Loyalty existed as one of the strongest beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons. They believed that loyalty to the authority would lead normal people to greatness and rewards.
Another belief expressed in Beowulf was the establishment of the epic hero. These heroes could do more than regular men could, as they defined themselves as strong, loyal, and well known people. Beowulf fights a long battle with the help of Wiglaf, and finally defeats the dragon. He is killed by a stab to the side after many slashes already occurred. Additionally, other example how the whole kingdom's people would fain and devotion with they were mighty king.
I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from the earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned. This is an attribute that really shows how Beowulf s so powerful and determined. Even though corruption of the church overpowered the citizen, they still devoted themselves to God and help create magnificent architecture that can be traced to Europe.
The people prided themselves with their religious beliefs. In summary, Medieval Europe was a difficult place to live ,but the citizens showed faith and devotion that help them move through that. Flaws by Contrast Comparisons and contrasts play a huge role in literary works, especially between characters. Not only do they show similarities and differences between various characters, but they also bring out specific qualities that make a character unique and help guide the readers towards a common conclusion.
In the popular Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist and hero, Beowulf, is emphasized for his extraordinary greatness. Throughout his story, he, as an advocate of good, encounters many opposing forces in the form of other characters. In a society where heroism and bravery are honored as essential aspects of culture, the contrasting values of these characters, or foils, help define Beowulf as the model hero.
Medieval Being loyal was a crucial trait of a hero in the medieval era, especially to those higher in power than them, such as their king or lord. In Beowulf, Beowulf and his crew are loyal to their King and Queen by fighting for them.
With the crumbling of the Roman Empire, its armies were withdrawn from England in the early s. This gave the Germanic tribes the opportunity to move into the British territory that they had deserted.
The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes settled there and were able to set up societies of their own, ruling themselves as they wished for about six hundred years.
They brought with them their languages, social customs, and rich traditions of history and folklore--among which was the tale of Beowulf. Here are a few of the books we have on this topic in the library. To find more, try a Power search in the library catalog. For access to the databases from off campus, email the librarians for passwords.
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Websites and Articles Online Some great features that are available on the web:. Staffordshire Gold Hoard This article from National Geographic explains how and why the Anglo-Saxons settled England, and examines what the discovery of artifacts in the English countryside tells us about these people.
The article is accompanied by some excellent related features, including a timeline of ancient England's beginnings, and a photo gallery of the weapons and armor found in the hoard. UK Daily Mail: Discovery of ancient hoard of Saxon gold A news article from , when a year-old British man made the largest discovery of Saxon artifacts in history, using an old metal detector in a neighboring farmer's field.
HistoryWorld A world history website, covering prehistoric times to the present day. There are two ways to browse the articles on this site: by keyword "Histories" or by timeline.
The Timelines section is broken down by century, continent, empire, or theme religion, science, etc. Perhaps surprisingly for a story about warriors and monsters, Beowulf is a profoundly philosophical poem. It explores the ethics of kingship and the behaviour of warriors. Bad rulers oppress their people, put their own interests first and are tyrannical; good rulers are generous and prudent, and take time to reflect on their decisions.
We are shown that warriors ought to be brave but not reckless, loyal to their companions and true to their promises. The poem meditates on the limitations of human power, especially on the fact that it all must come to an end. Even great heroes die. In reflecting on these stories of warriors and kings, Beowulf is interested in different kinds of power, and exploring how physical strength, mental determination and political sovereignty should each best be used.
The poem also meditates on the limitations of human power, especially on the fact that it all must come to an end. Beowulf has the strength of 30 men and becomes a mighty king, but he is still only human.
Since earthly power is restricted in this way, human rulers need to learn to understand their own limits and act wisely within them. Despite this, the poet is sympathetic towards his pagan characters.
Beowulf strikes a delicate balance. The characters we are meant to admire, including the hero, express beliefs about God that would not be alien to Christian thought: they are presented as believing not in the Norse pantheon of gods as we might expect but in a single, all-powerful creator who governs world events.
An Anglo-Saxon Christian audience would have recognised and felt sympathy for these ideas. But at the same time, the poem is clear that the characters are still pagans and cannot hope for Christian salvation.
The story is given added poignancy by the fact that, when Beowulf dies, it really is the end; his body is turned to smoke on his funeral pyre. The only afterlife he can hope for is to be remembered by his people. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses.
Beowulf is an epic tale that continues to fire the imaginations of readers a millennium after it was written. Why is the poem still so relevant today? When and where was Beowulf written?
What happens in the poem?
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