Beowulf

Beowulf is a link between two traditions, the Pagan and the Christian. The virtues of courage in war and the acceptance of feuds between men and countries as a fact of life stems from the older Pagan tradition, and on the other hand Christianity's moralities are based on meekness and poverty. Beowulf brings these two convictions together through the actions of the characters. As a result, the Beowulf poet is at pains to resolve his Christian beliefs with the often quite un-Christian behavior of his characters. This tension leads to frequent asides about God, hell, and heaven—and to many allusions to the Old Testament throughout the work.
Even ...