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Anglo Saxon Qualities In Beowulf

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How Does Beowulf Show Qualities of the Anglo-Saxon Era? What defines the Anglo-Saxon era? Warriors? Bravery? Beowulf is an epic that includes all of these and much more Anglo-Saxon culture. It allows people today to get a glimpse into the life of people in that era, giving us insight to the values, thoughts and daily lives of the Anglo-Saxon people. Beowulf highlights Anglo-Saxon characteristics by giving a storyline, literature type and history appropriate to the time period. The plot of Beowulf shows what traits the Anglo-Saxons valued. For instance, when Beowulf goes out to slay fearsome beasts like Grendel and the dragon, he is portrayed as a strong, confident and fearless hero, which were the aspirations of the Anglo-Saxon men. He also demonstrates the value of self-sacrifice for the greater good when he accepts to go up against monsters that might cost him his life, all for the lives of the society. Another Anglo-Saxon belief Beowulf demonstrates is belief in the supernatural as he is seen to have tremendous courage and strength, which are more qualities the Anglo-Saxons greatly …show more content…

The first example of this is the impact of Anglo-Saxon culture in the names of all the characters in the epic. The influential people in the story have names such as Wulfgar, Hrothgar and Beowulf, these names originate from the area of the Anglo-Saxons. More evidence of historical influence is seen in the setting. Beowulf is sent to protect the Danes who were a real group of people of the Anglo-Saxon time. The mead hall was a very crucial part to daily Anglo-Saxon life where people could eat, sleep, and most importantly, be safe. In Beowulf the mead hall has been invaded by Grendel, taking away all the things that make the mead hall such an integral part of life, making it one of the biggest conflicts in the epic and showing, once again, just how much of Beowulf is influenced by

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