The Loyalty In The Epic Of Beowulf

The epic Beowulf is set in the misty days of ancient Scandinavia, far removed from modern society and modern notions of morality. Certain elements are familiar, however, such as the overall structure of society. While significantly smaller than the modern idea of a nation-state, Anglo-Saxon government is set up along similar lines. The ruling class is present and expounded upon in the epic, as are the warriors; in fact, the lines between the two are often blurred. Peasants are referred to, but are implied more than anything, as is typical in this sort of poetry. As the protagonist is a member of both the warrior and ruling class, however, it makes sense that Beowulf focuses on these castes rather than the laborers. Aspects of this militaristic

He has been a charismatic character throughout the epic, a necessary trait to lead men across the sea to fight an unknown enemy. As John Finley and Tom Loughman write, “his comrades willingly go with him because of their confidence in his ability to lead them and to achieve their objectives.” (Finley, 160) This charisma fails to render aid in his moment of greatest need, though. One potential reason for this is that after dispatching two vicious monsters with little or no assistance, his men are of the opinion that he does not need any further help against this new foe. The text of Beowulf, in regards to their departure from the field of battle, says that they “broke ranks and ran for their lives / to the safety of the wood.” (Beowulf, 2598-99) Yes, they lack the requisite courage to face a fire-breathing dragon, but it is not implausible that the great King Beowulf could have defeated it single-handedly. In fact, the only assistance he receives is in the form of a young boy providing a single thrust that merely wounded the creature rather than dispatching it outright. Although the odds were against him, they were not insurmountably high; Beowulf even delivers the killing blow

That is, “the over reliance on a charismatic leader unfortunately can result in a problem of succession because no future leaders have been groomed to take the place of the departed one.” (Finley, 160) This issue was undoubtedly on the minds of Beowulf’s thanes as they headed into battle. Despite this, they run and abandon their leader at that critical moment. By doing so, it is almost certain that they are aware of the potential consequences of their actions if their king does fail in slaying the monster. However, they may have a different intention in mind beyond saving their own lives. That would be the aforementioned premise given by Falk. They are focused on maintaining that honor-centered society, and thus give little regard to Beowulf’s successor. This viewpoint explains their actions in regards to the issue of succession. Although the king does provide certain services like distributing gold to favored members of his court, the populace – or at least these thanes – value their autonomy above risking their lives to provide an unbroken chain of authoritarian