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  • Essay / Anglo-Saxon Cultural Practices in Beowulf

    Chicago's famous John Hancock Center, the local Eisenhower Jr. High School, and the Daley Center are all buildings named after well-liked and respected individuals. Today, people value education, talent, and leadership enough to name buildings after people who represent these traits. Since Anglo-Saxon times, things have changed. The Anglo-Saxons valued aspects such as strength, power and hero status. Looking back in history, there are several artifacts of Anglo-Saxon culture, such as their poems and art, that show the importance of these values. The epic poem Beowulf is an artifact that demonstrates the values ​​of Anglo-Saxon culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayIn the epic poem, the main character, Beowulf, is the embodiment of all that is good from the Anglo-Saxon perspective . Beowulf is their hero: strong, courageous and daring. For the Anglo-Saxons, these qualities were necessary for their success. Before Beowulf goes to fight the evil monster Grendel, he boasts to his people, saying "And I will fulfill this purpose, / prove my pride by proud deed / or meet my death here in the mead." (Beowulf 636-638). Beowulf tells the citizens that he will prove his strength, as well as his greatness as a warrior, by defeating Grendel. Then again, he also recognizes that if he really wasn't as good as he thought he was, he would meet death. Being the hero that everyone appreciated and respected, Beowulf represents the strength and courage appreciated by the Anglo-Saxons. The citizens of this epic poem not only admire their heroes, but also aspire to be strong and noble warriors themselves. In Anglo-Saxon times, it was important for men to be tough and vicious. After defeating Grendel, the citizens recognized Beowulf's greatness. “Beowulf's actions have been praised time and time again. /…on the vast earth, was there anyone better. (855-856, 859). Because Grendel's defeat was essential for the Danes to return to their normal daily lives, Beowulf was rewarded with a feast and many gifts from the king, and everyone in town gathered in the mead hall to celebrate. the courageous feat of Beowulf. The people in this epic poem resemble the people of the Anglo-Saxon era because they highly value and aspire to become prestigious warriors. In Anglo-Saxon times, courage and strength were not the only things that were valued; Having fun in the mead hall was also important to them. In Beowulf, the mighty King of the Danes, Hrothgar, created his own mead called Heorot. Heorot was a place where his people could drink mead and have fun. Meads were important to the Anglo-Saxon period because it was a place where one could only have a good time and forget about the fighting for the moment. The mead hall was also a place of celebration. In Beowulf, the Danes all gathered at Heorot to celebrate Beowulf's successes. The men in the room then handed the cup first to Hrothgar, the guardian of their homeland, urging him to drink deeply and enjoy it because he was dear to them. And he drank it Like the war leader he was, with festive joy (615-619). The men in the mead hall honor their beloved king, for they have all gathered in the mead hall to give thanks to their heroic and mighty rulers. . In Anglo-Saxon times, people placed importance and pride in mead and saw it as a place of comfort, celebration and.