The Honourable Warrior in The Nibelungenlied and Beowulf

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but is the scent sweet the same for everyone? (line 1600, Romeo and Juliet ). If one person from a whole different culture or world believed that something sugary always has a hint of bitterness as well, would one still consider it the same kind of sweet as we do? With this in mind, the meaning and definition of the word honor presents us with the same situation. Considered as an important attribute in what defines warrior-hero, honor is what distinguishes himself from a rampaging animal and other people. It is this importance and the lack of a universal definition of honor that often times allows for the possibility of warrior-heroes who claim to defend their honor to use this as a tool to accomplish their own selfish intentions. This can be seen in Beowulf where Beowulf seems to slays Grendel for a challenge and The Nibelungenlied where Siegfried attacks the Saxons to gain fame-with neither appears to truly defend their honor as warrior-heroes by protecting the people selflessly. As a result, in Beowulf and The Nibelungenlied, although both Beowulf and Siegfried are considered to be honorable warrior-heroes by their people, closer analysis of their actions reveals deviation from the conventional meaning of honor, questioning their place as heroes in the eyes of the reader.

In Beowulf and The Nibelungenlied, both characters are considered to be mighty warriors at their own right even before their great battles before their enemies. In Beowulf, this can be seen by description given by the watchman who saw Beowulf landing on Geatland: “[…] Nor have I seen a mightier man-at-arms on this earth than the one standing here…he is truly noble. This is no mere hanger-on in a hero’s armour....

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...s on the account of their statue and the heroic deeds they performed, their potential of becoming a true and great hero is limited by their own selfish desire. Paradoxically in a way, by using honor, something that makes up the core of a warrior and hero, as a tool they in fact dishonor themselves and goes against what a true hero should be. However, with this in mind, in a time of Beowulf and Siegfried where war and uncertainty is the norm combined with limited resources can they be blamed for their selfishness? With death stalking them close by every time they tried save the people, warriors like Beowulf and Siegfried must make the most of their short life. They must set out to prove themselves worthy and have their names sung in the ages. Perhaps it because of the great risks involved that often people turn a blind eye on the selfish intentions of these heroes.