Anglo Saxon Values In Beowulf

The Anglo-Saxons were from an antiquated time from over a millennium ago. However, they still held many values dear that people today also hold in high regard. They held those who kept key values of the culture, such as storytelling, kinship, and loyalty, in the highest esteem. The tale of Beowulf exemplifies this in multiple ways. The Anglo-Saxons held the value of storytelling very highly, and for good reason. At the time there was no written word so the only way that anybody would be remembered would be if others told their tale. They wanted the feats of their generation and those past to persevere so the future members of their society may learn from the deeds of the best of their community. This is why the Anglo-Saxons saw poets as important as the warriors they sang songs and told tales about. This is shown in Beowulf when it says “Day after day the music rang loud in that hall, the harp’s rejoicing call

They did not want to fall to infighting so if everybody in a community is amicable with one another that risk is greatly reduced. They were also in a time where the threat of attack was a very real danger so they wanted to know those around them were their family, even if not by blood. This is shown in Beowulf when all but one of Beowulf ’s brothers in arms deserted him whenever they were fighting the dragon. Whenever the one who stayed, Wiglaf, and Beowulf killed the dragon Beowulf said to Wiglaf “You are the last of us, the only one left of the Waegmundings.” (Heaney 47). Even though all of Beowulf’s other men had stuck with him through every other battle, it meant nothing because they deserted him when he needed them the most. This is why he does not even consider them a part of his clan, a part of his family. It shows how important kinship is to him and other Anglo-Saxons because the worst punishment he could give them was to not consider them his