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Germanic warrior culture is the main backdrop of the epic Beowulf. The epic
begins with Beowulf, the king of the Geats, as he comes to the aid of the aging king of
the Danes, Hrothgar. It follows the titular hero form this point through to his crowning as
is essential to the story's analysis. The Geography of 8th century Germanic tribes
The term Anglo Saxon will be used almost exclusively in this article from now on,
unless referring to a specific Germanic tribe. Anglo Saxon is a typical blanket term for
Germanic tribes, like the Geats or the Danes, who arrived from modern-day Denmark
and Sweden to conquer much of southeast England in the early 5th century and is the
most appropriate term for this article because it best describes both the people from
where Beowulf( the epic, not the character) originated and the characters of the epic.
Beowulf was originally written in Old English, a language that developed after the
Anglo Saxons conquered southeastern England. Scholars debate the exact date of the
conquest, but it is rather reliably placed around the 5th or 6th century. Old English is the
precursor of modern English spoken today throughout much of the world. Not
conquering Anglo Saxons than to modern English, which in later centuries was subject
to increasingly heavy influence from French and Latin. In the time period that Beowulf
was written, it was a fledgling language that was seldom written down, and which came
from Anglo Saxon languages that were almost never recorded orthographically. This
The Bard
Stories from Anglo Saxon languages were not written down in this time period
because they were originally passed on orally through Bards. These great speakers
were an integral part of Anglo Saxon society, responsible for preserving and reciting the
heroic legends of their ancestors: great warriors, noble kings and familial lineage. Bards
would tell tales with such prowess that their subjects would often gain mythical qualities.
They functioned as the tribes historian in that the history their people was a vital theme
in a Bard's verse.
Bards also had a connection with the society's pagan gods. As professor
Kenneth W. Harl of Tulane University writes in his guidebook to the Vikings, "the
Paganism
Paganism, at least in this context, refers to the native pre-Christian Anglo Saxon
gods. As like any other polytheistic religion the Anglo Saxon gods represented specific
phenomena observed by the tribes. WIthout the advent of scientific inquiry they created
stories to explain the seeming randomness of their world. Many Bards undoubtedly
wove these myths into beautiful prose that the tribe would invoke whenever they
required outside help in their brutal, hostile, and uncertain world.Thus enchanting
stories about the gods moving the moon or creating thunder entralled the tribesmen
who gathered at the feet of the bards who told the tales.
Literary critics of the epic Beowulf, for example, cite elements of the god
Ragnarok in Beowulf's actions. Ragnarok represents the end of the world in which all
gods and warriors fought and died for their faith. Although Beowulf fights for the
Chrsitian God, something that will be discussed later in the article, the theme of finding
glory in fighting to ones death for your faith is evident in the way Beowulf fights Grendel,
Anglo Saxon hierarchy warrior kings reigned supreme. The leaders of Anglo Saxon
tribes; like Hrothgar, king of the Danes; and Beowulf, king of the Geats were exalted to
mythical status by their people because of their unmatched bravery, strength and
vigor.The warrior king protected his people. He also served the important function of
uniting the tribe into a cohesive family as a god-like figure. Therefore, Bards would
The Norton Anthology of English Literature notes in its introduction to the epic
notes that the most important relationship to a warrior king was a union with the gods.
The gods imbued the warrior king with the skills to win in a battle and rewarded the king
with riches upon victory. This union was purportedly the ultimate endowment of the
warrior king's status. Elements of this pagan idea are replete in Beowulf. There are
continuous allusions to beowulf's mythical abilities, like his swimming match with Breca,
his hubris (which would lead Beowulf to his death) and to the riches that the gods will
bestow upon the warriors after winning hard fought battles alongside their warrior king.
The companionship between fellow warriors and the gods were among the most vital
Christianization
Beowulf was written in a unique time period in Anglo Saxon history. By the 8th
century, coinciding with the authorship of the epic, Anglo Saxons had largely converted
to Christianity, casting away the polytheistic gods of the ancestors. But as previously
mentioned, bards had been telling tales, the tale of Beowulf included, since before the
masses were converted to Christianity. So the stories of old had to be fitted into the
teachings of the new religion. The result is a blend of both religions. References are
made to christian teachings, Beowulf invokes the monotheistic God of Christians, yet
The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of
the story is a relic of pre–Anglo-Saxon culture. The story is set in Scandinavia, before
England (not in Scandinavia) and is historical in its perspective, recording the values
and culture of a bygone era. Many of those values, including the heroic code, were still
operative to some degree in when the poem was written. These values had evolved to
some extent in the intervening centuries and were continuing to change. In the
Scandinavian world of the story, tiny tribes of people rally around strong kings, who
protect their people from danger—especially from confrontations with other tribes. The
warrior culture that results from this early feudal arrangement is extremely important,
both to the story and to our understanding of Saxon civilization. Strong kings demand
bravery and loyalty from their warriors, whom they repay with treasures won in war.
