Beowulf Comparison

Virtue and Community

Quiana Boyd

ENG 280

April 4, 2016

Patricia Moody

Virtue and Community

The Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf is a great tale of heroics and loyalty between men. The lead character Beowulf, a large man with the strength of 30 men, travels from his home Geatland to the Scyldings (Danes), to conquer over the lands monster Grendel. Grendel, an ogre-like monster that has attacked the people of the Danes King Hrothgar, sends word that any man that can rid his land of Grendel will be handsomely rewarded. Beowulf hears of the Monster and takes on the challenge. Not for the riches but for the glory and comes out victorious.

The land of Danes is a great land ruled by a great king, King Hrothgar. King Hrothgar has fought and won many battles, gaining honor and glory for himself. To celebrate his victories, he builds a great hall named Heorot that is almost palace like in its grandeur. This hall is to celebrate his victories and to reward his loyal warriors. In the Dane community, the more victories the king has, the more loyal his thanes (warriors). The thanes are so loyal to their king that they pledge their lives to the death for him. The show of loyalty to the king shows that within the community, it is important to have strength of character and the ability to lead. The king must have honor which is gained by defeating enemies to the land and being able to rule with a heavy hand not a cruel one.

However, when Grendel starts to invade the Danes, it is a battle that the great King himself cannot overcome on his own. The loyal thanes try for years to destroy him, but to no avail. Grendel attacks the Great Mead Hall when the Danes are joining in fellowship with each other, killing many of them. The fact that the people did not leave the land in fear for their lives, is another example of the community’s loyalty to the King. Their belief in their king gives Hrothgar honor among the lands.

There are some inconsistencies of this loyalty and love of...