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Beowulf Mythology. By Charlie Konieczny. Anglo-Saxon Paganism. Polytheistic Often cremated or inhumed the dead, usually with a selection of ‘grave goods’ Believed that kings were descendants of a god Believed in magic and witchcraft. Beowulf. Beowulf battles many creatures
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Beowulf Mythology By Charlie Konieczny
Anglo-Saxon Paganism • Polytheistic • Often cremated or inhumed the dead, usually with a selection of ‘grave goods’ • Believed that kings were descendants of a god • Believed in magic and witchcraft
Beowulf • Beowulf battles many creatures • Creatures are mythological or magical • Grendel-giant compared to men, man-eating, inhumanly strong, evil • Grendel’s mother- somewhat smaller and weaker than Grendel, stronger and larger than men • Dragon-self explanatory
Grendel • Described as descendants of Cain • Grendel is described as a giant monster many times larger than men • It is stated that Grendel cannot touch the throne of Hrothgar because it is protected by a god http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Stories_of_beowulf_grendel.jpg
Grendel’s Mother • Grendel’s mother is never clearly described in the poem, leaving room for various interpretations http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Stories_of_Beowulf_water_witch_trying_to_stab_beowulf.jpg
The Dragon • Beowulf’s fight with the dragon symbolizes the battle between good and evil • Beowulf becomes the first dragonslayer in the history of English literature http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Beowulf_and_the_dragon.jpg
Sources • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_paganism#Mythology • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragon_(Beowulf) • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grendel's_mother