Line 14.
Seriously.
Check it out.
Before you even meet the main character in this poem, before you really get your bearings,
the narrator in this poem busts out with the G-word.
Yeah, God.
And after He makes His first entrance, God—specifically the God of Christianity—pretty much pops
up all over the place in Beowulf.
We'll talk about what in heaven's name is up with this motif ... right after this.
One of the things that might seem a little strange about Beowulf is the fact that it's
a mix of paganism and Christianity.
For example, you have mentions of pagan shrines (like in line 175), and plenty of references
to fate.
On the other hand, what appears even more frequently throughout the poem are references
to Christianity—to the one God and to the Messiah, or Christ.
Just think about King Hrothgar's speech to Beowulf, after Beowulf defeats Grendel.
He says, "I suffered a long
harrowing by Grendel.
But the Heavenly Shepherd can work His wonders always and everywhere
... ... now a man,
with the Lord's assistance, has accomplished something
none of us could manage before now for all our efforts."
This motif of Christianity—especially the characterization of Beowulf as a kind of Messiah—is
repeated throughout the poem, helping to support the poem's themes of identity and heroism.
Beowulf may have the heritage and characteristics of a hero.
But the Christian references set him apart.
It's almost like there's something divinely-ordained about Beowulf, as though his path maps out
the way for all heroes who follow him.