Why Is Beowulf Still Relevant Today

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Beowulf showcases many values of the Anglo- Saxon period, which are still upheld today. In Beowulf they valued strong leaders, truth, and honor the most and those values are still of importance today. They are valued and thought of highly still today. In Beowulf it first started off showing the value of strong leaders and how important and how highly they were thought of and treated. “Hail Hrothgar!... 25/ What it has been before 26” (Beowulf 25-26). Beowulf was portrayed as a strong leader whom others looked up to as a great warrior. He speaks with dignity and high honor, he’s brave, courageous, and ready to face any task that is thrown at him. People look up to him for bravery, strength, and guidance to help them and for them to count …show more content…

Having honor was the most important thing to people.having certain amounts of honor gives people certain rankings to others by their accomplishments. Beowulf’s honor comes from his heroic acts to the town and to the people. He rid the sea of monsters in a single night by himself. He’d slain Grendel, who terrorized Herot for twelve years and he also slain Grendel’s mother, both by himself. By all of these accomplishments, it earned Beowulf his honor towards his people and towards others from different towns. He was most honored by his men, when he had to face his last daunting task he saw that it was his hardest and last battle. One of his men, Wiglaf, helped the wounded and weakened warrior as the rest of Beowulf’s men fled. Wiglaf stayed because Beowulf protected him, and he was his lord and it was his duty to serve and protect his lord in times of trouble. Together they slayed the dragon, and sadly Beowulf had died, but his men and the people of Herot buried his with all the treasure they found after they slayed the dragon, to honor him for his brave act. “Quickly, the dragon came at him... 43/ His name was Wiglaf... 44/ ...Then Wiglaf went back... 45/ ...And then twelve of the bravest Geats... 46(Beowulf 44-46). Today people also value honor with trophies, plaques, and medals to show their great acts, which show their worthiness. People get medals for doing great things for example, the Nobel peace prize. It shows their honor, and their great accomplishments. It ranks people by what they do or accomplish that makes them great or worthy of

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