Question
Hear me! We've heard of Danish heroes,
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 5 sentences in your own words two separate paragraphs. please include the page numbers from Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel.
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 5 sentences in your own words two separate paragraphs. please include the page numbers from Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In the epic poem "Beowulf," the character Beowulf exemplifies essential Anglo-Saxon cultural values such as bravery, loyalty, and leadership. Virtues like these highlight him as not only a hero but also a model of the warrior code embraced in his society. Through his actions and choices, Beowulf demonstrates the significance of these values, which contribute to his reputation and legacy.
One of Beowulf's most notable qualities is his bravery, which is central to the Anglo-Saxon heroic ideal. When he hears of the terror Grendel brings upon Heorot, Beowulf does not hesitate to travel to Denmark to confront the monster, declaring, "I'd rather burn out than be a coward" (Raffel, lines 1384-1385). This readiness to face danger highlights his valor and willingness to risk his life for others, aligning with the heroic expectations of his culture. His bravery is further demonstrated when he chooses to confront Grendel without using weapons, stating, “I have heard that the monster is so strong, / He needs no sword” (Raffel, lines 676-678). This act of courage resonates deeply with the Anglo-Saxon value of fighting honorably.
In addition to bravery, Beowulf's loyalty to his king and his warriors illustrates the Anglo-Saxon emphasis on camaraderie and duty. As a warrior, Beowulf expresses his consideration for his own men and their well-being, showcasing his commitment to his comrades. He declares to Hrothgar, “I shall share my rewards with my comrades” (Raffel, lines 1947-1948), reinforcing his role as a leader who values collective success and honor among his warriors. This loyalty is also evident when, later in the poem, Beowulf returns to help his people by battling a dragon, stating, “I will be daring, / A hero must be strong on the battlefield” (Raffel, lines 2510-2511). Such statements reflect the warrior's duty to protect and serve those who depend on him, an essential tenet of Anglo-Saxon culture.
Through his actions, Beowulf represents the Anglo-Saxon values of bravery, loyalty, and leadership, making him a quintessential hero. His unwavering courage in facing formidable foes and his loyalty to his king and fellow warriors exemplify the ideals revered by his society. Ultimately, these qualities solidify his legacy, ensuring that Beowulf remains a celebrated figure in Anglo-Saxon lore. His determination to uphold these values not only shapes his own fate but also impacts the lives of those around him, reinforcing the importance of these virtues in the warrior culture of his time.
One of Beowulf's most notable qualities is his bravery, which is central to the Anglo-Saxon heroic ideal. When he hears of the terror Grendel brings upon Heorot, Beowulf does not hesitate to travel to Denmark to confront the monster, declaring, "I'd rather burn out than be a coward" (Raffel, lines 1384-1385). This readiness to face danger highlights his valor and willingness to risk his life for others, aligning with the heroic expectations of his culture. His bravery is further demonstrated when he chooses to confront Grendel without using weapons, stating, “I have heard that the monster is so strong, / He needs no sword” (Raffel, lines 676-678). This act of courage resonates deeply with the Anglo-Saxon value of fighting honorably.
In addition to bravery, Beowulf's loyalty to his king and his warriors illustrates the Anglo-Saxon emphasis on camaraderie and duty. As a warrior, Beowulf expresses his consideration for his own men and their well-being, showcasing his commitment to his comrades. He declares to Hrothgar, “I shall share my rewards with my comrades” (Raffel, lines 1947-1948), reinforcing his role as a leader who values collective success and honor among his warriors. This loyalty is also evident when, later in the poem, Beowulf returns to help his people by battling a dragon, stating, “I will be daring, / A hero must be strong on the battlefield” (Raffel, lines 2510-2511). Such statements reflect the warrior's duty to protect and serve those who depend on him, an essential tenet of Anglo-Saxon culture.
Through his actions, Beowulf represents the Anglo-Saxon values of bravery, loyalty, and leadership, making him a quintessential hero. His unwavering courage in facing formidable foes and his loyalty to his king and fellow warriors exemplify the ideals revered by his society. Ultimately, these qualities solidify his legacy, ensuring that Beowulf remains a celebrated figure in Anglo-Saxon lore. His determination to uphold these values not only shapes his own fate but also impacts the lives of those around him, reinforcing the importance of these virtues in the warrior culture of his time.