Beowulf Values Essay, Research Paper

Every culture has distinctions that separate it from other cultures. That it what makes them so unique. The have different religions, foods, ceremonies, rituals, and holidays. The perceive the world in different ways, and also have certain values that they treasure very much. The Anglo-Saxon culture is no different. It had all these, and it strongly hold certain values to be admired. There are many of these values in the culture, as shown by the epic poem Beowulf.

Like most religions, the Anglo-Saxons value religion very highly. They believe that their well-being and happiness depend on there religious practices. This is evident in Beowulf and demonstrated in many instances. One such line mentions The Almighty making the Earth” (8) . This quote shows that the Anglo-Saxons valued God and thought he created the earth. Although important, religion is not the only Anglo-Saxon value present in Beowulf.

Fate was also very important in the poem. The Anglo-Saxons believed that fate controlled their lives and decided their outcome. The thought that each action and outcome was predetermined and they couldn t control their destiny. Each battle to them was already decided, and they just had to try their best. The quote “fate will unwind as it must (189) shows clearly that fate was valued.

Finally, like many cultures, the Anglo-Saxons valued loyalty very highly. This is demonstrated much throughout the book, so it is obvious they appreciated loyalty. A quote that shows the significance of loyalty is when Beowulf cries to his audience, “send the hammered / Mail of my armor to Higlac, return / The inheritance I had from Hrethel”. This quote shows that they valued loyalty above most else, because Beowulf wants to return his armor to his king.

As one can see, there are many universal and cultural values present in Beowulf and works of Anglo-Saxon literature. They have certain ideas they think should be upheld, and they express them through literature. This is similar to many other cultures around the world.