Essential Question #2

Discuss biblical allusions and religious symbolism in Beowulf.

Beowulf is an epic story that uses multiple biblical allusions and religious symbolism in order to enhance the plot. Biblical allusions are used to enhance the plot through biblical references to characters like Cain and through the predetermination of characters' fate as chosen by God. One thing that especially drives the plot is that Cain, the first biblical murderer, was the patriarch of Grendel, hence Grendel too has murderous tendencies. Therefore, the villain in this story was created from the bible, so the author creates a hero that is predestined by God to fight and defeat the spawn of Cain. The author is very keen on noting how Beowulf is predestined by God to defeat Grendel and his mother: "Ecgtheow's son [...] would have died far under the wide earth [...] had not holy God granted him victory" (1535-1540). The author also goes as far as having the characters like Beowulf crediting God for their good fortune: "I barely espcaped with my life from that combat under the water [...] our encounter would have ended at once if God had not guarded me" (64). Clearly God and Christianity plays a crucial role in this story, because the characters and plot owe their fate and actions to them.

Essential Question #1

What are the social obligations of a hero? Is Beowulf aware of his deification process?

Heroes, whether they are average joes distinguished by their courage or they are superhumans with paranormal abilities, are known as heroes because they are obligated by society to help the needy. No matter the time, the place, or the sacrifice, heroes are the men and women that come to the rescue to those who are in dire need of it. Heroes are quite similar to villains, in that both are usually powerful, either physically or socially. What seperates a hero from a villain is that a hero chooses his fate as a savior to the needy, while villains are the people who feed off the suffering of others and are the cause of this need.

This is why Beowulf is aware of his deification as a hero, because he knowlingly puts the burden of being a hero upon his own shoulder when "he gave orders that a good ship should be prepared [...] [because he planned] to assist the famous leader, the warrior king, since he [Hrothgar] needed hardy men" (199-201). Beowulf was aware of their need for help because he had "heard in own country of Grendel's crimes" (196). And instead of ignoring this awful news, he instead chooses to come to the help of Hrothgar and Hrothgar's people. By accepting Hrothgar's abstract call for help from grendel, the villain, Beowulf is accepting the social obligations of a hero and making them as his own. Hence by accepting his role as a hero he is also aware of his deification because he brings it upon himself.