Tolkien’s Beowulf: The Wages of Heroism

Beowulf

Feb 14

Beowulf, Myth, and Christianization

Beowulf stands at a fascinating intersection of mythology, history, and theology. The poem is not just a relic of the past but a powerful meditation on the blending of pagan heroism with emerging Christian ideology. How did the poet reconcile the old world of gods and monsters with the new framework of divine providence? Were Grendel and his mother truly "adversaries of God," or was this merely the Christianization of older pagan figures?

The Pagan Past and Christian Present

The monsters of Beowulf—Grendel, his mother, and the dragon—bear unmistakable connections to Norse myth and folklore. They resemble the ever-watchful foes of the gods, much like the Jötnar of Norse legend. Yet the poet ties them explicitly to the biblical lineage of Cain, associating them with eotenas and ylfe, which find parallels in Norse alfar and giants. This was no mistake, but a conscious synthesis of the old and new.

Could the poet have been a confused semi-pagan? That seems unlikely in 8th-century England. Yet his minstrel sings of Genesis in Heorot, a song that drives Grendel mad. The poet was clearly aware of native lays and oral traditions, but his knowledge went beyond that of a mere Anglo-Saxon bard—he was a craftsman of cultural synthesis.

Beowulf: A Christian King or Pagan Hero?

The great king of Heorot, Hrothgar, bears the marks of Old Testament patriarchs. He is a shepherd of his people, attributing all his blessings to divine mercy. But Beowulf himself, though he thanks God for his gifts, operates within a different code—the heroic ethos of the noble Anglo-Saxon warrior. He earns loyalty and renown through strength and courage, characteristics deeply rooted in older, pre-Christian traditions.

Beowulf is not a direct historical representation of 6th-century Denmark, Geatland, or Sweden. Instead, it is a designed and thoughtful literary work that constructs a vision of a noble, sorrowful pagan past—one that lingers at the edges of memory, neither condemned nor fully embraced. The poet did not merely Christianize old tales; he wove them into a tapestry that acknowledged the power of both traditions.

The Legacy of Beowulf

Critics who argue that the real matters of Beowulf are pushed to the edges miss the point of its artistry. The poem’s true power lies in its ability to evoke an old world—one filled with heroes and monsters, light and shadow, pagan nobility and Christian salvation. It is a work that does not discard the past but rather transforms it into something enduring.

We may be thankful that such a noble creation has survived, rescued from the dragon of destruction, offering us a window into a world both lost and ever-present.