The Battle of Maldon uses linguistic tools to glorify the military capabilities of the Saxons, who are in reality the losing side, while downplaying the victory of the Viking invaders . Through the use of language, the poem eternalizes both individual heroes and traitors, while reaffirming the value of kinship and promoting the heroic code. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay By denying free will to the Vikings in favor of individual Saxon warriors, the poet glorifies the English troops by emphasizing the vested political interests of the work. This is demonstrated by the use of the passive voice to describe the losses of the English forces, for example the breaking of the English defenses is stated as "ða wearð borda gebræc (Then the shields were broken)" (295). This has the effect that the agents of the destruction of the "borda" (the subject of the line) are linguistically hidden, thus minimizing a crucial military loss. This tendency is further evidenced in the line "Gar oft þurhwod / fæges feorhhus (The spear often pierced the body of the destined man)" (296-7) in which the inanimate object of the spears themselves acts as the agent of the phrase, as opposed to the Vikings who launched them. Indeed, when the Vikings are mentioned in this section, it is often through the use of common nouns such as “brimmen (sailors)” (29); deprived of both a formal and individual identity, they simply become a negative mass. On the other hand, the military victories of the English forces are specifically detailed, thanks to an abundant use of proper names, the heroes being almost sanctified by the poet. For example, the Wistan warrior, “þurstanes suna” (298), is immediately defined by his ancestral heritage, and his combat prowess is spelled out in detail, indicating that he is the “geþrang” of three Vikings – here the active voice provides both detail and glory to the hero. The marginalization of the Vikings and the valorization of the Saxons fuel the political purpose of the poem, which could be described as propaganda aimed at uniting the people against the enemy. Thus, rather than an objective account of the battle, Maldon prioritizes Saxon culture and the heroic code, which emphasized the importance of loyalty to clan leaders (including after death) and courage, even facing military defeat. By linguistically denying Viking action, the poem emphasizes and glorifies the heroes of a lost battle and glosses over the generally crushing nature of military defeat. The power of language in relation to the heroic code is highlighted when brothers Oswald and Eadwold mobilize the support of men. through their words: “Hyra winemagas / wordon bædon (They begged their dear parents with their words)” (306). The name "winemagas" acts as both a term of endearment and a description of a social structure that promotes unity and camaraderie. Additionally, the phrase feeds into a recurring, crucial motif that the power of language can motivate those who fight – for example earlier in the poem, Byrhtnoth rallies his men through a similar power of speech. In many ways, this motif reflects the purpose of the play itself: through language, the poet reaffirms the importance of Saxon social structures. The use of the first person plural pronoun during Byrhtwold's speech, as in the phrase "Her lið ure ealdor / eall forheawe (Here lies our lord all broken down)" (314), further fosters a sense of community. Unlike the Vikings, the English forces are presented as a collective entity with an identity »..