In British literature religion plays a role in the vast majority of works. Even if the role is not particularly evident, there are a generous amount of small inspirations and distortions in the lyrics. It is theorized that some texts were even altered from their original state to reflect a certain amount of religion contained within them. Other texts are formatted as a result of religious influence. Religion has an elaborate and complex influence in a variety of ways in many works throughout the development of British literature. It is estimated that Beowulf was written more than twelve hundred years ago. According to The Norton Anthology Of English Literature, "It is now widely believed that Beowulf is the work of a single poet who was Christian and that his poetry reflects a well-established Christian tradition" (37). This conclusion was probably drawn taking into account the time period in which Beowulf was written and considering that most of the people in the area where it was believed to have been written had already been converted to Christianity. In some ways, this provides the best explanation for why Beowulf contains a high level of Christian influences for the story to have taken place at that time. Dr. J. Michael Stitt of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, states that: “Much of this epic poem is devoted to conveying and exemplifying the heroic code that values ​​attributes such as strength, courage, and honor. Conflicting with this ideology are other factors such as Christianity, and these tensions influence the lives and decisions of the characters in the narrative. If one of the main focuses of Beowulf is the heroic code, and the heroic code condemns the author's beliefs, then why did he write it? This isn't to say that authors don't write about things that ... middle of paper ......t, Stephen, gen. and. “Paradise Lost”. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9th ed. vol. 1. New York: Norton, 2012. Print. 36-39.McGalliard, John C. "The Poet's Commentary in Beowulf." Studies In Philology 75.3 (1978): 243. Literary Reference Center Plus. Rete. 14 April 2014. Milton, Giovanni. “Paradise Lost” The Norton anthology of English literature. Stephen Greenblatt, Gen. and. 9th ed. vol. 1. New York: Norton, 2012. Print.1945-2175.Riva, Lisa (2008). “Religious Heresy and Radical Republicanism in John Milton's Paradise Lost.” Undergraduate Review, 4, 95-98.Stitt, Michael J., Dr. “Beowulf and the Heroic Code.” Tolkien and fantasy literature. University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Web. April 22, 2014.Wenzel, Siegfried. "Chaucer and the language of contemporary preaching". Studies In Philology 73.2 (1976): 138. Literary Reference Center Plus. Rete. 14 April. 2014.