Religious Dissonance Within Beowulf

Throughout the epic "Beowulf" the clash between monotheism and polytheism is evident due to the wide religious belief spectrum it envelops. Allusions to Christianity and Paganism show up constantly throughout its text and create a dissonance in values and symbolism through the duration of the poem.

The protagonist of this epic, Beowulf, starts off not as a savior of his people but as a lowly druid seeking to prove himself on the field of battle such as Jesus started as a carpenter from a poor family from Nazareth. At first glance, it is apparent that Beowulf, a pagan warrior is depicting a Christ-like entity. We are told at the beginning of the story that Beowulf is "a Wendel chief renowned as a warrior, well known for his wisdom". This statement suggests that Beowulf is a pagan character, for he is a warrior; nonetheless, aside from being boastful and egotistic, the poet is depicting Beowulf as a man of wisdom, a man like Christ. Towards the end of the poem, for example, the poet reveals that Wiglaf, "a comrade shoulder to shoulder