Beowulf is an epic story that says a lot in a way that would not be obvious if the symbols used were not recognized and placed in a specific context. It is, among other things, a story of dragons and battles, of Christianity versus paganism, and the story of a man and his pride. It is also a story about the evils and destruction of female power. Because of the historical context, it is helpful to understand the time period of its writing and similar stories in history. As part of this discussion, comparisons with Arthurian tradition are used as well as religious historical context. Beowulf was written, at best, between 800 and 1100 CE, while the Arthurian tradition was established in the fifth century, three to six centuries earlier. Due to the nature of oral history and culture, sufficient time has passed and provided ample opportunity for elements of Arthurian lore to be used in Beowulf. They both contain dragons, magical swords received by a female figure in a lake, and strong references to Christianity. Due to the religious historical context, these symbols also included contexts of a religious nature. Some of the symbols used for feminine power are swords, any body of water or division of the earth, the night or the moon and the dragon. Swords, the sun or day, hands, Christianity, God and the lord are all symbols of masculine power. It is important to realize that a gender symbol can also replace a person's figure. As such, hands can stand in for a masculine presence and a lake is interchangeable for a feminine presence. It is also essential to note that the context of a symbol changes the gender representation of that symbol. A sword in a cave becomes a feminine power but when held by a man, ...... middle of paper ...... transforms it into a new power of disciplined masculinity and patriarchal Christianity . The blade is sacrificed with the blood of the dragon in a clear representation of Jesus Christ. Just like in Alice in Wonderland, the hero must return to the surface in a metaphorical rebirth, transformed by the events leading up to this moment. In Beowulf, the lake serves as his birth canal and amniotic fluid after his rebirth into Christianity and its patriarchal system, leaving behind all vestiges of femininity. Works Cited Damrosch, David and JH Dettmar, masters of British literature. Flight. A. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008. Gardner, Laurence. Genesis of the Grail Kings. Gloucester: Fair Winds Press, 2002. Ogden-Korus, Erin. Many monsters to destroy. September 3 2011 .