Heroic and Christian Modes Found in "Beowulf"

Two different modes, called heroic mode and Christian mode, are commonly used in Anglo-Saxon British literature. Literature that uses heroic mode emphasizes the importance of family, heroic deeds, and revenging wrongs. Monsters are also found in heroic mode literature. Christian mode literature contrarily values selflessness, charity, kindness, self-sacrifice, and other religious virtues. Angels, demons, and the Holy Trinity are commonly found in literature that uses Christian mode. Though heroic mode and Christian mode are very different, they are both interestingly found in Anglo-Saxon literature. This is most likely because there was a mixture of both pagan and Christian cultures at the time of the Anglo-Saxons and this coexistence is reflected in their literature.

            The poem Beowulf is a great example of Anglo-Saxon literature that uses both heroic and Christian modes. One particular section of Beowulf that displays both heroic mode and Christian mode that stood out to me is found in the “Heorot is Attacked” section. Lines 99-116 discuss the monster Grendel and its origin. This section of Beowulf uses heroic mode because Grendel is a monster and monsters are commonly found in heroic mode literature. Monsters are found in heroic mode literature because the characters need something to fight to display heroic acts. This is important because heroic mode values the heroic acts of characters.

            Heroic mode meets Christian mode in lines 99-114 of Beowulf because this section also makes a biblical allusion. The poem explains that Grendel had spent part of his life with the other outcasts of the Cain clan. The story of Cain and Abel comes from Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Cain and Abel were brothers born to Adam and Eve, but their father favored Abel. Cain became very jealous of his brother and killed him in what is known as the first murder. God then banished Cain to a deserted area of the world where he had to live out the rest of his life.

            I thought it was interesting that the poem Beowulf included this allusion from the Bible along with the monster Grendel. The poem also explains that ogres, giants, and other phantoms were a curse from God on Cain due to his sin of murdering his brother Abel. The Bible doesn’t actually say that God created monsters as a result of the first murder to punish Cain. This is an example of the author adding heroic mode to a part of the poem that is written in primarily Christian mode.

Questions:
1. Why do you think the author included this allusion from the Bible in this section from Beowulf?
2. Did you think that this allusion part of the poem flowed well with the rest of the story, or did it seem a little forced?
3. The poem states, "...out of the curse of his [Cain's] exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too who strove with God time and again until He gave them their reward" (page 43). What do you think the poem meant by giving these creatures a "reward" and what was it?