# Writing > General Writing >  An Anglo-Saxon Legend

## Maegan

Tenacious. Driven. Selfless. These are qualities that make up your everyday hero, right? Nothing out of the ordinary. They are just characteristics that most societies have given to the title, hero. Anglo Saxon society, however, has a very specific set of values and ideals that classify someone as a hero. Beowulf, who is basically the epitome of an Anglo-Saxon warrior, does an effective job of showing the ins and outs of Anglo-Saxon life and what they venerate in their society. Because of bravery, friendship, loyalty, Christian influence, storytelling and fame like qualities sprinkled throughout the heroic epic, Beowulf, it is a perfect portrayal of the Anglo-Saxon culture and time period. 

One way that the story Beowulf totally grasps the essence of Anglo-Saxon society is through his bravery. Bravery is what most people think of when they think of a warrior, and warriors were held in a very high esteem in the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf was the epitome of bravery as is shown many times. For example, My hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster (172). Beowulf didnt want the king to think any less of him by fighting with a shield and sword, so he did the daring thing and took on the challenge of fighting Grendel with his bare hands. A more innocent example of bravery is on line 270, As boys, Brecca and I had boasted / we were both too young to know better that wed risk our lives far out at sea, and so we did. Apparently, even as little kids they were boasting about taking risks and being brave. Clearly, Beowulfs courageous acts which illustrated Anglo-Saxon values were depicted many times throughout the story.

Like bravery, the Anglo-Saxons also held friendship in a high regard. Beowulfs willingness to work with his friends to overcome obstacles is shown on multiple occasions. That I alone, with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall (165). Since Anglo-Saxon warriors have a tendency to want to be the best at everything, Beowulfs acceptance of sharing the fame with his men showcased his respect for them and their friendship. So obviously, something thats almost as important to Beowulf as being the hero, is the companionship of his men. It also states, Beowulf, youve come to us in friendship, and because of the reception your father found at our court (190). The way Hrothgar said this, implies that his receptiveness to Beowulf was due to Beowulf s amiable nature. The significance of friendship in Anglo Saxon society is illustrated throughout Beowulf in various ways. One of which being how he interacts with his men. 

More than anything, loyalty is an Anglo-Saxon value thats depicted in a very noticeable way in the epic, Beowulf. Anglo-Saxons werent necessarily loyal to specific causes or traditions, but they had extremely strong ties to their fellow man. My people have said, the wisest, most knowing and best of them, that my duty was to go to Danes Great king (line 149). This shows the respect and loyalty he has for his people by following through on the responsibility that they think was given to him. Another example of loyalty in Beowulf is on line 808, Take what I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, help them; my time is gone. Beowulfs expectation for Wiglaf to follow in his footsteps shows the Anglo-Saxons emphasis on obedience. Ultimately, loyalty is really what everything in Anglo Saxon society boils down to, and the epic, Beowulf, reflects that.

Another way that Beowulf showcases the Anglo Saxon time period is through Christian ideals. The way that a lot of the story is interpreted is due to the fact that Christian monks were the people writing it all down (Christian 1). An example of this is on line 175, God must decide who will be given to deaths cold grip. This makes it seem like Beowulf is a religious guy who leaves everything in Gods hands, but in reality, the Anglo-Saxon society wasnt Christian. But since Christian monks were the only ones who could write during the Anglo-Saxon time period (Beowulf 2), it makes sense that Anglo-Saxon stories have Christian elements because the monks wanted Christianity to shine through their culture as much as possible. A similar message is shown on line 802, I thank our father in heaven, ruler of the earth for all of this, that His grace has given me. By expressing gratitude for what hes been given and acknowledging that God had something to do with that, the monks Christian views shine through the epic once again. Therefore, the fact that Beowulf, along with many other stories in the Anglo-Saxon time period, had to be written down by monks, was very apparent through the sporadic interspersing of Christianity. 

In addition, Beowulf demonstrated how storytelling is cherished in Anglo-Saxon society. Stories were the most common way that people in the Anglo-Saxon society would honor their kings and lords who had gone on before them. This is shown on line 830, And then twelve of the bravest Geats rode their horses around the tower, telling their sorrow, telling stories of their dead king and his greatness, his glory, praising him for heroic deeds, for a life as noble as his name. As soon as Beowulf is killed in the story, the first thing everyone thought to do was reminisce about his life and all that he had accomplished. Although the stories told about great Anglo-Saxon leaders probably put them on a higher pedestal than they deserved, it ironically was what they lived for. So its no wonder why the epic, Beowulf incorporates the Anglo-Saxon way of telling stories.

Finally, the fame that Beowulf acquires after he died is yet another quality derived from Anglo-Saxon society. As stated before, stories often gave heroes many accolades that they may or may not have earned. But Beowulf was one who wholeheartedly believed that his fame was well deserved. Have the brave Geats build me a tomb / Here, at the waters edge, so sailors can see this tower, and remember my name (810). This quote shows that by having his own tomb, he knew that after the stories stopped, there would still be some sort of structure to signify what he had done. Anglo-Saxons lived to be remembered through physical objects and embellished stories. So if they felt that they had accomplished that much, their life was complete. Obviously, one of the main goals in Anglo-Saxon society was to be the most well known warrior whether one is living or not. 
To conclude, Beowulf is a perfect portrayal of the Anglo-Saxon culture and time period. Bravery, loyalty and friendship were all values admired in the Anglo-Saxon culture that Beowulf took very seriously. The Christian ideals illustrated the influence on literature during that time period. The fame that Beowulf received from the stories told by his friends, was also very much a way of Anglo-Saxon life. Although Beowulf seems like some far out hero who did things that most people cant even relate to, he was really just someone who wanted to go out and make himself known to the world while making a difference. And thats something that everyone should strive to live up to.

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## cafolini

A Norman supervised by the Roman Catholics might buy Christian values into Anglo-Saxon reconstruction, which were never there. A big salute from the Episcopalian church. We'll eventually put Roman Catholics to sleep. The Episcopalian church was an offshoot of Lutheranism. Postulated as Catholic but in the truly meritorious Anglo-Saxon way. Venice was invaded in reverse and defeated together with its Shakespeare. It is finished.

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## Delta40

Thanks Maegan for that fascinating read.

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