Beowulf: Portrait of a Society

Beowulf: Portrait of a Society

The story of Beowulf is one that reveals many things about an ancient culture that is surprisingly much like our own. When we think of ancient cultures, we often conjure up crude images of people and practices that could benefit from improvement. However, the "Beowulf" poet is concerned with representing a society that is dedicated, loyal, faithful, brave, and strong. Beowulf is a man that demonstrates what it means to be loyal; he is a warrior completely devoted to his code of honor. The world is filled with danger, best expressed through the presence of dragons. As with any other danger, this is faced and fought without hesitation and with very little fear. While the world is filled with many dangers, there are just as many good things in the world for which we can be content. The poet presents us with a dynamic and optimistic view of the world through colorful characters.

One tradition that "Beowulf" reveals about the medieval community is the important of loyalty.

The hero cannot be a very good hero is he is not loyal to his people. Loyalty is introduced early in the story when Hrothgar announces that Beowulf will be handsomely rewarded for his loyalty and heroism in the form of a "rich treasure" (Beowulf 385). Here we see the importance of loyalty in that it is recognized by others and it is worth compensation.

Loyalty functions in two ways in this scene. In one manner, Hrothgar rewards Beowulf's loyalty with treasures. In another manner, Beowulf is only doing what he feels he must do by honoring the warrior's code. The code demonstrates the importance of kinship in society because Beowulf is helping Hrothgar because Hrothgar's father owed Beowulf's father. Beowulf's appearance and deed are "to follow up an old friendship" (376). Here we see how loyalty is extremely important because it reaches beyond generations. Beowulf did not know Hrothgar but it did not matter in this instance. A debt needed to be paid and Beowulf honored this tradition.

The warrior code is linked to loyalty in that it relies upon the hero to remain faithful to a particular set of behaviors. The "Beowulf" poet magnifies this ideal with Beowulf in almost every instance. One of the most significant is the Beowulf's acceptance of the battle with Grendel. He does demonstrate any fear or regret and says, "Now I mean to be a match for Grendel,/settle the outcome in single combat" (426-7). Beowulf is confident and proud and never do we see him try to get out of this commitment. He approaches the king for permission and his blessing and battles the dragon. The warrior code can be seen when Beowulf does not turn away from the battle even when it looks like Grendel might win. Beowulf emerges victorious because he did not back down and honored traditions that were important too him - loyalty and his warrior code.

Loyalty and the warrior code is significant because others in the story exhibit behavior that mirrors Beowulf's actions. Beowulf's men prove they are loyal when they fight for his survival. They "Worked to defend/their lord's life, laying about them/as best they could with their ancestral blades" (794-6). When facing the dragon, Beowulf is loyal and when he needs help, we encounter a different situation in that he could not find a man brave enough to help him. We read, "From his high-born comrades; that hand-picked troop / broke ranks and ran for their lives / to the safety of the wood" (256-9). This is obviously an act of disloyalty because the men do not help Beowulf but disappear into the forest for safety. However, one man remains. Wiglaf does not succumb to feat like others do and we are told, "But within one heart/sorrow welled up: in a man of worth/the claims of kinship cannot be denied" (2659-601). The Beowulf poet emphasizes loyalty by having the other men run away. Wiglaf's spirit "did not break" (2628) and he proved to be the bravest of the brave even though he was young and lacked experienced. Here we see how loyalty and honor require an individual to be strong in the face of danger.

The dragons in this story represent the dangers that exist in the world. While they are mythical creatures, they add to the strength of the men because they are fierce and deadly. The Beowulf poet chooses a huge, disgusting dragon to oppose our loyal warriors because the creature is not anything like a man and the contrast cannot be overlooked. Evil exists in the world and the only way to rid the earth of it is to confront it. The chaos of the world is best characterized by something that is larger than life and threatening in every way and by having our warriors destroy this larger-than-life danger, the poet is emphasizing the strength of the men over evil.

Beowulf" is a story that reveals a society that is amazingly dedicated and loyal. We might not think of loyalty, kinship, and strong and brave warriors when we think of ancient societies in medieval times. We might have rudimentary images of medieval times and the people that lived in them, but the truth is that these people were just as brave, strong, loyal, and dedicated as any generation of people. They experience fear and face evil; they exhibit characteristics that we do not come across today. The dragon is a symbol of the death, chaos, and evil that exists in the world regardless of what century we might be looking at. Similarly, good men exist in every period of time.