We were discussing the religious aspects of the piece, to which my instructor suggests, were just the result of some over zealous monk, who upon recording down the story of Beowulf chose to add his own "religious flair" to the story. In other words he added the Christian elements.
That's when I had an idea. Perhaps, the whole story of Beowulf is about Christianity. I could see my teachers face beginning to turn red as her lips already began to say "no." I stopped her with an explanation. Beowulf, is faith based character who believes God's will and destiny will make him right, even when he's wrong. He is Christianity, and Grendel represented Paganism, secularism, part man, part beast and a descendent of Cain and Abel sent to die in isolation. I wonder if there's a bit of sarcasm from the author, as he see's the choice of mankind's transition between paganism to Christianity. Perhaps this is an argument against Christianity, as the story beckons to ask by its end "What must we sacrifice?" for this belief in pre-destiny, this new belief structure? By willing our lives to God, we're absolved from responsibility of our own lives, and in the end mankind, has no heroes. Mankind is no longer responsibly for saving itself. It doesn't have to, it now has Jesus.
This is when my professor looked at me, just shook her head, and said "you're an idiot" with her glare. I bothered not, to enter into Grendel being a descendent of incest from Even and Cain and Abel.
