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The Anglo Saxon period
Anglo Saxon men and women
Anglo saxon religion
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Beowulf, one of the first epic poems to be told across the Anglo-Saxon culture, tells the story of a brave warrior. Although this poem was told and eventually scribed many years ago, it still holds characteristics that humans today can relate to. Even though the poem was centered around Anglo-Saxon culture, readers can still relate their culture normalities to themselves through the human condition. Characteristics such as loyalty, bravery, and religion are all evident throughout Beowulf that are similar to the Anglo-Saxon culture as they are to the natural characteristics and nature of the human condition. Loyalty in the Anglo-Saxon culture was a very important aspect for warriors, and even gave people their connection to the higher-power, …show more content…
It gave them their ‘credentials’ and made them actually seem worthy of whatever task was at hand. In Beowulf, Beowulf addresses the king, Hrothgar, when he first arrives as a brave warrior whom has come to take down the monster that has been terrifying Hrothgar and his people, “My people have said, the wisest, most knowing And best of them, that my duty was to go to the Danes’ Great King” (Raffael 6). Beowulf speaks of himself in an extremely high-light when speaking to the king and does this to make himself worthy of his mission. He wants to show and prove how brave he is to the king so that he will believe that he is able to succeed in his mission. Although this is a warrioristic culture from the Anglo-Saxons, this characteristic still exists in today’s culture because of the human condition. Bravery can connect to parts of the human condition, such as aspiration. Humans have aspiration in situations that may not seem very hopeful- we believe in the impossible, somewhat like Hrothgar did when believing in Beowulf and his efforts. We have aspiration as those fighting and those watching, to get our morals up and to have confidence in what’s at hand. Beowulf had aspiration when speaking of how brave he was because he believed in what he could do for the king. Humans naturally hope for the best when we are presented with something that may make change and benefit the situation at …show more content…
Anglo-Saxons were pagan, therefor pagan aspects come through their stories and poems. In this poem, there are aspects of the plot and setting that refer and symbolize pagan characteristics. For example, Grendel’s mother lived in a lake that was like a “fiery flame” (Raffael 18). This represents paganistic characteristics because fire is a symbol for the devil. Because the Anglo-Saxons were pagan, they added aspects that recognize their religion and what they believe into what they told as stories. If a culture believes in one thing, they will add those beliefs and lifestyles into what they do and tell. Although the Anglo-Saxons did not write out Beowulf, they used familiar aspects of their own culture in their stories because it’s what they recognized and what they were used to. They were also more interested in these characteristics because they believed that they were true, therefore, creating a more believable story. Putting religion into cultural artwork wasn’t just done by Anglo-Saxons, but by people everywhere, and even people in today’s society. Because of the human condition, humans add their religion into their works because of their beliefs of mortality and how they will have an afterlife. All humans seek some type of answer to this question of religion, and so many end up believing in one religion or another. We make religion a large part of our lives and begin to insert the
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not only display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem. There are many moments in Beowulf that manifest the many traits that a person should have. This proves how important these attributes are to the characters and the Anglo-Saxon society. Although Beowulf has no known author, it embodies many of the beliefs and morals of the early Germanic society. The author of this epic poem uses many approaches in order to demonstrate that respect and trust are fundamental characteristics of a leader and hero.
Beowulf, an epic poem, written by unknown and translated by Seamus Heaney, is an artifact of the Anglo-Saxon era because it is a piece of literature that was documented once. During the time it was written, writing was not common. The poem reveals a lot of the Anglo-Saxon practices and beliefs, but it also is compared to Christianity because was written down by a christian monk.
Today Beowulf can be relevant in society. A good leader can be further seen in a political process. Throughout the poem, similarities between personal relationships then and now are evident. Disloyalty within a family, murder caused by jealousy, and marriage for the wrong reasons are all themes in Beowulf. Today’s shows like soap operas reveal that little has changed. We live in a technology advanced world with sophisticated machinery but yet human nature has remained the same unchanged. Corruption, greed, and jealousy exist today as does courage, bravery, and
During the Anglo-Saxon times, the values and beliefs of the Germanic people were considerably different from the beliefs and values of the modern age, which were reflected in the oldest surviving Old English piece of literature, Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem written anonymously during the Anglo-Saxon period in England spanning from the fifth century to the eleventh century. The epic poem takes place in sixth-century Scandinavia. “Recited originally in Old English, Beowulf is based on legends and chronicles of the various Northern Europeans who migrated to England.”(Literature: The British Tradition 18). During the fifth through the eleventh centuries“... the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons included loyalty, valour, selfishness, and a sense of
As clearly indicated through the characters of Beowulf and Hrothgar, the ruler-warrior relationship during times of great danger was very important for the survival of the Anglo-Saxons. As long as this relationship remained stable, both the ruler and warrior would remain protected, rewarded, and fairly happy. Beowulf and Hrothgar both men of great valor, were praised by all. This simple system set up between warrior and leader was the basis of society at the times, and destroying this structure would surely destroy a tribe's chances of survival in this time of peril. Therefore, if Beowulf did not honor the Danes' lord and Grendel was allowed to live, Hrothgar and the Danes would surely see their demise. This is perhaps why bravery was of such high necessity in the Anglo-Saxon society.
