Germanic paganism

The Germanic Heroic code displayed in Beowulf tends to value, courage, loyalty, vengeance, hospitality, a natural king, etiquette women, fate and people with good reputation (SparkNotes Editors). These codes traditionally are valued in warrior like societies as a means of comprehending their relationship in the world” (SparkNotes Editors). Living by this code is a constant theme in the epic of Beowulf, author unknown. Beowulf’s structure of three separate parts, each featuring Beowulf and his…

Beowulf the Hero Beowulf was a hero in many ways. He was brave, kind, and willing to help others. The people of Denmark thought he was a hero in all of these ways, and more. They admired him so much, not only because he killed Grendel, but because he had all of these characteristics about him. Kindness was one thing that made Beowulf a hero. He was kind to go to a land and fight of this monster for strangers that he didn't even know. He was kind to Hrothgar, even when the sword that he said…

Beersheba, a largely protected town 43 km from the Turkish fort of Gaza, was the scene of an incredible Australian historic charge by the 4th Light Horse Brigade on 31 October 1917. Beersheba was the right end of a defensive trench line that stretched all the way from Gaza on the Mediterranean coast. After two failed attempts to attack Gaza frontally it was decided to defeat it by attacking the Turkish defence line around Beersheba. The attack was launched at dawn on 31 October but by late…

It is said that what we value can be determined by what we sacrifice. In the epic poem, Beowulf is this shown by many characters, but none stand out as much as the title character himself. In this essay, the topics being addressed are the sacrifices Beowulf made to help Denmark and Geatland, how the sacrifices he made illuminate his values, and how they give a deeper understanding of the epic poem as a whole. In Beowulf, Beowulf sacrifices his life multiple times to help Denmark and Geatland to…

The Anglo Saxon epic poem, “Beowulf,” was written from between the 8th and 11th centuries. In the end, the dragon’s hoard is reclaimed by Beowulf shortly before he dies. The treasure is often seen as a symbol of multiple ideas. It may represent eternal glory, Beowulf’s final reward for saving the Geats. The glory may be from the victory over the dragon or even the treasure itself. The treasure may represent Beowulf himself, as he is equal to its value. He is also killed around the same time the…

The recitalists originally presented the epic poem Beowulf orally, so they faced the challenge of intriguing the audience for a long period of time while creating the sensation that they were actually living in the story. The use of the poetic element, caesura, in Beowulf acted as an oral device to keep the listener’s attention, and alliteration helped to immerse the listener into the story through vivid imagery in an attempt to showcase the important of the Anglo-Saxon cultural theme of heroism…

In the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, Beowulf, a myriad of virtues define the warrior Beowulf. Coming from his homeland in Geatland, he arrives in the land of the Danes in hopes of helping King Hrothgar defeat an evil monster, Grendel. Beowulf is an impressive, strong warrior who will not only defeat Grendel, but also will demonstrate how in life one must seek glory before death, a legacy. A man’s reputation and his lineage is supremely important in the patriarch society Beowulf lives in. Consequently,…

The smoky room is filled with stocky men in short lederhosen sporting big, bushy sideburns and unkempt mustaches and heavy-set waitresses outfitted with blue knee-length dirndls carrying up to sixteen mugs of beer while walking down the aisles. The overly crowded tables are festooned with blue and white checkered tablecloths, and numerous people are singing drinking songs, albeit in a rather out of tune fashion. This image of the Hoffbrau Haus is the stereotypical view many Americans hold of…

Anglo-Saxon vs. Modern Era: A Contrast of Religion Now and Then The cultural values of the Anglo-Saxons from the early Middle Ages reflect a somewhat different mindset than those we possess today. We tend to see more mockery towards religion and beliefs now, as opposed to how they portrayed such perspectives in the Middle Ages. The Danes and Geats in the epic Beowulf, considered God as an Almighty Lord worthy of man’s respect and worship. However, in the movie Beowulf and Grendel (Gunnarsson…

Beowulf, an epic poem, had a many elements of Anglo-Saxon culture. Some of those elements included, but not limited to, loyalty, kinship, fame, etc. One of the main themes in Beowulf, embodied by the character, is loyalty. Beowulf helps the Danes and tries to increase his reputation. He wants to be loyal to his own king in Geatland. In the times of the Anglo-Saxons, the quality of your king was the quality of your loyalty. Beowulf's loyalty and honor saved Hrothgar's country and his people.…