In Beowulf, The Cultural Traditions Of The Ancient Germanic

more than use art to rid of unwelcome spirits. Shields, churches, even the handles of swords have been known to have pictures, or art, on them by this time. Much like Egyptians, important members of society would generally be buried with artifacts to keep them protected in the afterlife. Which is a peculiar sight to see since the Anglo-Saxons did not believe the afterlife as pagans, but as stated, they were converted into Christians when the St. Augustine came to the pagans.

The Anglo-Saxon culture came from the ethos which arose from years of progress and understanding. This culture a unification of independent principalities brought together by one king known as Alfred the Great. The true sense of the culture came with the values of loyalty, kinship, and bravery, which present themselves in the epic tale of Beowulf whose violent victory propelled him from mercenary to rightful warrior and respected hero. where the birth of a hero came from the actions of a rightful warrior.

In the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, the stupendous hero’s many great deeds often appear to be for other’s benefit, yet Beowulf’s final conquest exposes his lust for glory and fame, thereby showing his lack of concern for anything else. This lust for immense glory and fame feeds his ego and causes his death and the imminent downfall of his great people the Geats.

In Beowulf, the epic depicts an abundance of scenes of how wealth, in today’s modern culture, shows someone’s power. One way the benefit of wealth is shown in Beowulf by the kings in not solely the story but the Anglo-Saxon culture. This is shown by King Hrothgar when he talks about how he handled his enemies, saying, “Finally I healed the feud by paying / I shipped a treasure-trove to the Wulfings” (Heaney 470-471). Moreover, the amiable King Hrothgar pays his enemies with precious gold from his treasure hold and he ends up settling the feud. It is displaying how being wealthy can synthesize the jubilance a person can obtain by being so powerful that they can pay their enemies to stop attacking them. Another way that wealth can demonstrate the power in Beowulf is when the kings are being described. One excerpt that shows this is when King Hrothgar greets his companion, Beowulf, saying, “Then the grey-haired treasure-giver was glad” (607). The author specifically describes the highest powerful men in the land as treasure-givers. Comparatively, this not only showcases the Anglo-Saxon cultural beliefs, but is an even greater reflection on current the population. The wealthiest man in the world, currently, is Bill Gates with a net worth of 85.6 billion dollars (Kim). Not only is he extremely wealthy, but his influence in

The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf touches on the vice of pride, and is instilled in the main character, Beowulf, the great and mighty warrior. His boasting and arrogance when first dropping anchor at Heorot transitions throughout the poem, and, in contrast with his ideal kingsmanship, motivates him to accomplish and overcome the many challenges he faces as an epic hero. The contrast of his absent humility in the rise and fall of the story help promote the progression of the story, through its different purposes. Beowulf, when first landing upon Hrothgar’s kingdom, boasts, which does not go unchallenged, so that he might gain the trust of the Danes, but when knowingly facing his last battle, uses bragging to comfort and brace himself for his ultimate demise.

Beowulf is an epic poem that, above all, gives the reader an idea of a time long past; a time when the most important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters.

As with loyalty, the importance of reputation also guides Beowulf throughout the poem. One’s reputation reflected one’s importance in the warrior culture. When Beowulf first arrives at Heorot, he tells the Danes about his past deeds that have brought honor for him and his king:

Many readers of the poem Beowulf may find it difficult to distinguish the 'good' kings from the rest – indeed, almost every man who holds a throne in the epic is named at one point or another to be 'good'. By examining the ideals of the time period as identified by the 'heroic code', it becomes clearer that a truly 'good' king is one who generously distributes treasure and weaponry to deserving retainers to honour courage and strength displayed in battle and to encourage the defense of the kingdom (Intro). When Beowulf ascends the throne of the Geats, the heroic traits of courage and strength for which he was so highly praised as a warrior do not serve well in making him a good king. Indeed, by exhibiting the traits of a thane, that is, by

Every culture has its own set of beliefs values and customs. Cultural beliefs, values, and assumptions are directly and indirectly acquired throughout a lifetime. A culture is the sum of a group’s way of life and this is no different with the ancient Anglo Saxon culture. Cultures usually have distinct figures that reflect their culture as a whole. The importance of religion, values, and heroes are reflected a great deal in the epic poem of Beowulf accurately showing the Anglo Saxon culture as a whole.

