Interpretation, interpolation, and meaning: the Christian/Pagan Conflict Resolved

Beowulf is an ancient Germanic story of a revered pagan hero, however, it is now

commonly accepted that the surviving transcription “is the work of a single poet who was

a Christian and that his poem reflects well-established Christian tradition” (Norton 30).

In addition to being generally accepted as the work of a Christian poet, it is also

principally believed to have been transcribed between the eighth and tenth century.

Initially the idea of a Christian poet recording a pagan legend seems like a contradiction

that leads to a conflict of religion, but knowing that “the conversion of the Germanic

settlers in England had been largely completed during the seventh century,” leads to the

conclusion that the intended audience of the transcribed work was a group of new

Christian’s who still adhered to many of the aboriginal Germanic values. Although the

poet’s interpolation deviates from the oral tradition, it does not tarnish the value of the

story, and does not create a conflict between two differing belief systems. Rather, the

surviving version is an evolution that not only preserves the original but also incites

relevancy to the poet’s audience of Christian neophytes, connects them to their past, and

delivers a profound message. The poet creates this applicability and main purport by

composing the work using the infrastructure of the Christian religion, justifying pagan

actions through the grace of God, and answering to the contradictions between the heroic

code and the Christian religion.

The construction, juxtaposition of both pagan and Christian elements, of Beowulf

does not create conflict between the story and the Christian religion. Christianity itself

was created through the introduction of new beliefs to the preexisting religion of Judaism.

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion known to man, and the introduction of the

Christian religion came from a group of individuals believing that Jesus Christ was the

messiah prophesized in the Hebrew Bible. These individuals applied the teachings of

Christ to their lives, recorded them in texts, and included the Jewish beliefs of their

ancestors in the construction of Christianity. Christianity’s roots lie in Judaism, but this

does not create a conflict within the religion. It is essentially an interpretation of past

beliefs, an inclusion of this interpretation with the existing ideals, which thereby creates a

new set of convictions. The new doctrine is not a contradiction of the old, but an

extension and evolution of the tradition. The poet of Beowulf is doing the exact same

thing to a lesser degree: taking a legend that idealizes his ancestor’s beliefs, interpreting

this according to his current understandings, and morphing the story to satisfy this new

evaluation. The construction of Beowulf is naturally Christian, and the combination of

the story’s pagan foundations with the poet’s newfound Christian beliefs give the story its

pertinent meaning to the poet’s audience. Tolkien describes this action best explaining

that the poet was “using the materials (then still plentiful) preserved from a day already

changing and passing, a time that has now for ever vanished, swallowed in oblivion;

using them for a new purpose, with a wider sweep of imagination, if with a less bitter and

concentrated force” (The Monster and the Critics).

The poet condemns the belief system of the pagan society in Beowulf, but does

not disparage the actions of its people. Herot is attacked, the Dane’s fall upon hard times,

and seeking for an answer to their problems it is noted that “sometimes at pagan shrines

they vowed offerings to idols, swore oaths that the killer of souls might come to their aid

and save the people” (175-178). This is an early and swift condemnation of their deities,

but the poet follows that with the idea that “the Almighty Judge of good deeds and bad,

the Lord God, Head of the heavens and High King of the World, was unknown to them”

(180-182). The author continues with a sentimental pity that creates an emotional

connection between the reader and these ancient people, “cursed is he who in time of

trouble has to thrust his soul in the fire’s embrace, forfeiting help; he has nowhere to

turn” (183-186). Despite denouncing their beliefs, the poet does not castigate the people,

and instead justifies their actions as being in accordance with what they knew.

Ultimately the poet offers the people a salvation that is unbeknownst to them: “blessed is

he who after death can approach the Lord and find friendship in the Father’s embrace”

(186-188). The poet uses this brief section of the work to note that this ancient people

did worship idols different than the Christian God of the audience, but justifying this

action and offering the unknowing people salvation allows him to immediately set aside

the issue of their pagan actions. As the poem moves forward there is no more mention of

the heathen gods, and the author of the poem attributes the results of actions in the

remainder of the work to a monotheistic God, “they thanked God for that easy crossing

on a calm sea” (227-228). The poet understands that his audience may not be able to

comprehend the beliefs of the people, and see them as wrong, With this awareness he

answers this potential conflict for readers: yes, their beliefs are different, but it was a time

before the revelation of Christianity, and their actions are the result of the innate grace of

God that is found within all living beings. Even though this was a vastly different culture

in an ancient era because the author justifies their actions as being directly related to the

will of God the audience can connect with the society on an intimate but fleeting level.

Tolkien again explains this point well noting that the “maker was telling of things already

old and weighted with regret, and he expended his art in making keen that touch upon the

heart which sorrows have that are both poignant and remote” (The Monster and the

Critics).

