Journal 2

Beowulf is an epic poem that embodies the ideals and values of the entire society. Beowulf shows Anglo-Saxon’s culture through mead halls, monsters, and dragons. The mead and kings show the universal themes during the time. The quote “…no strength is a match for mine,” shows how Beowulf is a hero, and there is always a hero in an Anglo-Saxon epic. There is always bravery and honor in Anglo-Saxon epics as well. This is shown in the quote “Keep it free of evil, fight / With glory in your heart!” (389 -390)
This particular epic illustrates the Anglo-Saxon values of bravery, loyalty, and strength, and the universal theme is that good, with these characteristics, will always overcome evil. Bravery is a trait of great significance to the Anglo-Saxons; in their culture, a man is nothing without courage. In the poem, some of Hrothgar’s warriors display their bravery by engaging in battle with Grendel in an attempt to save Hrothgar’s kingdom, but all of them are unsuccessful save Beowulf. Nevertheless, the soldiers’ actions prove their allegiance to Hrothgar. They followed the Anglo-Saxon code of “comitatus,” in which warriors must defend their lord to the death. Beowulf, a “strong-hearted” warrior, directly symbolizes true bravery. He travels to Denmark to slay the foul beast, Grendel, who decimated Hrothgar’s warriors and wreaked havoc upon Herot for twelve winters (429). Beowulf swiftly approaches the beast confidently and seizes Grendel’s claw, immobilizing him.
Beowulf was also physically and mentally strong, while Grendel “knew at once that nowhere on earth/ had he met a man whose hands were harder” (433-4). The Anglo-Saxon society was based off of three main values—bravery, strength, and loyalty. These values allowed Beowulf, with the help of the Geats and Danes, to defeat evil in the end of Part One of Beowulf.