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Aaron Lugo

Ms. Figueroa

Senior English 1

12/3/18 The values of Anglo-Saxons

Anglo-Saxons were mix of tribes which were grateful for the people and their values of

others. The Anglo-Saxons were a mix of tribes from Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands,

they settled in Angle-land or now known as England. So the epic poem of Beowulf is a very

brave warrior who is religious and a man of faith. His goal is to be remember by everyone and

have a good name for himself. So he fights evil which is perfect for him because he is different

from others, had the grip of 30 men and athletic and has the wiliness to fight for people. For the

Anglo-Saxon had really valued and stayed true to loyalty, Bravery, and Honor because it was

meant for the warriors and be able to trust people.

The Anglo-Saxon had valued loyalty because they were warriors and swore to fight for

the king and have his back and when you gave the king your word you can’t take it back. So

when Beowulf was in trouble fighting a dragon, wiglaf chose to help his lord when he was

struggling the most because he had rather see himself than see his lord die alone in battle. In the

poem of Beowulf lines (710-711) wiglaf had said, “He who gave us these swords and armor: all

of us swore to repay him.” He was showing loyalty by helping his lord then choosing to run

away like the other men. Before any of this had happen Hrothgar and Beowulf’s dad had some

history with each other because he had brought Beowulf’s dad in to be one of his loyal men and

they had both swore to keep peace and the loyalty between them was a strong connection. In

Beowulf Hrothgar had said, “Your father found at our court edgetho had begun a bitter feud

killing Hathlaf, a wulfing warrior your father countrymen were afraid of war” (192-195). So the
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father of Beowulf had to be loyal for what he did because if he returned home they would have

turn on him and maybe had him in prison or death sentence.

They had also valued honor because they were always fighting for the king’s and the

people’s honor. So when Beowulf had ask Hrothgar to fight Grendel naked with his own fist and

no weapons. In Beowulf, he had ask “May purge all evil from this hall. I have heard too, that the

monster scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapon and fears none” (166-169). So the fact

that Beowulf had ask the king to fight the without armor and fist only has honor to fight a fair

fight for the king. After the Fight of Beowulf and Grendel a couple of days had past and Grendel

mother had come for something or someone to get her son’s revenge. So she had kill Hrothgar

best friend and when Hrothgar had found out he would want Beowulf to fight her for the honor

of his best friend death. In Beowulf Grendel mother had, “she’d taken Hrothgar closest friend,

the man he most loved of all men on earth” (414-415). Then the fight with Beowulf and

Grendel’s mother and when Beowulf had won the fight by cutting the head of her he had seen

Grendel in a corner and had cut his head off as well and take the heads to the mead hall and eat

next to them. Even though he had lost a loved one he had honor his friend death with the heads

of Grendel and his mother.

So the third of valued the Anglo-Saxon had value was Bravery because they need people

to be brave to protect them when they needed it the most and so did the king. For example when

Beowulf had fought the dragon alone so his people wouldn’t get hurt or killed so he put his life

on the line. Beowulf had state, “I’ve never known fear as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am

old now, but I will fight again seek fame still, If the dragon is hiding in his tower dares to face

me” (606-611). So his bravery had saved his people to survive the purge of the dragon, someone

else’s bravery had help save the people as well for that they are grateful. In Beowulf wiglaf had
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stated, “He who gave us these swords and armor all of us swore to repay him” (710-711). Wiglaf

had also showed bravery to help his lord alone by himself while the other men had fled to their

homes instead of putting their life on the line. So they had some of values in them and showed

the values when it shinned the most.

The 3 values the Anglo-Saxon had value were loyalty, honor and bravery because people

so those values in people and it was common that people had those values in them. They were

people who had some value they either had or they value the person who was gifted. The Anglo-

Saxon truly did value loyalty, honor and bravery because the people there had showed the values

that they belong to be there and a warrior of the king. Plus when you die you would have a

honorable death for the bravery you had and the loyalty you showed to Hrothgar.
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