The set of morals that is created through the Germanic heroic code are secular at

their surface, but resemble Christian ideals at their base. The fundamentals of this code

begin with the most important relationship of the culture: the bond between a king and

thane. However this link was usually not just between a lord and his vassal, but

oftentimes a familial link existed between the two individuals. The king was usually the

patriarchal figure of the group, the most achieved warrior, and the most competent leader.

The thane would pledge an allegiance to the lord, and vow to stick with him until

whatever end they would both meet. The Christian God is the father of his people, and

his followers place the entirety of their trust in his will. Immense value was placed on

bravery of individuals in the pagan community. All warriors were expected to face any

danger without fear, and with the knowledge that if anything happened to them their

kinsmen would exact revenge on the individual responsible for that evil act unless the

family were “to exact the payment of wergild(man-price) in compensation” (31).

Christian teachings provide believers with the strength to stand up to challenges knowing

that everything happens by the grace of God, and evildoers will face judgment during the

end of days unless they ask forgiveness of their sins. Kings rewarded their subjects with

fantastic riches for their devotion, and everlasting immortality was found through the

favorable earthly actions of individuals. God promises an immeasurable treasure to his

people, and Christ teaches that eternal immortality is gained through the most important

task in the Lord’s eyes: belief. One can view the idea of everlasting immortality for the

pagan people as an undying fame to those still living, which would contradict the

Christian idea of perpetual life after death in heaven. However, Christians also have

individuals who are revered just as much, if not more, after their death than they were in

life. Beowulf is to the surviving members of his culture what Saints are to future

generations of Christians: legends. The heroic code is not a contradiction of Christian

ideals, but rather it is an application of these ideals to a pre-Christian world. The poet has

an admiration for two of the main characters of the poem because “Hrothgar and Beowulf

are portrayed as morally upright and enlightened pagans, they fully espouse and

frequently affirm the values of Germanic heroic poetry” (30). Just as in Christianity,

there is a full set of commonly known rules and regulations as to how a good pagan

should live, and many of the characters of the epic live by these rules. These sets of

rules, however, were delivered to their people differently. God personally delivered

Christian ideals to his followers allowing for less of an opportunity to interpret his word,

while the basic rules of God were hardwired into the ancient culture as a result of his

innate connection with all of mankind. While this intrinsic programming of the rules

gives the people a basic understanding, it leaves room for the human intellect to analyze

and define the practice of them.

The poet of Beowulf successfully merges two vastly different religious ideologies

from two very different time periods to create a work that is significant to his audience.

Other than the fact that these ancient people practiced what was considered a heathen

religion, they lived by a standardized set of rules, and are portrayed as a decent group of

individuals. The Christian message is not found in the actions or beliefs of the people,

but in the one thing they lack. The poem is pervaded by a “somber and dignified elegiac

mood,” and “is filled with laments for the dead,” but the reader must dig deeper than this

to understand the true meaning (31). The poem is not a lament to the dead, but

something more powerful to his audience. The epic is a “lament for heroes like Beowulf

who went into the darkness without the light of the poet’s own Christian faith” (31).

Although the audience of the poet was far removed from the time period the poem takes

place in Tolkien explains that the story “was made in this (England) land, and moves in

our northern world beneath our northern sky, and for those who are native to that tongue

and land, it must ever call with a profound appeal-until the dragon comes” (The Montser

and the Critics). Beowulf steps into his third great challenge, the trinity of his battles,

against a fire breathing beast living in a dark cave below the ground. The scene is eerily

reminiscent of the Christian view of hell, and Satan who like the dragon has a pointed

tail. Beowulf is unsure of himself as he leaves his knights saying “I shall win the gold by

my courage, or else mortal combat, doom of battle, will bear your lord away” (255-257).

There is no God to put his faith in, and Beowulf must rely on only himself when he steps

into battle. When it looks as though he will die without slaying the dragon, a most

unlikely individual comes to his aide, “the youth was to enter the line of battle with his

lord, his first time to be tested as a fight” (2626-2628). This youth, Wiglaf, is able to help

Beowulf realize his ultimate goal.

Just as the individuals of Judaism who created Christianity found the son of God

in an unlikely source, Beowulf, the lord, finds aid in his younger kinsmen. Furthermore,

just as Christ delivered a new message to his people, Wiglaf also delivers a profound

revelation to his peers “Often when one man follows his own will many are hurt. This

happened to us” (3077-3078). Wiglaf also prophesizes of an approaching inescapable

battle in which the Geat’s will be destroyed, just as Christ warned of an impending

judgment day. However, on this judgment day Christians will not shed tears as the

Geatish women did, but will rejoice in knowing that they are advancing to everlasting

glory. The poet’s intention was not to incite conflict between the two differing peoples,

time periods, and religions. Rather, it is a tribute to the grace of God, and a celebration of

knowing this God presented via a sorrowful account of a culture that did not.