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Honor In Beowulf

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Honor and family are two values that are relevant in the history of cultures that motivate the actions of epic heroes in stories as well as the monsters.. The poems “Dream of the Rood” and Beowulf demonstrates these concepts while tying in the cultural importance of that time period, in this case the Anglo-Saxon culture during the Middle Ages. The meaning of honor is to fulfill one’s destiny to fight for the king and succeed in the rules set forth in the culture. Family is important because in Anglo-Saxon culture, warriors’ reputation is based on who their family was and their successes or failures. The definition that describes human and monsters would be humans have the capacity to feel empathy as well as respect the culture while monsters …show more content…

However, after Beowulf kills Grendel using his inhuman strength to rip his otherwise impenetrable arm off, causing him to bleed out, Hrothgar rewards him “Then Beowulf was given the brand of Half-Dane, the golden banner in reward of victory, the adorned standard, helm and byrnie; the renowned treasure-sword many saw brought before the hero; Beowulf took the full flagon from the floor; of the reward-gift he did not, for as payment, need not be ashamed...the head-guard was wound with wires the re-inforced crest guarded from without..”(Slade 1020-1032). Gifts represent success and the heroism of the character, adding to the glorified epic hero quality yearned by all warriors of the Anglo-Saxon …show more content…

He has no respect for Herot which stands specifically for the united gathering of warriors, “a fiend out of hell, began to work his evil in the world. Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters”(Heaney 101-105). By attacking the hall at night time, when the fighters don’t stand a chance against him, is abhorred by the Anglo-Saxon because a fair fight was respected and accepted when coming to solving an issue. Grendel goes even further, eating his victims which is a dishonorable action in the eyes of basically any

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Throughout the story, Beowulf is a braggadocio in many ways. One way he acts boastful is when he publically displays the body part of a monster that he defeats in battle. Once Beowulf defeats Grendel, everyone can see hanging high “[f]rom the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster’s / Arm, claw and shoulder and all” (835-36). For Beowulf, Grendel’s arm is a trophy symbolizing his victory of defeating Grendel. Now, whenever anyone sees the arm they will remember how great Beowulf is because he kills Grendel.

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