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Who Are The Retainers In Beowulf

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The Anglo-Saxons were a germanic set of people who attacked and invaded Britain. In doing so, came the withdrawal of the Roman Empire. These Anglo-Saxons were more ‘barbarian’ like because of the lack of mediterranean civilization. Anglo-Saxons had tribal units with a Chieftain, which is a lord or a king. These Kings had earned respect from their men and warriors, and these respected men were called Retainers. The King or lord would protect, care for, and feed his men, with only one request: For the loyalty and honor of these men. The retainers were used in battle. If a retainer had abandoned his Lord or King in battle, he was a disgrace. Other Kings would not expect the lone retainer: All because of how he left his King. Leaving the King labeled you as a …show more content…

The early Anglo-Saxons held the value high of courage and skill in battle. These traits were also seen in the Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf. Beowulf was a heroic figure who came to conquer a beast. The beast was named Grendel. When Grendel’s mother found out about Grendel, she went to attack, Then she was conquered as well. The poem Beowulf shows so much integrity and strength within the characters. But there is also a complexity to the poem. The basic unit of meter in Anglo-Saxon verse is a half line: Each half line is made up of a phrase with two stresses. A line of Anglo-Saxon poetry consists of two half lines separated by a pause or a break and joined together by alliteration. A line of poetry may range from about eight to twenty syllables. There were so many parts to writing Anglo-Saxon poetry, Especially in Beowulf. The Pagan religion of these people was very different. They believed in Witch Craft, spells and charms of humans; but they also believed in doom and fatalism. The Anglo-Saxons strongly valued family members. So if an Anglo-Saxon was killed, it was up to someone in that person’s family to seek

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