christianty in literature

The Christian faith is a strong reoccurring element in much of early and contemporary literature. Though other early religions, such as paganism, do come into play, Christianity is most prevalent because the early monks were the scribes of civilization, often shaping oral legends to fit Christian beliefs. This Christian storytelling is obvious in Beowulf and in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. In contemporary literature, the Christian aspect is obvious in A Prayer for Owen Meany. These three works all include bits and pieces of Christianity, while drawing slightly upon other aspects, most often paganism’s idea of fate.

In Beowulf, Beowulf represents good, while Grendel, his mother, and the dragon represent evil. This connotation of the characters draws strongly on the idea that Grendel is a descendent of Cain, the condemned son of Eve in biblical lore. A connection, however vague, can be made between the maternal relations of Eve and Cain and Grendel and his mother. Grendel’s mother can be considered to personify man’s fall from grace and Grendel himself might embody sin. Furthermore, the dragon Beowulf battles can be said to be a picture of Satan and the dragon’s tower, Hell: “

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2596
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)