The Role of Religion in Literature

Throughout ages, religion has been an important role in literature works. Brown (1976) describes Oedipus a mythical Greek king of ancient time and puts to light how the matter in question influenced literature. In his plot he gives an allusion of the dominance of religion in literature by writing a nonfiction legend which narrates how Oedipus fulfilled a prophecy given by an Oracle of god. The avenue opens with the king consulting why he did not bear child. In response the Oracle god put it clear that, if he had a son. The son would kill him and marry her mother. As a result, this would bring disaster to his family and the city. Ian (1990) advances the mythy and narrates how Oedipus was born and abandoned at a mountain. Latter he was adopted by a neighboring king as his son.

One day Oedipus was told by a drunkard that he was an adapted son of the neighboring king. Oedipus in search of his father consulted the Oracle god. The oracle god did not tell him his worldly father but told him that he made to kill his father and marry his mother. In attempt of escaping from the calamity, he flees away from the home. On his way he meets his real father chariot and fights him over who is to cross a junction road first. In his defense he kills him. The prophesy becomes true. He moves on with the adventure and finds riddle men at the bolder. He was given a riddle on condition that if he misses the riddle he would be killed and become a pray for sphinx which used to eat people who never got the riddle right. Once he got the riddle right the sphinx was killed. In appreciation the people were very happy and made him the king. in addition ,he was given the widow of the former kings his mother as his wife.

Elsewhere in the middle age, Alexander (2003) comments the epic poems of Beowulf which dates back 650 AD that the religion has great role in literature. Beowulf in his nonfiction poems and legends explains how the pagans worshiped their ancestors' gods. The writer of the time describes how Beowulf heroically defeats dragons and monster. even though he is killed a sacrifice is made to pagan gods during his burial. , Gawain and knight, in the year 1340 AD, use poet to show how Christianity and paganism had intermarried. In this regard they show how Christians celebrated the Christmas at prolonged times and pagans contacted   rituals to their gods. 

Paradise lost of renaissance times  describes  how  Christian religion influenced the writing of  literature .Milton (1667) narrates the fall of man in the garden of Eden, the epic poem  explains the fall of man ,The temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan and their expulsion of  them from the garden of Eden. He further justifies the conflict between Gods eternal living and free will of Satan. Satan appears as a character that is more heroic and intriguing than God. This brings the name paradise lost into meaning. The poem rhetorically questions the church during the reformation era and demonstrates how they had lost track during the dark ages. Milton (1667) integrates paganism and Christianity in his arguments.

Within the poem he draws attention to matters of marriage, Politics, monarch, grapples, controversial theological issues like trinity, fate, sin, death and predestination among others. Throughout the course work gods are a major fact in determining the future , in the  ancient times Ian(1991)  depicts   oracle god  as superior and in control of the unknown this is shown  when Oedipus  moves to consult oracle matters concerning  his childlessness .People of the  ancient days  trust the oracle god very much to an extent that they  don't belief in anything else. The oracle god is portrayed as an adviser of unknown mystery and truths. This puts man as a servant and slave of t gods since they can't predict the future.

In the middle age Beowulf portrays both pagan gods and the Christian God as supreme. Sacrifices and consultation is made to both ancestors and pagan gods. However, Christian God honored by Christian festivals like Christmas is made to honor Him. Man is portrayed as inferior to god and can survive through God.

In renaissance period paradises lost describes God as Superior being, but Satan one of his angels' rebels against him, Satan puts man astray from God and man is made captive of sin through the first man Adam. God demonstrates his supremacy by showing  Adam his plan to save mankind from sin .thought  paradise  story portrays man as inferior to God and Satan, God remains supreme and helpful to man. but man is left to choose who is to follow.

Tragedy is expressed as an event that causes great sadness and often causes someone's death to occur at the climax of the event.  In Oedipus the king poem, tragedy is exposed when he flees away from his adopted father and flees away to escape from killing him. However on his way he meets his biological father with chariot at a junction. A conflict between the two arises on whom to cross the junction first. As a result fight breaks between the two groups. On his defense he tragically stubs his father to death.

In the work of pardoners tale tragedy is expressed when three drunkard men sets out from pub to go and find death which killed their friend. On their way to search death they find an old man who claimed that he had told death to take his life but declined. The man directed them where they could find death .he directed them to go and find death under an oak tree. On arrival they found gold and money instead.

At once they forgot about their mission and started to plot how they would share the treasure. Meanwhile it got dark they made plan on how to guard the treasure overnight. One man the youngest is sent to town to bring wine and food. While he was a way in town the two men plotted to stub him when he came back. The man in town poisoned the wine with rat lace. When he returned back from town the two men stubbed him to death. They ate the food and drug wine. They later die slowly .all of them died tragically because of greed.