Denmark

The Vikings uncommon military tactics along with their strong willed shieldmaidens often intimidated Frankish rulers, many Frankish rulers would even to pay off the Vikings in hopes of preventing farther attacks on their subjects. This did backfire on what is now Paris, in 841CE Frankish King Charles payed a Viking leader 7000 livres of silver and gold for the freedom of Paris, this would be the equivalent of 17,429.30US dollars (without inflation). After hearing tales of how generous the…

In 2004, Chef Claus Meyer, and Chef Rene Redzepi opened a Danish restaurant named NOMA, in Copenhagen. The name NOMA is a contraction of the Danish words for “Nordic” and “Food”. NOMA is currently the most important restaurant in the world. Together Chef Rene Redzepi and Chef Claus Meyer popularized, and invented the idea of Nordic cuisine. They populated their menu with items such as wild berries, musk ox, and sauces made with beer rather than wine. NOMA’s success has empowered other…

Once upon a time, there lived a king and queen in the country of Denmark. The queen was the most beautiful human being ever created. Although she was very beautiful, she could not bore a child. This made both the king and queen unhappy and miserable, in that there would be no heir to the kingdom. One day, a greedy youthful witch came inside the kingdom. She supposedly had the magic to allow people who couldn’t have kids to have kids. News about the witch’s special ability spread around and…

The Viking Age occurred from late 8th century to mid-11th century. Within this time frame Viking populations across the globe experienced a number of significant changes that signalled the transformation of the Viking age. It should be made clear that this essay will argue for the transformation of the Viking age, as opposed to the end. The main factors behind this transformation are primarily religious in nature, a claim supported by Angus A. Somerville and R. Andrew McDonald, who cite, ‘the…

The existence of monsters was not a myth for the people, during the Viking Age of Scandinavia. The people at that time believed in grisly beasts and mighty heroes who faced them everyday. For this reason the beliefs of heroism and villainy remain distinctive as day and night. A hero is handsome, brave, and noble while a villain is cruel, horrid, and savage. It may be hard to believe that many of the Anglo-Saxon views that lived thousands of years ago, still continue to influence modern day…

Beowulf survives as one of the oldest poems in world literature. Originally written in Old English, the story of the long poem focuses on the epic and tragic hero, Beowulf. More specifically, the poem focuses on the three major battles the warrior fights. Each battle increases in difficulty while also testing different aspects and skills of Beowulf himself. While Beowulf’s three battles maintain the universal theme of the ongoing fight against good and evil, they also reveal attributes of…

Beowulf is considered the oldest epic poem in the English language, and the earliest piece of indigenous European literature. In the 19th century, Beowulf was written in Old English, the language of the Saxons. This epic did not have a title originally, but began to be referred to by the name of the Scandinavian hero, Beowulf, with heroic sources and virtues as the primary focus. Both the hero and the story are fiction even though historical elements run through the poem (Snell 1). There have…

Heroism is defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary as: “Heroic conduct especially as exhibited in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end.” However, Joseph Campbell characterizes heroism through a journey. These steps include a departure from home, a crossing of the threshold, a final battle, and a return home with multiple tests throughout the journey that prove the heroic qualities of the person. Though there are multiple components that go into becoming a hero, two of the more…

A hero is adequately defined as a larger than life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. Commonly, these heroes have superior strength, have strong love for their people and are fearless of death. The epic poem, Beowulf describes a hero who upholds the ethics of their society through heroic journeys to fight off the faces of evil. The Anglo-Saxons admired these epic poems and is known to be the most favored within their time. Beowulf prevails over insurmountable odds, shows…

Beowulf, a narrative written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet, has a vague beginning considering it was originally told as an oral narrative until written down. The story tells the heroic deeds of the Geat warrior Beowulf and displays multiple elements which relate to the time and society which the book is set in. The most obvious way Beowulf reflects the tie and society which it is set in is through the social and political structures displayed in the story. For example, the idea of having…