Examples Of Anglo Saxon Code Of Honor In Beowulf

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How heros are seen have varied imensley over time. Heroes are viewed as someone who is brave and their selfless acts provide safety and protection for others. However,Vikings had very different heroic values. These values included showing ccourage in the event of disaster, upholding honor by defending, and gaining martial skill. In the heroic epic Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf perfectly shows the anglo-saxon code of honor by defending himself and a colony of people, achieving martial skill, and keeping his name honored. In opposition to Beowulfs nobility is the villain’s display of cowardism and greed.
one of the major feats in the anglo-saxon idealization of nobility is showing courage in the face of danger. “Now Grendel and I are …show more content…

Beowulf is shown in an honorable light because of his constant protection of those around him and by killing the beasts that have attacked his land and neighboring kingdoms. “It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning”(1384–1389). Beowulf says this after Grendels mother killed Aeschere, Hrothgar’s advisor. Beowulf then takes down Grendel’s mother and avenges Aeshere. When Beowulf kills Grendel, grendel’s mother, and the dragon, they are all signs of nobility because he is avenging the people who were murdered by the beasts. Grendel,his mother, and the dragon all showed less than noble behaviors by killing innocent beings with no reason other than selfish pleasure.Anglo-Saxon vikings all believed that this was one of the most disgraceful acts that they could commit.
A third noble trait that vikings carried was their strength and skills. If a man was not good with a sword and/or strong, he was deemed as somewhat useless because he couldn’t fight well. For vikings, strength was everything. Beowulf was one of the strongest men in all the land. he had enough power to defeat multiple massive monsters. Beowulf was showered in honor once he defeated Grendel and his mother. “ Let whoever can win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark” (1387-1389). The Anglo Saxon Viking lifestyle was one of pride in fighting and

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