Essay Comparing the Concept of God in Beowulf and Other Anglo-Saxon Poems :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Concept of God in Beowulf and Other Anglo-Saxon Poems Is the concept of God mentioned precisely in Beowulf or is it a common element in all Anglo-Saxon poetry? Is the concept of God described the same way as in Beowulf? Beowulf presents a mixture of Christian and pagan elements Hrothgar is demonstrably a mo nonheist, bu this people were offering sacrifice to pagan gods when Grendel caused them to despair. Lets try to straighten out the concept of God in this poem. In the early lines of this classic we see what is meant by GOD and by GOODNESS, as embodied or exemplified by the king, in this case by King Scyld Scefing he grew under heaven, prospered in honors until every last one of the bordering nations beyond the whale-road had to heed him, pay him tribute. He was a reasoned king A son was born him, a glorious heir, young in the courtyards, whom God had sent to comfort his people, -well had He seen the sinful distress they suffered earlier, leaderless for long. then the Life-lord, the Ruler of glory, granted earthly honor Beow was famed (8ff) So goodness in a king is the possession of such strength that other nations caution you. And God is the all-powerful One who grants this earthly honor that Scyld, Beow, Healfdene and Hrothgar shared in. So God the Author of strength is their concept of God as the poem opens. This subject continues Then Hrothgar was given victory in battle (64). Who was the giver? God, of course. From Heorot Hrothgar would he would share out among young and old all God had given him, move out common land and the lives of men (71ff) Heorot gave joy to the people with its scop narrating how the Almighty had made the earth, the life He created, in each of the species, until a certain one began to do evil, an enemy from Hell, a descendant of Cain. So Gods antithesis is in Grendel and his mother and their home in the darkness. Ater killing more than 60 Dane warriors, Grendel grieved not at al l for his wicked deeds was too deep in sin many awful sins against mankind, the solitary fiend often committed he knew not His love.