Hear me! We've heard of Danish heroes,

Question

Ancient kings and the glory they cut
For themselves, swinging mighty swords!
How Shild made slaves of soldiers from every
(5) Land, crowds of captives he'd beaten
Into terror; he'd traveled to Denmark alone,
An abandoned child, but changed his own fate,
Lived to be rich and much honored. He ruled
Lands on all sides: wherever the sea
(10) Would take them his soldiers sailed, returned
With tribute and obedience. There was a brave
King! And he gave them more than his glory,
Conceived a son for the Danes, a new leader
Allowed them by the grace of God. They had lived,
(15) Before his coming, kingless and miserable;
Now the Lord of all life, Ruler
Of glory, blessed them with a prince, Beo,
Whose power and fame soon spread through the
world.
Shild's strong son was the glory of Denmark;
(20) His father's warriors were wound round his heart
With golden rings bound to their prince
By his father's treasure. So young men build
The future, wisely open-handed in peace,
Protected in war; so warriors earn
(25) Their fame, and wealth is shaped with a sword.
When his time was come the old king died,
Still strong but called to the Lord's hands.
His comrades carried him down to the shore,
Bore him as their leader had asked, their lord
And companion while words could move on his
(30) tongue.
Shild's reign had been long; he'd ruled them well.
There in the harbor was a ring-prowed fighting
Ship, its timbers icy, waiting,
And there they brought the beloved body
(35) Of their ring-giving lord, and laid him near
The mast. Next to that noble corpse
They heaped up treasures, jeweled helmets,
Hooked swords and coats of mail, armor
Carried from the ends of the earth: no ship
(40) Had ever sailed so brightly fitted,
No king sent forth more deeply mourned.
Forced to set him adrift, floating
As far as the tide might run, they refused
Formatted by Andrew Keating
Beowulf | 1
Beowulf
Translated by Burton Raffel
*Glossary of Names Located at End of Text
To give him less from their hoards of gold
(45) Than those who'd shipped him away, an orphan
And a beggar, to cross the waves alone.
High up over his head they flew
His shining banner, then sadly let
The water pull at the ship, watched it
(50) Slowly sliding to where neither rulers
Nor heroes nor anyone can say whose hands
Opened to take that motionless cargo.
1
Then Beo was king in that Danish castle,
Shild's son ruling as long as his father
(55) And as loved, a famous lord of men.
And he in tum gave his people a son,
The great Healfdane, a fierce fighter
Who led the Danes to the end of his long
Life and left them four children,
(60) Three princes to guide chem in battle, Hergar
And Hrothgar and Halga the Good, and one
daughter,
Yrs, who was given to Onela, king
Of the Swedes, and became his wife and their queen.
Then Hrothgar, taking the throne, led
(65) The Danes to such glory that comrades and kinsmen
Swore by his sword, and young men swelled
His armies, and he thought of greatness and resolved
To build a hall that would hold his mighty
Band and reach higher toward Heaven than anything
(70) That had ever been known to the sons of men.
And in that hall he'd divide the spoils
Of their victories, to old and young what they'd
earned
In battle, but leaving the common pastures
Untouched, and taking no lives. The work
(75) Was ordered, the timbers tied and shaped
By the hosts that Hrothgar ruled. It was quickly
Ready, that most beautiful of dwellings, built
As he'd wanted, and then he whose word was obeyed
All over the earth named it Herot.
(80) His boast came true he commanded a banquet,
Opened out his treasure-full hands.
That towering place, gabled and huge,
Stood waiting for time to pass, for war
To begin, for flames to leap as high
As the feud chat would light chem, and for Herot to
Formatted by Andrew Keating
Beowulf | 2
Beowulf
Translated by Burton Raffel
*Glossary of Names Located at End of Text
(85) burn.
A powerful monster, living down
In the darkness, growled in pain, impatient
As day after day the music rang
Loud in chat hall, the harp's rejoicing

Choose ONE of the following characters from Beowulf and (using examples from the poem) explain how that character demonstrates Anglo-Saxon cultural values by discussing their qualities. You must identify at least 3 values to discuss for your chosen character, and provide evidence from the poem (include the quotes, citing the page from our class copy specifically), that you discuss for each example.

Remember to use the RACE writing method. Your response should have a short introduction, clear thesis statement identifying the Anglo-saxon virtues the chosen character does or does not display, and then short paragraphs discussing each value, and a brief conclusion that wraps up your argument.

Character options:
Beowulf (traits of the hero/warrior/king)
Hrothgar (traits of a king. How is he a good king? Where has he failed as king?)
Unferth (what traits does he have? Where does he fail?)
Wiglaf (traits of the young/ new hero/family member/vassal to his king)

You will be permitted to reference the text of Beowulf from the link provided for the course while writing your response so you can pull quotes. You must use this copy, and include appropriate in-text citations with page numbers.

Remember, you must include quotes from the text(cited from the specific translation from the course) for full credit on the questions. For the copy we are using, cite the line numbers.

Character Beowulf. Write 6 sentences.

Answer 1

In the epic poem "Beowulf," the character of Beowulf exemplifies several key Anglo-Saxon cultural values, including bravery, loyalty, and the importance of reputation. These qualities define him as both a warrior and a king, illustrating the virtues celebrated in his society.

Firstly, Beowulf demonstrates bravery through his willingness to confront dangerous foes, particularly Grendel. As he expresses to Hrothgar, “I will combat Grendel, seek out that shadow-stalker, / The gnawer of men" (lines 427-428). This declaration underscores the Anglo-Saxon value of courage, as Beowulf willingly faces formidable danger to protect others, embodying the heroic ideal of self-sacrifice.

Secondly, Beowulf’s loyalty is evident in his commitment to Hrothgar and the Danes. He states, “I shall fight without fear for the honor of your name / And the land” (lines 1033-1034), which highlights his dedication to his allies and demonstrates his adherence to the value of kinship and loyalty that is central to Anglo-Saxon culture.

Lastly, reputation is crucial in Anglo-Saxon society, and Beowulf actively seeks to enhance his own through his heroic deeds. He refers to his past victories, claiming, “I have fought with the fierce sea monsters" (line 1785), thus establishing his formidable reputation as a warrior. This pursuit of honor and glory is a quintessential aspect of the Anglo-Saxon ethos, illustrating how one’s deeds were paramount in shaping their legacy.

In conclusion, Beowulf epitomizes the virtues of bravery, loyalty, and the importance of reputation, making him a quintessential Anglo-Saxon hero. Through these qualities, he defines what it means to be a courageous warrior and a respected leader in his society.