ENGIIIH: Beowulf + Anglo-Saxon Heroic Code Name/pd: [Double-click to type here] STEP ONE DIRECTIONS: To help us get ready to write an analysis of Beowulf’s heroic qualities, fill out the following graphic organizer. Courage, bravery and the will to fight were considered basic norms of that heroic code. It illustrates the loss of a society’s cultural tenets and customs. In this time, bravery, truth, honor, loyalty and duty, hospitality and perseverance are some of the Anglo Saxon values. by Christopher Garcia In Anglo-Saxon culture and literature, to be a hero was to be a warrior. Chapter I centers on the Anglo-Saxon heroic ideal and situates both men and women within the tradition. The essentials to the Heroic Code Beowulf, an epic poem composed during the Anglo-Saxon period and translated by Seamus Heaney, is about a fierce warrior named Beowulf who takes on evil, time and time again. The story is set in Scandinavia, before the migration. These words never determined our fate. Some of these same characteristics are seen in an Anglo-Saxon hero. Society concentrated on a strong, enterprising leader (the hero ) and his followers, the warrior elite. Though it is a traditional story–part of a Germanic oral tradition–the poem as we have it is thought to be the work of a single poet. This article studies the question of Anglo-Saxon hospitality, that is, in the first place, the gift (from a host to a guest) of food, fodder, roof and bed for a night or for a longer term. This code was derived from the Anglo-Saxons’ Germanic roots, and called for strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors. The idea of how a hero should behave has been a feature of a number of cultures. It also required kings to be hospitable, generous, and have great political skills. In any case, examples of heroism are not easy to find in historical, ‘factual’ prose. The epic poem, “Beowulf”, is a clear example of the Anglo-Saxon code of conduct and how it influenced the entire culture during its time span of 449-1066 A.D. Beowulf And that trend continues even now. On one hand, it expresses the elegiac passing of an extraordinary superman and, on the other hand, it exposes the relationship between mortality and heroism. In the epic poem Beowulf the poet uses literary devices and the characters to show Christian elements that exist within the ideas of the Anglo Saxon code. Read this lesson to learn more about the heroic code as exemplified in the Middle Ages by the poem, 'Beowulf.' The honorable behavior and manners have dominated the Anglo-Saxon culture. Epic characteristics. The Anglo-Saxons are a sub-tribe among the main Germanic tribes who had invaded England. The Anglo-Saxons had a very specific idea of what an ideal hero was. Religion was really important to Anglo-Saxon life. The Anglo-Saxon warrior followed a strict code of loyalty and vengeance. The Anglo-Saxon era in English history was defined by the common ideals of the Heroic Code. THE HEROIC CODE The Heroic Code was the collective values of the Anglo-Saxon period in English History, Beowulf as both a character and a literary work shows this code in action. Heroic Code• The epic poem Beowulf strengthens the Heroic Code. Anglo Saxon, as illustrated by the literary text named Beowulf , the times were barbaric and would require the use of weapons in order to bravely defend the land. During the epic poem, he meets with Grendel and Grendel’s mother and engages in battle with them in a heroic fashion. It also required kings to be hospitable, generous, and have great political skills. The literature of the Anglo-Saxons (c. 450–1100) is abundant in heroic, or epic, poetry: narrative poems which recount the deeds of heroic figures who overcome significant challenges in the pursuit of goals that were deemed virtuous by the standards of the day. Regarding this, what are the themes and values expressed in Anglo Saxon literature? It emphasizes how the motivational factors driving heroic behavior differ between the sexes by examining specific performances within the genre. Retrieved from Then, find evidence from the poem of Beowulf. The poem and the society it depicts revolved around a warrior king and his band of thanes, who were expected to defend him, even at the cost of their own lives. Warriors had to be willing to face any odds, and fight to the death for their glory and people. Much like the Anglo-Saxons used to look back at their forefather's history, people today use Beowulf to look back at Anglo-Saxon history. The Anglo-Saxon war society was based on an ancient Germanic heroic code. Amidst them, they had a legendary and heroic warrior by the name Beowulf who was regarded as Superman during that Anglo-Saxon period (Duzbabová 7). Blood feuds were common, but it A hero had to be strong, intelligent, and courageous. Tensions Between the Heroic Code and Other Value Systems Much of Beowulf is devoted to articulating and illustrating the Germanic heroic code, which values strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors; hospitality, generosity, and political skill in kings; ceremoniousness in … Beowulf and other Old English epic stories represent the values of a culture distanced in time and space from the Anglo-Saxons.Beowulf represents both historical and legendary events and people of fifth- and sixth-century Scandinavia – the ancestors of many of the Anglo-Saxons who would have listened to the story. In the heroic code, he states that it is “better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning.” By this, he is saying that instead of grieving for the loss of Hrothgar’s dear friend, it is better to take revenge. First, select three heroic traits from the Anglo-Saxon Heroic Code that you believe Beowulf possesses. The Anglo-Saxon war society was based on an ancient Germanic heroic code. the Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians, and the Anglo-Saxons looked back to their relatives across the sea when they wanted to tell stories about their own past. This code implied a set of values which stressed on the valour of an individual. This overview of a contrary view stresses the political nature of those stories -- whether in prose or poetry -- and argues, essentially, for the reformation of traditional codes and obligations. This code implied a set of values which stressed on the valour of an individual. Vengeance could be achieved by either blood or wergild. The yearning for home after a long travel means that earthly life is nothing compared to the eternal life with God, where man can find his genuine happiness.  