Hrothgar Vs Beowulf

The Anglo-Saxon epic of Beowulf is one of the most important works of English literature. Beowulf allows insight into the culture and values of the Anglo-Saxon society in which it was originally written, a society which the influences of can still be seen in modern American and European cultures. The central character of Beowulf is, of course, Beowulf himself. To evaluate how and if Beowulf fulfills his roles of warrior and king, it’s important we compare the character to the ideals of his time, and the two characters within Beowulf who most personify the ideals of warrior and king are Shild and Hrothgar. To begin the comparison of Beowulf to Shild and Hrothgar, first we must explore how Shild and Hrothgar themselves achieve the Anglo-Saxon king and warrior ideals.

Shild is described as having, “made slaves of soldiers from every land.” and the narrator states, “There was a brave king.” However, courage and conquest wasn’t everything he brought to his people, his most important contribution is described in the text as, “He gave them more than his glory, conceived a son for the Danes...” The description of Shild at his funeral clearly illustrates the traits valued in a Anglo-Saxon king, strength, bravery, glory, and finally an heir to ensure stability after his death. Shild’s lineage continues on eventually leading to Hrothgar, the king who builds the grand mead hall Herot. Hrothgar, like his ancestor Shild, rules the Danes as a respected and loved king. His ascension is described in the text as, “Then Hrothgar, taking the throne, led the Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen swore by his sword and young men swelled his armies...”. Hrothgar, like Shild, achieves glory, respect, and importantly, male heirs to replace