The Anglo-Saxon poem starts off with “A powerful monster, living down in the darkness, growled in pain, impatient”(1-2). This quote gives the reader an idea of what they would be reading about, throughout Beowulf we figure out that it is made out of different elements. The elements that stand out the most is would be Christianity and Paganism. The definition of Christianity is the religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, or its beliefs and practices. The definition of paganism would be one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods. People believe that the story is mostly pagan due to Beowulf’s boasting, believing in fate, and the royalty. However, this poem is mostly christian
Another trait of the Anglo-Saxon culture is loyalty to a leader. Which is a trait that is still shown today all throughout the world. For example, in the epic poem Beowulf the Geats show their loyalty to their leader when: “Beowulf is fighting with Grendel the Geats have their swords ready” (353-356). With the Geats being ready for the battle if their leader fails shows that they are loyal enough
The Anglo-Saxon culture ran on the outline of the heroic code. The warrior pledged allegiance to his lord in exchange for protection (“Beowulf” 38). Through acts of strength and bravery in battle, the warrior rose in levels of nobility and received rewards from his lord for his bravery (“Beowulf” 38). Hrothgar, king of the Danes and lord of the Scyldings, builds a mead hall, Heorot, to honor his warriors and give gifts to them (Beowulf 67-73). A savage demon named Grendel attacks the great hall and kills thirty of Hrothgar’s men (Beowulf 122). Beowulf, a young Geat warrior, leaves his homeland to aid King Hrothgar in purging the Danes of Grendel. Beowulf’s act of allegiance extends past the kingdom of his homeland by ‘rescuing’ the Danish people. His actions not only illustrate courage but the principle of allegiance to his family and himself. Upon arriving on the Danish shore, Beowulf states, “We belong by birth to the Geat people / and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. / I come to proffer / my wholehearted help and counsel” (Beowulf 260-1, 277-8). Beowulf declares his allegiance to his lord and is willing to come to the Danes’ aid. Hrothgar knows that Beowulf is only in Denmark to “follow up a...
Courage is a theme that is shown throughout the entire epic of Beowulf. By definition courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes on ones own will and determination. There are many things form the epic that could be used to prove this statement, but I chose to use the section entitled "The Final Battle." In this section there are two great speeches given by both Beowulf and Wiglaf. I believe that in both of these monologues courage is portrayed by the two warriors, and it is easy to see why.
Existence as an Angelo-Saxon warrior was rewarding, however at the same instant it was difficult. Warlords had a number of warriors obliged to serve them. Being a warrior had a worthwhile life, they spent their time shining armor, readying their sword and intimidating the other warriors. Being an Anglo- Saxon warrior was gratifying life because warriors got fame, glory, recognition, and treasure. The younger boys looked up to either their father that was a warrior or another warrior. They idolized these men because they received fame. The idea of jewels, clashing of metal hitting your foe painted great images in Angelo- Saxon boys. In their culture fame is the most important thing you can have. By reading Beowulf I realized that loyalty is sometimes more important to them than their religion.
Anglo Saxon’s history is well known for their loyalty, courage and bravery. Beowulf our protagonist is symbolized as a hero, who represents the Anglo Saxons at the time. Beowulf earns his fame and respect through battling creatures nobody else would want to face. These creatures symbolize the evil that lurks beyond the dark. Beowulf’s intense battle with these creatures’ symbolizes the epic battle of good versus evil. In the end good triumphs over evil but one cannot avoid death. Beowulf’s death can be symbolized as the death of the Anglo Saxons. Beowulf’s battle through the poem reflects the kind of culture that the Anglo Saxons had. The youth of a warrior to his maturity then the last fight which results in death. Beowulf wanted to be remembered and be told in stories that are passed on from generation to generation after his death. These story tellers relate to the Anglo Saxons time when they told stories about their great heroes.
Beowulf is well-known as an oldest Anglo-Saxon poem. Beowulf is not a realistic image of historical Denmark, Geatland, or Sweden in the age about 500 A.D., yet it is on an ordinary view, a self-consistent image, a composition bearing demonstratively the marks of design and thought. The affections of the poem are different, while the significance of the brave beast is very like the truth. And the story of Beowulf is still correspond to today’s society and relates to all kinds of problems people faced in current everyday life.
“My Lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to” (169-171). Being known by people without meeting them was important to the Anglo-Saxon’s sense of pride. They were proud people who defined others based on their reputation. Like many early people, they believed their entire lives where predetermined.
The epic poem Beowulf centers around the hero. From the character of Beowulf, the reader can see the importance of community, orality, and heroism. Beowulf, as a result, is an icon of his ancient Germanic heritage. He is mimetic of the world around him. In addition, he reflects the past?s tradition of heroes; he follows in Shield and Sigemund?s footsteps, mirroring their characteristics and actions. Thus, when Beowulf passes on, both the ancient world and the new world collapse.
The usual epic hero is most of the time on a mission. Beowulf was on a mission to help his people by getting rid of Grendel. He is determined to free the Danes from Grendel.The third characteristic of Beowulf is courage. There’s no way Beowulf would have accomplished anything without courage. “The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.” Beowulf stated here that he’s known for courage, “The man whose name was known for courage, the Geat leader, resolute in his helmet,answered in return: "We are retainers