Comitatus In Beowulf

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In the story Beowulf there is a strong theme of comitatus. Comitatus is defined as: “a body of wellborn men attached to a king or chieftain by the duty of military service” (Merriam-Webster). Wiglaf is a brave warrior who fights along Beowulf in attempt to slay the Dragon threatening the Geats. He is an extraordinary model of comitatus in the Anglo-Saxon period, a time when killing your brother was punishable by death, and people in the same community were stronger together than apart. However, during times of great danger, the bonds between men can be broken by fear. In Beowulf, the dragon comes and terrorises the land of the Geats. It burns the homes of the people, and destroys the villages that have been calm in the fifty years of Beowulf’s reign. Old and worn-down Beowulf, takes a …show more content…
The selflessness modeled reveals how being strong when another brother is vulnerable makes the man of the Anglo-Saxon period great warriors. The relationship between the Anglo-Saxon men was synergetic, and helped them fight in wars that people today would never dare to fight. After fighting the dragon with Beowulf, and standing by his king through his death, Wiglaf stood up for Beowulf even after his death. He addressed the people saying, “And death would be better for them all, and for you, than a life you can lead, branded by disgrace!” (Beowulf, Lines 2888-2891). Wiglaf carries out his love for his king and seeks to stand up to those who disrespected him. He goes to those that ran away, and tells them that they did not show comitatus, and that they would never live an honorable life after disrespecting the bond. Wiglaf banishes the men because for a community to be strong, all men have to be willing to die for their brothers like Wiglaf is. Without the comitatus that Wiglaf modeled, the dragon would have killed Beowulf and continued to terrorise Geatland. Comitatus saved many

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