Mead-halls such as Heorot in Beowulf were places where warriors would gather in the
presence of their lord to drink, boast, tell stories, and receive gifts. Although these
mead-halls offered sanctuary, the early Middle Ages were a dangerous time, and the
paranoid sense of foreboding and doom that runs throughout Beowulf evidences the
In some ways, “Beowulf” represents a link between two traditions, the old pagan
traditions (exemplified by the virtues of courage in war and the acceptance of feuds
between men and countries as a fact of life) and the new traditions of the Christian
religion. The poet, probably himself a Christian, makes it clear that idol worshipping is a
pagan burial rites. The character of Beowulf himself is not particularly concerned with
Christian virtues like meekness and poverty and, although he clearly wants to help
people, in a Christian sort of way, his motivation for doing so is complicated. Hrothgar is
perhaps the character who least fits into the old pagan tradition, and some readers see
“Suddenly then the God-cursed brutewas creating havoc: greedy and grim,
He grabbed thirty men from their resting places and rushed to his lair,
Flushed up and inflamed from the raid, blundering back with the butchered corpses.”
(Lines 120-125)
In some ways, “Beowulf” represents a link between two traditions, the old pagan
traditions (exemplified by the virtues of courage in war and the acceptance of feuds
between men and countries as a fact of life) and the new traditions of the Christian
religion. The poet, probably himself a Christian, makes it clear that idol worshipping is a
pagan burial rites. The character of Beowulf himself is not particularly concerned with
Christian virtues like meekness and poverty and, although he clearly wants to help
people, in a Christian sort of way, his motivation for doing so is complicated. Hrothgar is
perhaps the character who least fits into the old pagan tradition, and some readers see
hypocritical mindset that allows themselves to kill and commit evil, while at the same
time persecuting other groups for doing the same. One example are the Danes who
was known as the warrior race that controls and conquers other nations through
violence and desctruction, but they tell themselves that it is for the greater good and god
has given them the right to do so. Though this is a fictional epic, it relates very closely to
the history of the Roman Empire. They too dominated those around them, yet it was
alright because they believed that they stood for God and held strong in the beliefs of
The Danes demonized the character Grendel and called him “monster”, “evil”,
etc. The irony is that the Danes did exactly the same thing to other nations and
societies. They too woulf go and conquer for the sake of power and riches, just as this
“creature” would come to feed and enjoyed the thrill of killing. The only difference
between them, other than the appearance, is that the Danes believe that God had given
them the right or permission to do so because they honoured Him, where clearly
Grendel did not. It is a hypocritical belief system for using the name of the Higher Being
the globe have come to use religion and moral systems in such manner.
Some cultures that have existed in the past and have likeminded mentality as the
Beowulf and the Dane’s culture were the Romans. They were a great and powerful
empire who wanted to control the world and would stop at nothing to achieve it. They
wiped out entire communities of Germanic tribes; they instituted torture and did vile
things to other human beings, and were also responsible for mass persecution against
the Jews. All of these acts against their humanity however were, over looked, because
they called themselves “The Holy Roman Empire”. They were a Catholic Civiization and
they too used their faith to give themselves the authority to take life from another human
being just like the Danes did. Beowulf is a respresentation of how we as human beings
have adopted this hypocritical way of thinking over time that demonizes those who are
different than us, and then allows us to destroy them. It is a way of thinking that has
infected our community and culture for thousands of years and still does so today; it is
also what the warrior race of the Danes who glorify battle and combat to be possible.
One local adaptation of this culture can be glimpsed on the current issue in the
police officer shoots and kills a suspect he is rewarded and given an accommodation,
but if a suspect kills a police officer the entire country feels sorrow for him and his family
and the suspect is then hunted down and put down like an animal. In both scenarios,
either one kills the other. The difference and where the problem lies is in the society’s
perception of the two and why it is understandable if a suspect dies, but unimaginably
Another example in the world view, is the flawed system of capital punishment of
death in some countries. Their governments decide to show criminals that it is wrong to
Conclusion
The main theme of the poem is the conflict between good and evil, most
obviously exemplified by the physical conflict between Beowulf and Grendel. However,
good and evil are also presented in the poem not as mutually exclusive opposites, but
as dual qualities present in everyone. The poem also makes clear our need for a code
of ethics, which allows members of society to relate to one another with understanding
and trust.
The question we must all ask ourselves now after examining the deeper
underlying meanings in this great work is how we as individuals can change these
hypocritical norms so that we can evolve and progress to a state much farther than our
own.