Essential Question 2

Discuss biblical allusions and religious symbolism in Beowulf.

Beowulf is an epic poem filled with religious symbolism. After all, it was written in the Old English era of British Literature. In those days, literature was filled with religious references. In Beowulf, a prevailing theme is pagan beliefs vs. the church. A good example of this conflict is that between Beowulf and the Grendels. Grendel is an evil monster that devours the people at Heorot, and Beowulf stands for the people. After he defeated Grendel's mother, Beowulf said that "our encounter would have ended at once if God had not guarded me" (1640-1641). Also, God is described as "The Creator [who] ruled over all humankind, even as He does today" (1045-1046). In the times when Beowulf was written, it was customary that everyone stood for their king, who they believed to be sent by God to rule them, and in turn, God and the king offered protection for the people. In that way, Beowulf was standing up for God when he stood up for Hrothgar and the people of Heorot. Also, a common religious reference is that of snakes. It is likely that the snake stands for evil, as in the story of Adam and Eve. Beowulf fought sea serpents before fighting Grendel's mother, and his sword was said to have a hilt adorned with serpents, which could be symbolic of Beowulf's dark deed of murdering Grendel and his mother. Those are some religious references in Beowulf and their significance.