How Does Beowulf Present The Warrior Culture

The warrior culture was a dominate aspect of Anglo-Saxon society. Anglo Saxon’s lived an agrarian lifestyle relying of the land as a source of life. Because of their lifestyle, the Anglo Saxon’s lived in small communities. Anglo Saxon England consisted of hundreds of tribes and clans. These tribes and clans were always at war between one another. This is where the warrior culture was dominate. Each tribe needed a warrior to protect them from neighboring clans. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf is the warrior who goes to Denmark to fight the evil monster Grendel. Like a good warrior, Beowulf possesses the traits of loyalty and bravery. The Danes have been under attack of Grendel for twelve year. The people of Denmark live in destruction,

distressed due to the constant fear of attack.

As every day is a battle to survive, Beowulf leaves his home of Geatland, to go fight for the war-torn tribe in Denmark. Beowulf, the warrior, sets out to defeat the evil monster Grendel. Beowulf presents the Anglo Saxon values of a honorable death, the epic hero, and the thane to demonstrate the warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society.

In Beowulf, the warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society is evident through the value of a honorable death. Life in Anglo Saxon society was viewed as tragic; It was noted as grey, gloomy, and catastrophic. Due to the tragic life they lived, death seemed inevitable. This lifestyle promoted the idea of fate (McNary 58). Fate is the something which is predetermined or destined. In Beowulf, fate is said to be a judgement by God. “ Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgement by God”(Anonymous 440-441). This quote demonstrates that fate is a predetermined judgment by God. A warrior’s bravery hinges upon the acceptance of fate, the fact that someday he will die. This acceptance motivates him to fight for an honorable death rather than to wait for death to come (Disraeli 56). Fate must be fought against at all cost. A warrior must be brave and fight for his honorable death, a death which

is full of glory due to his desire to fight evil. In Beowulf, Beowulf is the warrior who fights for his honorable death no matter how daunting the enemy is (McNary 58). Beowulf is said to “forget himself in death.” By this, he is putting his people first, even if the situation is hopeless. He embraces the idea of a honorable death in order to be faithful to his people (Taine 57). The value of a honorable death in Anglo Saxon society is seen in Beowulf in the line, “Each of us must await his end of the world’s life. Let him who may get glory before death: that is best for the warrior after he is gone from life,” combats the idea of fate, and shows the value of a warrior to receive a honorable death (Anonymous 1386-1388). Another aspect which comes with the warriors desire for a honorable death, is the “man price” or the warriors life. A warriors bravery would in the end cost him his life. This price, his death, is then deemed honorable due to his bravery to fight the idea of fate and evil (Moss 45). The warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society is evident through the value of a honorable death depicted in the epic poem, Beowulf.
In Beowulf, Beowulf is the epic hero who fights for the good of all people and supports the warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society. The epic hero was a man of high social status who is important to the history of his people. He embodies the ideas of the people, who is described as larger than life. He is one who represent good and fights evil due to his bravery, generosity, and loyalty. The poem states, “There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born and powerful” ( Anonymous 197- 198). This establishes Beowulf as a god-like person who, in this poem, is the epic hero (Beowulf). Beowulf exemplifies an epic hero due to his self confidence, pride, desire for glory, and desire for fame. Beowulf also risks his life to defend strangers from another land. This deed is generously brave because he fight evil for everyone, regardless of ethnicity (Moss 48). Beowulf is a man destined to be an epic hero. He embodies the traits of an epic hero in times of war. Its noted that, “ His ambition to go whilst he moved about like the leader he was, enlisting men, the best he could find” (Anonymous 205- 207). He uses his ambition to best prepare an army in times of war. Beowulf was a great warrior in hand to hand combat. He defends good and except for monsters, only kills two humans. This shows him as a good man who fights for the good of all and the glory of God (Overview). Beowulf is a epic hero denoted for his great warrior deeds in fighting evil. In Beowulf, Beowulf is the epic hero who enhanced the warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society.
In Beowulf, the relationship of the thane is seen between the king and his retainer , Beowulf. The thane was the heart of code which Anglo Saxon’s lived by. This relationship was bound together by loyalty (Crossley- Holland 61).This relationship contained two parts, the thane, Hrothgar in the case, and the retainer, Beowulf. A retainer promised military and agricultural service to the thane. In return, the thane, or the lord, promised protection, weapons, and treasure to the retainer (Richardson). The quote, “ Then the Halfdane’s son presented Beowulf with an embroidered banner,” shows the gifts at which were given to Beowulf due to his loyalty to the thane and his bravery in service (Anonymous 1019- 1023). The retainer fought to protect the thane’s land in times of war (Crossley- Holland 63). Beowulf presents the thane in times of war. Beowulf fights for King Hrothgar, the thane, and in return, the king provides Beowulf, the retainer, with weapons, men, and treasure. This relationship was crucial in times of war, to best protect their home, the king’s land (Richardson). The spirit of loyalty in Anglo Saxon culture is withheld in the thane relationship. The service of the thane as a warrior, who fights to protect his people in times of war, were preformed heartily with ambition and pride (McNary 58). Beowulf is a retainer to King Hrothgar, but becomes a thane himself. King Hrothgar teaches Beowulf how to be a good king due to his generosity and lavish gifts. As king of Geatland, Beowulf fights other tribes and even a dragon as a warrior to protect his retainers. Both King Hrothgar and Beowulf represent good thanes and enhance warrior culture due to their desire to protect their retainers and to preserve loyalty at all cost.
Beowulf presents the Anglo Saxon values of a honorable death, the epic hero, and the thane to demonstrate the warrior culture of Anglo Saxon society. The honorable death demonstrates the warrior culture in Anglo Saxon society by influencing Beowulf to combat the idea of fate, and fight for a glorious, honorable death against Grendel. Beowulf is epic hero as a warrior who fights against evil to defend good Danes. The thane, King Hrothgar, provides military protection in times of war to maintain the relationship with Beowulf, his retainer. Anglo Saxon’s valued a warrior because they had the bravery to overcome fate and combat evil while still being loyal to the thane. This warrior culture was a key aspect of the lives of Anglo Saxons due to the war-like lifestyle which they adapted into their lives.