Paideia Today: Season Two, Episode Five, Andreas
Description
This episode looks at a little-read but fascinating Anglo-Saxon poem called Andreas, named after St. Andrew. Andreas is plainly patterned after Beowulf, but is more explicitly Christian in its literary features, particularly its symbolism. In the tale, Andreas is a missionary to a cannibalistic tribe called the Myrmidonians, who are so savage that they violate the xenia taboo and even eat their guests. Andreas is sent by God to rescue Matthew, who has been thrown into prison and is soon to be eaten. The text is in many ways typological and engaging richly with various Biblical texts, as well as Beowulf. The most important feature of this poem is the way in which Andreas is marked by liturgical elements that demonstrate that its poet is clearly seeking to make his culture Christian, not just his civilization.
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