http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN6TNj4bqW0&feature=plcp

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN6TNj4bqW0&feature=plcp

2. Beowulf: Advancing the Christian Agenda BEOWULF: ADVANCING THE CHRISTIAN AGENDA

3. THESIS • Beowulf advances the Christian agenda by • Typifying Beowulf a Christ-like character • Depreciating pagan and blood feud society

4. 1. Beowulf : A Type of Christ

5. Relationship with God • Lines 927-930 “First and foremost, let the Almighty Father               be thanked for this sight. I suffered a long harrowing by Grendel. But the Heavenly Shepherd can work His wonders always and everywhere.” • Lines 1270-74      “But Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength,         the wondrous gifts God had showered on him:                he relied for help on the Lord of All,              on His care and favor.”

6. Analogous Characteristics • Lines 2802-2808 “Order my troop to construct a barrow   on a headland on the coast, after my pyre has cooled.  It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness  and be a reminder among my people—        so that in coming times crews under sail       will call it Beowulf’s Barrow, as they steer    ships across the wide and shrouded waters.” • Christ’s institution of the sacrament

7. BEOWULF • 196-There was no one else like him alive.Inhis day, he was the mightiest man on earth,highborn and powerful. • 956- son of Ecgtheow(1383, 1550, 1651, 1817, 2397, 2587 • 1190- Beowulf the Ge • 2463- lord of the Geats (2550 • 2575- king of the Geats • 2415- The veteran king sat down on the cliff-top. He wished good luck to the Geats who had shared his hearth and his gold. He as sad at heart, unsettled yet ready, sensing his death. His fate hovered near, unknowable but cerain: it would soon claim his coffered sould, • part life from limb. Before long the prince’s spirit would spin free from his body. • 2468- Heartsore, wearied, he turned away from life’s joys, chose God’s light and departed, leaving building and lands to his sons, as a man of substance will.  • 2529- Men-at-arms, remain here on the barrow, safe in your armor, to see which one of us is better in the end at bearing wounds in a deadly fray.This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me to measure his strength against the monster or to prove his worth. • 2804- It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness and be a reminder among my people- so that in coming times crews under sail willcall it Beowulf’s Barrow, as they steer ships across the wide and shrouded waters.  CHRIST • 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3) • Son of man (Matt 8:20, 9:6, 10:23, 11:19, 12:8, 13:37, 16:13, 17:9, 18:18....) • Jesus the Christ. (Matt 16:20) • Lord of the harvest (Matt 9:38) • King of the Jews (Matt. 2:2) • 1These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: • 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17) • 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; • 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. • 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matthew 4) • 36 ¶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. • 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. • 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. (Matthew 26) • 19 ¶And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. • 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22) INTER-TEXT PARALLEL

8. 2. Pagan/Heroic society discourageda. as personified by Grendel and motherb. inevitability of the end of pagan/heroic society

9. Grendel andMother personify pagan traditions. • Grendel’s attacks lead the people to forget their Christian beliefs and turn to “pagan shrines, “ vowing to idols and asking the devil to save their people. (l. 175-8) • Grendel offers no mercy to his foes an is terribly strong: “Then his rage boiled over, he ripped open/the mouth of the building, maddening for blood.” (l. 723-4) • Grendel’s mother perpetuates the blood feud, as goes pagan tradition. When her son dies, she comes to Heorot and kills one man in revenge: “She had pounced and taken one of the retainers/ in a tight hold, then headed for the fen.” (l. 1294-5)

10. The death of Grendel and mother : symbols for inevitable societal failure “…holy God decided the victory. It was easy for the Lord, the Ruler of Heaven, to redress the balance once Beowulf got back up on his feet.” (l. 1553-6) Grendel and his mother, not in harmony with ‘God’s will,’ are exterminated.

11. Lingering spiritual monsters within Beowulf and heroic society “The warrior determined to take revenge for every gross act Grendel had committed. . . . Beowulf in his fury now settled that score.” (l. 1577-85) “The hall towered, its gables wide and high and awaiting a barbarous burning. That doom abided, but in time it would come: the killer instinct unleashed among in-laws, the blood-lust rampant.” (l. 81-85)

12. Demise of Pagan/Heoric Ideals “For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” -Matthew 26:52

13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKLAJXRbPE&feature=context-chahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKLAJXRbPE&feature=context-cha