Challenging Conventions: Beowulf

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Challenging Conventions
Beowulf is an Old English heroic poem whose author is mainly unknown, although it is widely considered the highest achievement of Old English literature. Although the poem belongs to the heroic tradition of Germanic mythology and contains familiar motifs from folklore, most ethical values depart from Germanic codes of morality or the grim fatality of Eddaic lies and towards Christianity. The main character, Beowulf, is portrayed as more altruistic than ancient Greek heroes or other Germanic heroes. Of particular significance is Beowulf's battles against enemies of the entire society rather than men: this salient fact is a Christian allegory to Jesus, the champion of goodness against evil. Moreover, Beowulf's sacrificial death is not considered a tragedy but rather a fitting end to a good hero's life.
There are many elements of Christian philosophy throughout the poem, such as man survives through the grace of God, all earthly gifts are given by God and should be shared freely, and that all men are made great by God and should therefore be humble. Even though the poem retains the strong sense of pride characteristic of Germanic heroes, Beowulf is repeatedly admonished by Hrothgar against the dangers of untempered pride and selfishness. Hrothgar reminds him that pride comes before a fall and that wealth amassed through God's grace should be shared unselfishly. Beowulf, himself admits to God's protection, even stating that his battle with Grendel's mother would "have ended straightaway if God had not guarded me." Even more powerful is the exalting statement about God: “…most often He has guided the man without friends” (Shippey & Haarder).
"The Nun's Priest's Tale" in The Canterbury Tales by poet Geoffrey Chaucer and a mock epic of the Catholic Church. At the time of publication, the Catholic Church wielded enormous influence and power in medieval society and criticizing the institution illustrates Chaucer's courage in challenging convention. By the late fourteenth century and after the Black Death claimed thousands of lives, the Church's practice of collecting regular tithes from its devotees had started raising suspicion among a small population of believers, such as Chaucer. While The Canterbury Tales, in general, is a censure of the hypocrisy and greediness that was at the time being perpetrated by the clergy, "The Nun's Priest's Tale," in particular, is a censure of the exclusivity of Latin among the clergy and how they used the language for their agenda.
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