Beowulf, Faustus and Paradise Lost Essay

In Beowulf, Faustus and Paradise Lost undergo a religious transition, from Paganism to Christianity, Christianity to reformation and Rebel. These changes aptly reflect the historical shift from a boastful and baseless view to a more humble and meritorious perspective.We see a shift in consciousness from the writers point of view, beginning during the Medieval heroical poem Beowulf and trace the religious shift in this consciousness betwixt Beowulf and Paradise Lost. It can be seen in these texts, (including Faustus) that although Christianity was very much a powerful model against which society was built in the Middle Ages, it is alike contradictory in many ways.William Shakespeare is k instantern for his writings on Denmark for his take shape in Hamlet and it is seen in Hamlet how pagan believes were rolled unitedly with Christianity. However, Beowulf deals with a more sinister form of the pagan/Christianity shift and that is of underground and demonic existence. The monster called Grendel causes great devastation to the public and inhabitants of Denmark, much to the horrify of King Hrothgar who has continued a long lineage of life-threatening and decent world-beaters.At this stage of literature, there was still a vast add up of emphasis rigid on mythology and the belief in demons and monsters. One overly has to be aware in this case of the parallels to Christian stories that follow the equivalent lines as Beowulf does. For instance, Beowulf does not come from the same tribe as the king and his tribe are kn receive as Geats. If we look at the elusive nature of this story, we can form a link amongst David and giant or even Saint George and the Dragon.Beowulf lies in wait for the monster to enter at the court and slays Grendel with his bare hands. The same is true but in varying degrees of the Biblical David and Goliath proverb. St George and the Dragon also has the same connotation in it. Beowulf also struggles with Grendels mother who come s to avenge her sons death.Beowulf slays her too but has to swim to the depths of a lake in order to limit her. In this tale there is also a sentimental descent to the story of King Arthur, a legend that has been intertwined with Christianity over the years. In Arthurian legend, Avalon is situated in the middle of a lake from which a lady is reputed to airlift the sword of Excalibur the sword that rules Camelot. Arthurian legend canonizes the same tale make in Beowulf, only making it appear less savage and pagan.A throng of sorrows I have borne from Grendel but immortal still workingwonder on wonder, the Warden-of-Glory.(Beowulf, XIV 920-923). in that respect is clear reference higher up that graven image was indeed used and referenced in this poem, but God is also used somewhat as a talisman rather than as an all powerful supernatural being. In the same passage, God is referred to as the God of ages and the Mighty Maker (Beowulf, XIV 936 & 985). despite these referenc es to God, there is still a great deal of emphasis placed on the monster who is representative of demonic power.There is a symbolical reference to the mother of Grendel and also to the Queen, whom in Christianity can be seen as Delilah and Mary. Grendels mother is the dark side of the female Christian form, the one that is corrupt and subject to failure, while Wealhtheow is the mother figure who bestows upon her minions the peculiarity and capability to fight evil.In typically pagan stories, evil and good are not conceptual, but have to be referred to in term of something tangible. It is for this reason that the numerous offenses undertaken by Beowulf are always against some usurious being such as a monster or a dragon and are never the inner most battles that are really fought against evil. In Christianity, evil is possessed by every man and fair sex and the only way to thwart this inner evil, is to have God on your side. The pagan beliefs and mythology create physical represen tations of the inner battles that mankind faces.The Tragical narrative of Dr. Faustus is Christopher Marlowes best known work. Unlike Beowulf, Faustus is aware of the dangers of the practice he is getting into because he is forewarned that the occult is not to be trifled with. Dr. Faustus essentially sells his intellect to Lucifer in exchange for success as a practician of the magical arts.Dr Faustus, despite numerous misgivings at various stages of the pledge, accepts that he has now signed his soul to the devil in a blood pact. unneurotic with Mephastophilis, Lucifers own right-hand man, Faustus is richly rewarded and begins a serial of assaults on humanity which includes the harassment of the Pope himself. In this play the symbol of power is a great driving force for mans downfall. Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat from the tree of knowledge upon which require fruit grew, they ate of the fruit and were afflicted. In this story, Faustus too is warned against delving to o muddy into the occult, but his quest for knowledge and power is too great.Faustus signs the pact with his own blood which is symbolic of Christs blood only that in Faustus case the blood threw him into sin, while Christs blood cleanses it. There is, in the Quatro of 1616 a dialogue between the Good Angel and the loathsomeness Angel. This is extremely important when considering that there had been a deep conflict between Medieval paganism and Renaissance Christianity.