therefore the extent of his wealth and status.

I believe Beowulf, the hero-prince, also proves his true wealth and status through his deeds, as defender of the Danes. Beowulf to me is a great hero, because when God gives him the strength to defend the Danes, he praises God instead of himself like most other heroes. And when he fights and defeats Grendel, Beowulf earns fame and wealth from his companions, and from the Danes, but more importantly, he earns honor raising him to the level of an archetypal hero. Grendel, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Beowulf. He has no wealth, no honor, and he in infamous as an evil killer. This lack of wealth and honor defines Grendel as a symbol of evil and corruption.

In addition to using Honor and wealth to define a character's character, the story-teller (s) have incorporated alternating Biblical and Paganistic motifs in the epic-poem. The original Epic was obviously Paganistic due to the time period of it's creation. But, as time wore on, the rewriting and touching up of the manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the characters to have slight Christian characteristics. Including the Christian characteristics into this epic, made it better for Beowulf's character as the Hero of the poem, because he looked to God as his own hero and for protection. These Christian themes have become very important to the epic to add an element of depth that wouldn t be possible in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. An example of the Biblical motif in Beowulf is Grendel.

Grendel is biblically described as evil in this excerpt: Grendel was the name of this grim demon Haunting the marches, marauding round the heath And the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time In misery among the banished monsters, Cain's clan, whom the Creator had outlawed And condemned as outcasts. For the killing of Abel The Eternal Lord had exacted a price: Cain got no good from committing that murder Because the Almighty made him anathema And out of the curse of exile there sprang Ogres and elves and evil phantoms And giants too, who strove with God Time and again until he gave them their reward (102-114). The Biblical reference in the epic has become a modern day archetypal motif, and serves to give the listener an idea of the extent of Grendel's pure evil and gives a logical explanation for Grendel's murderous behavior. This example, not only shows me the evil in Grendel's nature, but also the torture in his heart caused by his banishment from God. It gives me an idea of why Grendel would kill the Danes for no reason other than their happiness.

Beowulf also has a religious motif to his character. One example of this is in stanza 6 lines 381-383 in which Hrothgar states, Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided [Beowulf] here to the West-Danes, to defend us from Grendel. This religious description shows Beowulf as a sort of messiah sent by God to save man from evil. But, more than that, since Beowulf is in fact not a messiah, this description shows the good in Beowulf's heart and the purpose of his mission. The meaning from these lines is significant to me because it shows how God is there for you when you need him the most. Another Biblical reference in Beowulf is shown in the tower of Herot, which to me is very similar to the tower of Babel in the fact that it's built as a sign of superiority and accomplishment.

Like Babel, Herot only serves as a symbol of downfall more than one of glory, because it causes many deaths and the coming of Grendel. Apart from Wealth, Honor, and Paganistic vs. Biblical themes and motifs, character is also shown through a certain Man vs. Wild motif. This motif shows the difference between mankind's ways (good), and evil's wild nature (evil). Grendel for one, is totally wild and is therefore shown as evil. In this quote, [Grendel] will run with [Beowulf s] raw corpse and feed on it alone, in a cruel frenzy fouling his moor-nest. Grendel shows his wild, untamed, and therefore evil nature in which he carries within himself, having no mercy on his victims Grendel's wilderness is countered in mankind's ways, especially Beowulf's.

Beowulf is tame and civilized, the epitome of goodness and purity. Beowulf doesn t fight evil in a wild manner, rather, as shown in his first battle with Grendel. First off, Beowulf is pure and shows this before his battle when he removes his armor and vows not to use a weapon to defeat Grendel. Defeating Grendel, he shows that man, without armor and weapons, can defeat evil in any form including that of his foe Grendel.

This deed serves throughout the epic as a symbol of Beowulf's Goodness. Beowulf has many other such archetypal, symbolic themes and motifs, but the most important themes that serve to add depth to the characters are the wealth, honor, religious, man, and wildness themes. These themes don t only serve to define a character, but they also factor in as a motive for their actions. Overall, I believe Beowulf is the most honorable warrior in literature for a person to look to as a hero. He risked his life to save the ones he loves and looked to God for the strength and courage he needed to win against the evil of his world.