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Vianey Aguirre
Ms. Figueroa
Senior English
2018 December 7
Life Values in Beowulf

Values are what creates a person and shows their behaviors towards others. The Anglo-

Saxons are people who inhabited Great Britain from the 5th century. They are also known as old

English. One hero named Beowulf follows the story “Beowulf” about courage and bravery. It

took place in Scandinavia with the Danes and Beowulf fought many obstacles to become who he

was, a king. Each obstacle represented who he was; a great warrior, fights monsters, and the

fame he received from winning his fights. The Anglo-Saxons uphold values towards their king

Beowulf, they appreciated bravery, truth, and duty.

The Anglo-Saxons valued bravery because it was mandatory to have in facing a battle or

fighting a monster. For Beowulf he challenges himself by facing multiple monsters which

include Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. In Beowulf it states, “I’ve never known fear,

as a youth I fought in endless battle” (Beowulf 607-608). It shows bravery because a hero must

have bravery to defeat any obstacle. Beowulf uses his words to show bravery because he is no

coward but a king; who has to show his people to not be afraid. This quotes states, “When he

comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us

wins." (Beowulf 620-621). The Anglo-Saxons uphold bravery as Beowulf the character

represents it throughout the poem. Bravery can mean many things but in this epic poem it is

someone who sacrifices everything for fate.

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Not everything can always be great there is always an obstacle or something that blocks

that quest from becoming true. People in the village lived happily till something supernatural

destroys that happiness because of anger, jealousy, and hunger. The truth defines life, “So

Hrothgar’s men lived happy in his hall till the monsters stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel,

who haunted the moors, the wild Marshes, and made his home in a hell not hell but earth"

(Beowulf 15-18). The truth is the Anglo-Saxons are showing how life will not always be easy

because there will be people and responsibilities that everyone has to face. Life goes on

throughout the poem of Beowulf but in this case it is fate it that chose Beowulf. Beowulf’s fate is

being defined in this quote by saying, “My days have gone by as fate willed, waiting for its word

to be spoken, ruling as well as I knew how, swearing no unholy oaths, seeking no lying wars"

(Beowulf 747-751). Fate is what brought most of the values together which the Anglo-Saxons are

trying to explain how life is fate to survive or die as a process. Truth unfolds everything about

someone’s life in this case it starts with Wiglac’s story that will begin with the help of Beowulf

giving up his fate.

Being righteous for something is a duty which in this case it is becoming known by

others, whether bed or good. Anyone in this epic poem has a duty to be what they were made to

live. This quote says, “Seeing how Grendel hunted when they slept" (Beowulf 56). Grendel does

this because it is his duty to take and kill as a monster. As a warrior you serve your king by his

side as a sacrifice when the time comes. This quote represents duty, “When the time came,

kindness for kindness with our lives, if he needed them” (Beowulf 712-713). Wiglac showed

duty to his king while others did not follow so he showed duty to come to his king’s aid. Duty is

a main value to the Anglo-Saxons as it showed the people, the king, and the warriors which

represented throughout the epic poem.

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The values that were expressed and shown in the epic poem were bravery, truth, and duty

towards their king and the warriors. Bravery was Beowulf's main characteristic throughout the

poem he fought many battles with monsters and demons as fate brought him to that. Truth was

shown in a person but also how they lived in that era when it is time for fate to be passed and life

goes on. Duty is what every warrior has to show but sadly Wiglac was the only warrior who

vowed his duty to protect his king and other did not act as a warrior but cowards. These values

are what the Anglo-Saxons represented in the epic poem. Beowulf was not just a strong man who

can fight with monsters he was also a person with dignity. The poem could teach the readers not

to be afraid but to face those obstacles till the end.

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Work Cited

McDougal Littell. “Beowulf.” 1963, United States of America