Beowulf- The Ideal Anglo-Saxon Hero When most people today think of a hero, they think of characteristics such as courage, strength, wisdom, and loyalty. (2000). Learn vocabulary, terms ... A long heroic poem that records the exploits if a larger than life hero who embodies the values of his or her culture. A brief lesson on the early history of the Anglo-Saxons and the influences on the early epic poem \"Beowulf.\" Generosity In Beowulf. Beowulf, as a character and a literary work, exemplifies this code. in this time, the concept of hero is basically what most of the people wanted to be. The Anglo-Saxons were Pagans when they arrived in Britain but gradually became Christians. Many English traditions we still have come from Paganism. The king of the Anglo-Saxon Gods was called Woden, and he had two pet wolves and a horse with eight legs.Religion was a means of securing success in material things. Loyalty and kinship were two very important influences on Anglo-Saxon society – the society that helped produce the Old English epic poem known as Beowulf.. Outside the traditional heroic poetry, evidence for its reality in Anglo-Saxon England is hard to find. The main principles of the Anglo Saxon Code and Christianity are simple because they are very similar. Chapters II, III, and IV, are Heroic Code • The epic poem Beowulf strengthens the Heroic Code. HOSPITALITY Respect and welcome guests into your home. The Heroic Life. Unlike during the time of the Anglo-Saxons, these words did not provide a code to live by. This code was a basis for Anglo-Saxon … Start studying The Anglo-Saxon Period & Beowulf. The poem, Beowulf’s story and the heroic code of honor outline the narrative in the pre-Anglo-Saxon beliefs. Courage, bravery and the will to fight were considered basic norms of that heroic code. ... Hill, J. Anglo-Saxon Masculinity: The Heroic Code Anglo-Saxon masculinity is most often summarized in the Germanic "heroic code", which regulates the life of the heroes found in Old English poetry ( 5 ). This however clearly contradicts with Christian morality. As Wormald points out, contemporary scholars have abandoned the term as unhelpful, as it gives the impression that what was in fact but a social ethic held the importance of a law. They had their own culture, language, and values. The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of the story is a relic of pre-Anglo-Saxon culture. The vivid images of beasts and heroic combat are determinative that the Anglo-Saxon spirituality adopted the fierce wildness of lost pagan culture (Mursell 36). Sometimes you can’t even tell which is which. INDUSTIOUSNESS Work hard, and have a large skill set. Anglo­Saxon Masculinity: The Heroic Code. This code was a basis for Anglo-Saxon … The Anglo-Saxon Hero. Society concentrated on a strong, enterprising leader (the hero) and his followers, the warrior elite. In Anglo-Saxon custom, if and Anglo-Saxon killed someone, he had to pay a price for his deed or accept the fact that the victims relatives would seek revenge. The heroic code in historical ‘reality’ The heroic code seems to have been more a concern within poetry than outside it. Retrieved September 25, 2015. Hrothgar's generosity was able to avenge the murder of Heatholaf, revealing that, like the Spear-Danes, the Wulfings greatly admire generosity.The exchange of gifts is a fundamental element of the Danish code of conduct because it upholds the paramount relationship between a king and his followers. The theme of the heroic code of chivalry is the leading theme of Beowulf. Anglo-Saxons had a complex set a moral guidelines known as the 9 English values. performances broaden the conventional definition of a hero. The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England.They traced their origins to the 5th century settlement of incomers to Britain, who migrated to the island from the North Sea coastlands of mainland Europe.However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons occurred within Britain, and the identity was not merely directly imported. This code was derived from the Anglo-Saxons’ Germanic roots, and called for strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors. For warriors living during the period portrayed in the epic poem "Beowulf," the Anglo-Saxon Heroic Code was the foundation of life. The poem clearly shows the Heroic Code's core principles. Most scholars of Anglo-Saxon heroic story think of that literature as embodying conventional virtures (generosity, bravery, boasting), obligations (to kin and lord) and conflicts of loyalty. The theme of the heroic code of chivalry is the leading theme of Beowulf. In the poem, Beowulf, along with The Heroic Code was the collective values of the Anglo-Saxon period in English History.Beowulf as both a character and a literary work shows this code in action. Some of the most Anglo-Saxon values, as illustrated by Beowulf, include bravery, truth, honor, loyalty and duty, hospitality and perseverance. The honorable behavior and manners have dominated the Anglo-Saxon culture. The Anglo-Saxon hero was able to be all of these and still be humble and kind. 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