Essay: Beowulf and Wiglaf – bravery, honour and loyalty.

According to the dictionary definition, a hero is “a mythological or legendary figure endowed with great strength, courage or ability, favored by the gods, and often believed to be of divine or partly divine descent”, that is to say, someone who is appreciated and respected by others for his exemplary conduct. But since each culture has a unique system of values, which define what is right and what is wrong, what patterns of behavior are appropriate and what is not, it is obvious that ideal personality and behavior can mean different things for different groups of people. Hence the heroic ideal – although it has certain traits in common – can also be slightly different for every culture. I believe that social system and religion are the main factors that influence a community’s system of values and through this its concept of heroism. Thus these two are going to be the focus of this essay. To become acquainted with the ideology of a certain culture it is extremely useful to examine its literature. Written materials can tell much about how the people who composed them conceived of the world: what they regarded as good or important and what they rejected for being evil, guilty or inferior. In this essay I attempt to explore the Anglo Saxon system of values through the example of the epic poem Beowulf in order to find out more about the heroic ideal of these people. Especially seen through the characters of Beowulf and Wiglaf, the poem Beowulf illustrates three important morals of its time: bravery, honor, and loyalty.
In a warrior society, a hero plays a significant role in many respects. On the one hand, the mere existence of a great warrior gives some sort of protection for his people, since he might discourage other tribes from attacking. And naturally, in case it comes to fighting he can increase the chances of victory of his tribe. Moreover, the positive effect of his exemplary conduct on the morale of his fellow warriors is also something to be taken into consideration. On the whole, he gives his kin a sense of security, which was highly appreciated in those days.
On the other hand, he can act as an apt successor to the throne should the king die without a legitimate heir. This was the case with Beowulf when the Geatish king, Hygelac, and soon after him his son died. And of course, if it does not happen, an acknowledged hero can always act as a right hand and advisor of the leader. From the point of view of the king, a hero is a trusted and respected, steady companion, a loyal retainer to whom he would entrust even his country. Interestingly, this relationship can also be observed between Beowulf and Hrothgar. Despite the fact that they were members of different tribes, Hrothgar “…adopted Beowulf in his heart as a son” (lines 945‐946). It seems that mutual assistance and generosity is above national status.
The hero’s status as a possible successor to the king was also relevant in the eyes of the folk. It assured them that whatever happens, they will not be left unprotected, without a leader. It was a real threat to remain without a leader, as it meant that the people became defenseless against conquering tribes. In the middle of total confusion that followed the king’s death, it was impossible to settle affairs, not to mention raising an army. And the hostile nations were well aware of this, and would not miss such a great opportunity for invasion. When Beowulf died in the battle with the dragon, his men immediately realized the serious consequences: they did not only lament over the loss of their king but also over the war‐torn future they saw for themselves.
Beowulf, the hero of the poem, exhibits great bravery in everything he does. Before facing Grendel, Beowulf “took off the helmet and handed his attendant / the patterned sword” (672-673), deciding that using a weapon or protection of any kind would make the battle too easy. Shortly after doing this, he boasts, “When it comes to fighting, I count myself / as dangerous any day as Grendel” (677-678). Reckless and impressive actions like these demonstrate Beowulf’s courage and daring and make him appear more heroic. Over fifty years later, Beowulf shows the same qualities when fighting the dragon, as does Wiglaf, who aids him and does not stop even as “flames lapped the shield, / charred it to the boss, and the body armor / on the young warrior was useless to him” (2672-2674). Neither man could be deterred by lack of defense because both demonstrated heroic bravery.
As the story’s great and glorified hero, Beowulf also demonstrates honor. When he throws away his armor and sword before leaving for his fight with Grendel, he explains that his opponent “has no idea the arts of war, / or shield or swordplay” (681-682). He, therefore, decides that there will be “no weapons, therefore, / for either this night” (683-684). In accordance with the morals of the time, a kill does not bring satisfaction unless it is fair. Meanwhile, Grendel, the poem’s malevolent villain, displays a lack of honor when the epic states, “he grabbed thirty men / from their resting places” (122-123). The act of attacking men in their sleep when they cannot defend themselves shows how morally inferior Grendel is to the honorable Beowulf. Wiglaf later shows honor in his own way when he refuses to withdraw in battle, saying, “A warrior will sooner / die than live a life of shame” (2890-2891). Retreating would be shameful and therefore dishonorable, which is not acceptable to a good man like Wiglaf. Many of his fellow soldiers, however, did just that, and at Beowulf’s funeral, Wiglaf pointed out their lack of honor with contempt, saying, “I would rather my body was robed in the same/burning blaze as my gold-giver’s body / than go back home bearing arms” (2651-2653). Here, Wiglaf proves himself the better man because he has honor while the others, who willingly abandoned their King in battle, clearly do not.
Lastly, Beowulf and Wiglaf both show outstanding loyalty throughout the piece. All of Beowulf’s actions are clearly motivated by loyalty, starting with his decision to help the Danes. Beowulf’s father once started a feud, which Hrothgar helped to end. Hrothgar recalls, “Ecgtheow acknowledged me with oaths of allegiance” (472). Beowulf traveled with his men to fight a fearsome monster, not for the glory of it but so that he could help his father to repay his debt. Many years later, Wiglaf shows his loyalty and devotion to his king Beowulf by following him into the fray when no one else did, promising, “I shall stand by you” (2668). In the end, this loyalty reveals Wiglaf’s valor, proving him to be just as heroic a character as Beowulf.
The characters in Beowulf demonstrate three of the most important morals at the time of the story’s creation: bravery, honor, and loyalty. The character of Beowulf clearly exemplifies these traits, but Wiglaf, a comparably small character, does so just as well. In the end, his morals save the day when he shows all three at once by jumping to Beowulf’s aid while fighting the dragon. Together, these men form a representation of the moral ideal in the early Anglo-Saxon culture.
In conclusion, The Anglo‐Saxon hero is a loyal, trustworthy thane of the king, born with almost superhuman strength and abilities. He is high‐born, but owes his reputation more to his own exploits than to his ancestors’. He is wealthy, bears splendid armor and weapons, but is a
formidable fighter without them as well. Ingenuity, persistence, courage, self‐sacrifice, and faith in victory are all necessary elements of his personality. He would do anything for the sake of his people, but also feels called upon to act for the good of anyone in need. He is courteous and well‐mannered, but not afraid to put his foot down if his honor is at stake. He always keeps his promises and never leaves death unavenged. He does not rise against the will of the Almighty, let it be God or fate, and accepts whatever it brings for him. His departure is mourned by many people and his majestic funeral bears evidence of his greatness. For his incredible deeds, his story becomes part of the oral tradition of his people, who will keep him in their memories for a very long time. Such a hero was Beowulf, amusing and inspiring all who heard of him – even if he existed only in the imagination of the audience.
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