What Is The Comitatus Bond In Beowulf

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Beowulf
Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney is a poem that was written in Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. It is about a Scandinavian Prince, Beowulf, who is the “biggest presence among the warriors of the Geats,” and he goes to help the Danes fight off a man eating monster called Grendel, he ends up fighting Grendel’s mother, and he rules for 50 years as king before he ends up fighting a dragon. (Heaney XI). Comitatus is one of the major themes in Beowulf and it is shown constantly throughout the entire book. It is the idea of the Anglo-Saxon culture that warriors show loyalty toward their lord by protecting him through all times at any cost. The reader notices how the Comitatus relationship is shown from Beowulf’s point of view, Grendel’s mother …show more content…

For example, when Beowulf hears of Grendel is in Geatland, “Beowulf announced his plan to sail the swan’s road and search out that king, who needed defenders. He, along with fourteen others boarded the boat as captain,” and they went on their way (199-208).This demonstrates that Beowulf now trusts his men, and he risks his own life to go help Hygelac. This also represents a type of Comitatus not only with Beowulf and his men, but also Beowulf and his men as a whole towards Hygelac since Hygelac’s men cannot fulfill their Comitatus bond between them and Hygelac. This is why Beowulf is seen as a hero because in Anglo-Saxon society, fulfilling the Comitatus bond and doing it well shows great courage and …show more content…

Towards the beginning of the story when Beowulf fights Grendel and Grendel’s mother, the reader sees that the warriors help, but at the end of Beowulf when he is fighting the dragon, he has “no help or backing was to be had then from his high-born comrades; that hand-picked troop broke ranks and ran for their lives to safety of the wood” (2596-2599). This demonstrates the deterioration of the Comitatus bond between Beowulf and his warriors. They left him in battle by himself, but this did give Beowulf a chance to show Comitatus himself towards his warriors, even though they betrayed

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