Beowulf Essay: Anglo-Saxon Daily Life And Culture

Anglo-Saxon Daily Life and Culture The British epic Beowulf is the earliest of its type, written during the Anglo-Saxon time period. In order to understand the context of the narrative, it is important to be familiar with the daily life and culture of the Anglo-Saxons. The Anglo-Saxon era was quite unique, from the government to the decorative swords. The king was the supreme ruler of the land and was usually an effective war leader. He provided opportunities for plunder and glory for his people. This is evident in Beowulf as we can see examples from King Hrothgar and Beowulf in their reigns as kings. Thanes were the upper class of the freemen. Owning at least five hides (600 acres) of land was required to be a thane. Ceorls were the lower class of freemen. They were …show more content…
It survived orally as a pagan story for centuries before modern translations by Christian poets. It was almost destroyed in a fire during the 1700s. J.R.R. Tolkien repopularized the story with his paper “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics” (Sparknotes). Beowulf provides us with insight on the values and lifestyles of the Anglo-Saxons. “Ecclesiastical History of the English People,” written by the English monk and historian Bede, is another source of much of our knowledge about the early Anglo-Saxon period. Other original writings in Old English include the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, sermons, saints’ lives and wills. About 30,000 lines of Old English poetry survive, representing a range of genres including elegies, heroic verse, love poetry, narrative, religious poetry and riddles (Anglo). The spear was the most common weapon, typically measuring seven feet. Shields were round and made of wood covered with leather. “Only the nobility used swords, which were about thirty inches long, made of iron with steel edges. The hilt was often elaborately carved and jeweled, and could be inscribed with good luck symbols and the names of gods”

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Beowulf Essay: Anglo-Saxon Daily Life And Culture

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