The Christian Implications in Beowulf

109 Pages·2015·5.41 MB·English

M= GILL
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
Acc.NoUNACC. DATE1931

T H E C H R I S T I A N I M P L I C A T I 0 N S
I N
BEOWULF
Marguerite Zitzmann Allen
(Mrs. Alexander Allen)

PREFACE
In dealing with the question of the Christian
implications in the Beowulf it has not been my intention
to prove that the passages in the poem were either
interpolated or not. However, much valuable knowledge
can be gained from a critical examination of the
data at hand.
l wish to record my indebtedness and to express
here my appreciation to Professor G. W. Latham for
reading my manuscript and for his many helpful criti-
cisms.
M. Z. A.
McGill University,
Montreal, April 29, 1931.
"Soth is gecythed,
thaet mihtig God manna cynnes
weold wideferhth."
-- Beowulf, L1.700a-2b.
COlTTEirTS
The Christian Implications in Beowulf
Outline 2
• • • • •
Chapter
I Christian Passages in Beowulf • • • 7
II A Chronological Study of Opinions concerning
the Christian PassaGes in 35
Beo~~lf • •
III A Critical Study of the Two Views 56
• •
IV The Date of Beovmlf • • 67
V Conclusion • • • • • 85
Bibliography 95
• • • •
1
THE CHRIST IAIT I?:'IJ?L I CAT I OHS IH BE cY:lTJL ::i1
OUTLLUE
I Chapter I Christian Passages in Beowulf
A ~umber - eighty-two
E Classes - passages relating to
1 Biblical history - three
2 Christian doctrines and conceptions - twenty
five
3 The Christian God and his &ttributes - fifty
four
II Chapter II A Chronoloc;ical Study of Opinions con
cerning the Christian Passages in Beowulf
A F. A. Blackburn
1 A heathen poem
2 Hypotheses to ex~lain present form
~ Ethical and moral )assages
4 Christian borrowings from pagan words
5 Old Testament references
6 Incompleteness of revision
7 Colorless character of allusions
B R. A. Chambers
1 Co~patibility of Germanic and Christian ideas
2
3
2 Survival of pagan traditions
3 Old Testament references
4 Poetical value of passages
5 Syntactical test for the passages
C Sivert N. Hagen - mixture of ideas in all liter-
atures
D Gustav Grau - Cynevrulf the author of Beowulf
w.
E J. Sedgefield
1 Conparison with the Eddas
2 I.~oral seriousness of Beowulf
3 T11e author a. convert
? Enrico Pizzo
1 Theory oi' multiple authorship
.
) Intrinsic nature of Christian elements
~
3 The Satan of the Tii ddle Ae;es
4 The early Anglo-Saxon ideal
G 0: F. Emerson
1 Grendel's descent from Cain
2 lToti ve of envy
3 Heathen and Christian ideas to-day
4 Heathen divinites
H ~;;. \1. Lav.. . -rence