Medieval Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses that the ideology of paganism and Christianity clash within Dante's "The Divine Comedy" and "Beowulf" (anonymous). The author points out that, by observing the earlier authorship of "Beowulf", one can see the similar use of Christian domination over pagans but without the absolutist values of the Church of Rome in Dante's later times. The paper relates that, by understanding the contrasting time periods of the poems, one can understand the historical and literary conflict of paganism and the Christian faith in medieval times.

From the Paper:

"This literary analysis compares and contrasts the different conflicts of paganism and Christianity that appear within "The Divine Comedy" by Dante and "Beowulf". By using various passages from both of these epic poetic works, one can realize the conflict in the way that paganism was still a part of Christian belief systems in early and middle medieval literature. Through Dante and the anonymous author of "Beowulf" the burgeoning Christian system was slowly overcoming the Pagan polytheistic ideals that had existed for centuries before the Roman Catholic Church came to power in northern Europe. In "The Divine Comedy" by Dante, Canto IV presents the polytheistic nature of paganism, which was beginning to wane through the power of the Roman Catholic Church in the 13th century. "

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