Is Beowulf Christian Or Pagan

Beowulf In the story of Beowulf, written by an anonymous writer between 700 and 1000 A.D, there are many references to Paganism and Christianity. People believed that the writer of this poem was indeed a Christian even though he held strong Pagan views. Many ask the question is Beowulf a Pagan or a Christian hero, but the real question to be asked is what is the true religion behind this English epic poem? Although there are many Christian references in the poem, they are only used in order to draw familiar parallels to the character Beowulf’s’ belief in Paganism. During the time of Beowulf, society was gradually converting from Paganism to Christianity. The Anglo-Saxons were struggling with this conversion and having a hard time believing
Beowulf had to face the wrath of a mother whose son was injured and eventually died. She came for revenge and would stop at nothing until Beowulf was dead. “Scholars have shown that Anglo-Saxon values were not eradicated after conversion to Christianity; many, including the revenge ethic, continued to coexist with Christian values for many years” (Brenner 20). Although Grendel’s mother is a woman, she proved to be even more competition for Beowulf than Grendel was, “He’d have traveled to the bottom of the earth, Edgetho’s son, and died there, if that shining woven metal had not helped—and Holy God, who sent him victory, gave judgment for truth and right, Ruler of the Heavens, Once Beowulf was back on his feet and fighting. Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy sword….But so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated length. He drew it from its scabbard…lifted it high over his head and struck with all the strength he had left, caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all…”(627-649). The narrator gives us the sense that with God anything is possible. He shows that God was the one who gave Beowulf the strength to rise and defeat Grendel’s mother. Although Beowulf’s strength came from God, he uses it again in an ungodly like manner and kills Grendel’s mother. Our hero felt no remorse for what he had done, “Her body fell to the floor, lifeless, the sword was wet with her
Wiglaf, Beowulf’s cousin who had fought along side of Beowulf during the battle, brought him the treasures as he was laying there dying. Beowulf is quick to thank God for these treasures but then contradicts himself by saying, “For this, this gold, these jewels, I thank our father in Heaven, Ruler of the Earth—For all of this, that His grace has given me, allowed me to bring to my people while breath still came to my lips…Wiglaf lead my people, Help them; my time is gone. Have the brave Geats build me a tomb, when the funeral flames have burned me, and build it here, at the water’s edge high on this spit of land, so sailors can see this tower, and, remember my name, and call it Beowulf’s tower…”(802-816). He recognizes that God was the one that made it possible for him to have the treasures but he goes on to tell Wiglaf to get the Geats to build him a tomb in honor of himself. He doesn’t mention anything about building a church to represent all that God has done for him, he wants everything to be about himself and that is not something a Christian would