A Christian's Take on a Worldly Tale is a criticism based on the knowledge of the author and the historical background to the book's era.

A Christian's Take on a Worldly Tale Beowulf, a worldly folk tale, is surprisingly full of Christian values, traditions, and symbolic references. This book was written by a priest who loved history of all kinds, especially Anglo-Saxon. Of course, being a priest he naturally tied in his religious beliefs. The folk story emphasizes the virtues of loyalty, courage, and faith in the face of extreme dangers and even death. These teachings are compatible with Christian …

…a cycle of good kings (meaning ones who followed God and His teachings) and bad kings (who didn't and set the stage for salvation of the people by the next good king who would restore the nation to its moral foundation). Throughout the story the unknown author cleverly and effectively blends in his beliefs through his characters and references. These beliefs parallel and reflect many of the same values that are inherent in Christian teachings.