Reflections of a Culture Past Essay - 654 Words

Reflections of a Culture Past The poem, Beowulf was supposedly written in the tenth century, but it was most likely told before then, orally, for centuries. There is little information about the author, on when Beowulf was first created or about the original version of the story before it was written. However the poem does, however, give us great insight into the cultural views and ideals of the Anglo-Saxon people who would have composed and told this tale. This includes their political, social and moral views. Beyond this, Beowulf gives us an even greater insight into this society of constant fight and war. Interwoven throughout almost every aspect of their culture and the poem are very strict moral codes and values. Those morals and†¦show more content†¦The character Beowulf is the embodiment of those ideals. The easiest to see of these is strength. Men of that time period were fearless, fame seeking and most of all, courageous. Those who acquired such qualities would boast of their feats for all to hear. Other obvious virtues that Beowulf carried were those of honor and dignity. He displays admirable honor throughout the poem, but the time it was most apparent to me, is when he is in conflict with Grendel. He states to Grendel, â€Å"Since you have no weapon of iron, nor shall I.† The Anglo-Saxons living in the time of Beowulf had their own set of beliefs. For instance they believe that even if things were good, bad things were right around the corner, so they celebrated every chance they received. Also they did not believe in the afterlife. To them, the only way to experience life after death was to live on in the memories of others. One could only fulfill this goal by being known for one’s generosity, courage, and strength. This belief, along with others, I believe shaped their ideals and had influence in the poem. In the time of the Anglo-Saxons and the writing of Beowulf, two large changes are taking place. One is the conversion from a predominantly Paganism religion closer to that of Christianity. However, I believe that the Christianity portrayed in this poem is more closely tied in with Moses’ Old Testament teachings of revenge and equality than Christ’s teachings of peace, love and forgiveness.Show MoreRelatedTraditional Tales As A Reflection Of Culture1217 Words   |  5 Pages Traditional tales are a reflection of culture in which they are told due to various aspects. They deal with goddesses, gods, and other supernatural creatures that relate to humans. The importance of myths being traditional tales and a reflection of culture displays the civilization and society of a myth and its truths. Human culture conserves historical records within the human language. 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