Anglo-saxon Belief In Fate And Christianity :: essays research papers

The Unity of the Unknown and the Eternal Security The Anglo-Saxon touchin Christianity and Fate Imagine a bearing in which star is simply a pawn at thehands of a swart higher force stumbling and meandering through lifestribulations. Until Pope Gregory the Great was displace to spread Christianitythroughout England, the Anglo- Saxons believed solely in this passive,victimizing philosophy. These pagans still clung to much of their gentileculture after the wave of Christianity swept through England leaving no onebehind. Literature derived from this period (including Beowulf, "The Seafarer,"and "The Wanderer") directly reflects the maintaining of Christian ideals, aswell as the belief in fates unknown and often gentle path. For example, the epicpoem, Beowulf , declares, "...Fate will unwind as it must" (line 284).Meanwhile, the same spring implies God has the authority in this great worldby stating, "And either his glorious band of Geats/Thanked God their leader hadcome back unharmed," (598-599) as if God was the deciding factor in thegreat protectors health. The joining convincedness in God and fate influencesthe culture, outlook on life, and the various independent life paths of Anglo-Saxons. These early Germanic people believe "fate"- an anonymous tycoon -controls the present, future and past yet, they also believe the power of Godis a resolute supremecy not to be denounced. Our earliest warriors put asidetheir doughty independence and let wyrds foreign agency control their viewsand their lives paths m and time again. These pagans even allow destiny toinfluence their view of life which was fatalistic and desolate. "The Wanderer"proves the Anglo-Saxons had little to live for and much to fear as it tells the write up of an anonymous man stripped from his gold-lord. This literary workillustrates stoic loneliness and grim hopelessness by using phrases like, "...what abitter keep company/Shoulder to shoulder sorrow can be,"(lines 26-27) and"Wretchedness fills the realm of earth," (98). on with their outlook on lifeas a whole, fate controls the pagans decisions and lose there of. "TheSeafarer" shows an example of the Anglo-Saxons submissive role by verbalizethe story of a sailor suffering through hardships because he was meant to be asailor and is drawn to the familiar sea. The sailor explains his painful life-styleby stating, "...my soul/Called me eagerly out..." (lines 36-37) implying thisharrowing lifestlye is not a conscious choice, but more of an obligation tosomething other than his mind and heart. Even the bravest warrior send packing victim tothis unsafe and unpredictable fortress. Beowulf, who is "...-greater/Andstronger than anyone anywhere in this world, " (110-111), explained on his