Bravery In Beowulf

The story of Beowulf is one of the oldest surviving long poems in Old English. It was recorded over a thousand years ago, and before that, it was passed down orally for generations. Consequently, the true author of this epic poem is unknown, but luckily that is only a but a wee piece of history lost about this piece. It still educates us about what the Anglo-Saxon valued by demonstrating those beliefs using Beowulf and other characters throughout the poem. Bravery, Christianity, and loyalty are all demonstrated strongly in the story of Beowulf, and furthermore educates us in the ways of the Anglo-Saxon people around the time frame of Beowulf.

First, Beowulf instructs us on the Old English views on bravery. Beowulf demonstrates bravery all throughout

It commences with the comparison of Beowulf and Grendel. “Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel,” ( 16-17) The point of this is to set the framework for an extended metaphor of God vs. The Fiend in comparing Beowulf as God and Grendel as the Fiend. Then later in the text during Beowulf and Grendel’s fight, it states, “what it meant To feud with Almighty God.” (491-492) This is the moment that Grendel realized what it would be like to like to go up against such a God-like power, and lose. Thus the comparison of God vs. the Fiend. Next, Beowulf must face Grendel’s mother, the unknown poet once again demonstrates his faith in Christ by putting in the lines, “Holy God, who sent him victory, gave judgement For truth and right,” (629-631) During this certain moment in the fight Beowulf had the underhand, he was on the ground underneath the evil witch and the battle was looking discouraging for our hero. It was only through God that he was sent victory in order to win this fight. The presence of God and Beowulf’s success is tied particularly closely throughout this whole poem, which only demonstrates how influential Christianity was during this

King Hrothgar was reminiscing when he, “brought the end of Edgetho’s Quarrel, sent ancient treasures through the ocean’s Furrows to the Wulfings; your father swore He’d keep that peace.” (204-207) This explains part of the reason why Beowulf came to the King’s aid; he wanted to show thanks and his loyalty to the king for what he had done for his father. Furthermore, near the end of the book, another vast act of loyalty was committed. Beowulf was in his golden years and in his final fight against a dragon, and during an intense moment of the fight, the dragon hurled a flame of fire that sent his high rank and handpicked comrades flying into the woods for the safety of their lives. All but one, “His name was Wiglaf, a son of Weohstan’s a well-regarded Shylfing warrior related to Aelfhere.” ( 752-754) When he saw his lord taking the heavy heat from the dragon, “he remembered the bountiful gifts bestowed on him, how well he lived among the Waegmundings,” ( 756-757) This made Wiglaf join arms with his leader and help him defeat the dragon due to the loyalty that lay within him to his King. This is yet, but another value that is told throughout the poem of Beowulf that the Old English believed