Poor old Danish and poor old Geats! They never knew about the holly revelation and that is why they were idolatrous. If they knew the true God they probably never had to hire Beowulf, because God would not permit Grendel killing thanes…
The poet shows more mercy to the ancient Danish and Geats than Roland’s author shows for the Saracens. Is it just a difference of style? Well, first of all, with women exchanged as presents and to seal alliances, it is of high probability that our unknown author had a Danish grandmother or a Geat aunt. Secondly, at the time when this poem was written, most of the Danish and Nordics tribes were already Christians, just like the English of the time. English ancestors were also Pagans until three or four generations before the poem was written and they shared many aspects with ancient People of the North… so let’s be indulgent to the ancient pagans. They did not know about Christ and if they knew, they would embrace the true faith, because they were Christian in their character and they had the favor of the Lord…
The poem presents the ancient pagans as Christians in their ways and tries to present them as the prototype of chivalry and knighthood, even when, at that time, those things were not invented yet. The poem reinterprets an old story and presents it as compendium of “Christian” –as Christianity was understood in Middle Ages –and noble virtues present in the very origin of the People of the North, who shared some codes with the contemporary English. Was this poem composed in occasion of some alliance?
I agree with you, Arturo, that this author treats the so-called pagans of "Beowulf" better than the author of "The Song of Roland" treats the Saracens. I think, in large part, it's because the beliefs of the Danish and Geats before their conversion was not considered a threat, or heresy, of Christianity. In fact, it was so much so not a threat that they could even merge some of their traditions with Christianity to facilitate mass conversion. The Saracens, on the other hand, followed a belief system that was considered a perversion of Christianity by some and so, consequently, they occupied a more "monstrous" position in these societies.
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