Religion and Perspective In Seamus Heaneys translation of the epic poem Beowulf, the hero, Beowulf, faces three

threats. Grendel is the first obstacle; he terrorizes Hrothgars mead hall for twelve years before he is killed. Full of vengeance, Grendels mother attacks the Danes and kills Aeschere, Hrothgars best man. Lastly, Beowulf faces off with a dragon as the protector and king of his people, the Geats. These three fights are complex reflections of the dangers to civilization of the time. They enforce the fact that the people lived in a society with mixed beliefs; they worry about monsters and yet incorporated Catholicism into their lives. Grendel is described as a monster or some sort of unknown creature. He tortures Hrothgar, king of the Danes, by killing off his men at night, after everyone is drunk or asleep. A fiend out of hell, /began to work his evil in the world/and there he came upon them, a company of the best/asleep from their feasting/merciless Grendel struck again with more gruesome murders (Heaney 11). He strikes terror into peoples hearts by playing with their fear of the unknown. Beowulf comes into the poem and saves the Danes; he rips Grendels arm off. Grendel then proceeds to hide away and bleed to death. Grendel is a monster conceived from Norse mythology, but he is descended from Cains clan, which is a reference to the Old Testament. Cain murders his own brother from jealousy and is banned from the rest of mankind. This leads to a controversial debate of whether or not Grendel is actually a misunderstood human, twisted and warped by the views of Beowulfs society. The next antagonist is Grendels nameless mother. She comes out from her hideout in a lake to wreak havoc on her sons killers. She attacks at night after everyone celebrated Grendels death. Grendels mother makes off with Grendels arm and Aeschere, Hrothgars closest companion. Devastated,

Hrothgar wants to give up and leave things as it is, but Beowulf pursues Grendels mother. Rest? What is rest? Sorrow has returned/she has taken up the feud/because of last night/when you killed Grendel/seek it if you dare./It is always better/to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning./Let whoever can/win glory before death (Heaney 93). He follows her to her lair where he beheads her and her sons corpse. These actions show that honor and fame are incredibly important to the people of this time. They will go to many extremes to gain a little bit more glory. The final fight Beowulf faces is with the dragon. This is the last battle Beowulf endures, he slays the dragon, but in turn, he is dealt a fatal blow. He caught the hero/in a rush of flame and clamped his sharp fangs/into his neck. Beowulfs body/ran wet with his life blood/Beowulf discovered deadly poison suppurating inside him (Heaney 183). Fighting to protect his people and gain glory and fame, Beowulf gives his life in battle, ensuring him to a place in Valhalla. In Beowulfs time, warriors fight constantly. They believe that if they gain enough recognition and grandeur from battle, he will be able to go to a heaven-like haven after death. The battles represent Beowulfs heedlessness for glory. Grendel, Grendels mother, and the dragon help ensure Beowulf his status. Incorporating Norse mythology and Catholicism, this civilization is extremely mixed and slightly confusing. The people in Beowulfs time revolve around gaining more reputation, no matter what it takes. Beowulfs society is

engrossed in fighting and wars, shaping his perspective on the unknown and potential dangers.