Beowulf, considered the oldest English masterpiece, celebrates Beowulf's three great fights. Whether Beowulf is a Christian poem written based on a pagan story or a pagan poem rewritten under Christian influence remains unknown, considering that the poem combines pagan and Christian elements rather seamlessly. Although Beowulf is described as a hero of admirable Christian virtues, he is still essentially a pagan hero. The poem does not reject pagan heroism. However, the oldest manuscript of Beowulf was written by a Christian for newly converted Christians, so the poem as we know it shows the superiority of Christianity over pagan religions. The three great fights can be interpreted as a criticism of the flawed characteristics of Beowulf from the Christian point of view. The first fight depicted in the poem is between Beowulf and Grendel, who is described as a "cruel spirit" and a "wretched being" (102-4). Grendel is a monster descendant of Cain (106-7), who killed his brother and was condemned by God. Grendel attacks Hrothgar's kingdom because he is envious of the joy of Hrothgar's mead hall (86-99), so Grendel represents envy. Beowulf fights Grendel without weapons or armor because he is just and brave. He fights Grendel to save other people, not for personal gain, which shows his generosity and. He believes in God and therefore is worthy of his strength. Beowulf is considered the strongest man on earth, so he does not envy. As a result, Beowulf easily wins the fight and kills Grendel (808-814). This first fight shows that there are similarities between Christian heroism and pagan heroism. Even though Beowulf is a pagan, his courage, his kindness and his aversion to envy are evident...... middle of paper ......f he was buried with gold and treasures (2802-8 ), similar to how the ancient Shield kings Sheafson was sent out to sea. These physical possessions are the pagan representation of a king's greatness, but seem vain from a Christian perspective. The three great fights of Beowulf - the main events of the poem - show the shortcomings of Beowulf's characters in contrast to Christian belief. Beowulf possesses many pagan traits, such as pride, strength, and courage, which are considered virtuous by pagans. However, from a Christian perspective, Beowulf is not entirely virtuous and his actions seem contradictory. However, even though Beowulf's character flaws killed him in the end, he is still an admirable hero who deserves respect from Christians and pagans alike. Works Cited Alexander, Michael, trans. Beowulf. New York: The Penguin Group, 1973. Print.