'“Beowulf” by Seamus Heaney and the Anglo-Saxon poem “Dream of the Rood” Essay\r'

'Fealty is one of the greatly-recognized apprises of the Anglo-Saxon world. a good deal defined as a type of truth or allegiance, allegiance loosenesss a more than lovely and active role in Seamus Heaneys Beowulf than in the Anglo-Saxon song The conceive of of the Rood because of the way it causes bring through to be taken. Understanding the use of this Anglo-Saxon prize can reveal its importance in Anglo-Saxon life and literature.\r\nIn Beowulf, the main character Beowulf uses commitment to empower him to perform elevated deeds. This is shown through the actions that he makes: upon hearing of the attacks by Grendel, Beowulf rushes to the aid of Hrothgar, a accomplice of his father’s. Beowulf’s father, Ecgtheow, previously killed Heatholaf, a piece of the Wulfing tribe. According to Anglo-Saxon terminology and law, a debt or wergild must be paid to the relatives of the victim. Unable to throw this manprice (StudyGuide.org), Ecgtheow fled to avoid war. Hro thgar healed the feud by give (Line 470) this debt which caused Beowulf’s father to swear allegiance to Hrothgar.\r\nIt is this commitment that his father made that encourages Beowulf to follow up on an old friendship (Line 376) and assist Hrothgar by defeating Grendel. new(prenominal) fount where Beowulf uses obedience to act heroic is the conclusiveness to labor the dragon. Although this occurs in the older phase of Beowulf’s life, his loyalty or faithfulness to the Geats as queen mole rat of the people (Line 2513) obliges him to defend them, believing that its his duty. Conclusively, the utilization of fealty by Beowulf results in actions being carried out.\r\nThe Anglo-Saxon value of fealty is also used by other characters in Beowulf to execute intrepid actions. The greatest example of this is the aid shown to Beowulf by Wiglaf during the battle against the dragon. During this battle, Beowulfs sword fails him and hes in need of assistance from the eleven comrades personally chosen for the encounter. However, excluding Wiglaf, that hand-picked troop broke ranks and ran for their lives (Lines 2597-2598). Wiglaf was the only warrior of the band who stood by his lord. In a sign of respect toward the heroic ideal of the Anglo-Saxon world that states that he is oblige to fight for their lord to the death (StudyGuide.org), Wiglaf interferes in the fight and they eventually defeat the dragon. This principle demonstrates how fealty is authoritative to Anglo-Saxon life in the way it invigorate Wiglaf to aid Beowulf. All in all, fealty is acutely used in Beowulf as a earth to which one could complete actions.\r\nIn Dream of the Rood, fealty is shown by the flub to Christ scarcely it doesnt play an actual role in the poem because the cross is an inanimate object and cannot use his fealty to treasure his lord. In a sense, the fealty in this poem is more idealistic than in Beowulf since the cross has the finis and the eagerness to aid C hrist during the crucifixion but he cannot interfere. This willpower is illustrated when Christ was placed on the Cross in preparation for the crucifixion. The cross states that although the motive shakes, it â€Å"dared…not against the Lord’s word/ hunker down or break (Lines 35-36). That provides the notion that the cross has the bearing to help Christ because it bending or geological fault would hinder Christ; the cross, by announcing that it wouldnt do such(prenominal) a thing verifies its fealty. Therefore, fealty is used in the poem as a concept, not as a reason for action.\r\nIn conclusion, the application of fealty to the two Anglo-Saxon texts is evident but more significant in one then the other. Still, fealty contributes to both pieces of literature and its complex use exposes wherefore it is so vital to Anglo-Saxon society.\r\n kit and caboodle Cited\r\nGlenn, Jonathan A. â€Å"The Dream of the Rood.” University of Central Arkansas. May 2009 .\r\ nHeaney, Seamus. Beowulf A New poetise Translation (Bilingual Edition). Boston: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.\r\nâ€Å"Beowulf †StudyGuide.org.” StudyGuide.org. May 2009 .\r\nWorks ConsultedDictionary.com. May 2009 .\r\n'