Heardred’s mistake in offering hospitality to the sons of Ohthere results in him being “mortally rewarded with wounds from a sword” (2386). Onela’s treatment of Heardred’s hospitality as treachery results in a cruel parody of hospitable exchange: a fatal sequence of assault and revenge. The fate of Heardred also serves to reaffirm that hospitality in this poem can never wholly seal itself from treachery and peril. Later on, in his report to King Hygelac after returning to Geatland, Beowulf speaks of how Hrothgar attempts to make peace between the Danes and Heathobards by marrying his daughter Freawaru to Ingel. In spite of the feud between the two sides, the Heathobards are obliged to host and entertain the Danes since a Danish princess is marrying the Heathobard king. But as Beowulf mentions, “the spear / is prompt to retaliate when a prince is killed” (2029-30). Paradoxically, the system of reciprocity here becomes a source of both Heathobards’ hospitality (as host) as much as their desire to retaliate against the Danes. Ultimately, the force of grievances outweighs the bond established through the offering of the bride as a gift: a guest who wears the heirloom snatched from the host’s father has betrayed hospitality, which invites retaliation from the host. This suggests the limitations of hospitality as a principle of socio-economic

In Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, treasure and weaponry were of great importance to the people of that time. During the Anglo-Saxon period (410 to 1066 A.D.), gold treasures and swords were distributed to show loyalty and trust among a kingdom’s great warriors (“Beowulf Project - Archeology” 1). For biblical figures, such as Jesus and his disciples, treasure represented wealth and weaponry showed the ability to fight against Satan (“What Does the Bible Say about GOLD?” 1). In today’s society, treasure represents the success and riches one possesses while weaponry can be seen as strength or even arrogance. No matter what period in history, treasure and weaponry play a role and its importance is ever changing.

The Germanic warrior society had an unspoken code – a list of rules that warriors and kings alike must uphold. The main aspects of this code for warriors were strength, courage, loyalty and honour; and for kings were loyalty to his warriors, generosity and a sense of responsibility. The character of Beowulf represents both sides of this Code very well. Hrothgar, King of Denmark, represents the nobility’s side of the code:

This third comparison will focus on the most famous passage of the poem, which is the culmination of a Hrothgar’s long speech to Beowulf. The main themes are the importance of strength and pride in life, the fragility of life and for the first time, Beowulf is seen here as a human warrior and not for his heroic and divine deeds (lines 1758-1768 in Heaney’s, 1476-1484 in Tolkien’s).

Furthermore, the primary duty of a hero is to provide his kinsmen with great treasure and weaponry. Beowulf fulfills this duty by stating "Behold this treasure … that I have been allowed to leave my people…" (Beowulf 91) to Wiglaf after defeating the dragon. The warriors in The Battle of Maldon describe their Lord and hero as a "treasure-giver," and also a "ring-giver." The warriors in both of these texts reflect on all that their lords or heroes provide for them. It is through this gratification for material wealth that kinsmen feel so indebted to fighting for their lord. Wiglaf illustrates this concept when he remembers "the bountiful gifts bestowed upon him" (Beowulf 88) and finds that "he could not hold back" (Beowulf 88) from his lord's side.

The unknown author of Beowulf uses examples throughout the poem that suggest the story comes from an "oral" tradition. In the poem Beowulf, a Germanic scop, or bard, recites poetry orally, or in a song, usually telling stories about historical triumphs and adventures. These poets were referred to in this epic poem as "carriers of tales..., traditional singer[s] deeply schooled in the lore[s] of the past" (Beowulf 50). This was common in Germanic culture. Scops would keep folkloric heroes alive in the "oral" tradition. They passed down stories orally from one generation to the next.