Old English literature is replete with themes of bravery and heroism during times of war; and to those who exhibited these virtues was inscribed the highest respect and gratitude. Beowulf and the Battle of Maldon are two famous Old English masterpieces that emphasize these themes.
The poem, Beowulf, begins when the Danish king, Hrothgar, experiences trouble in his kingdom because of a monster named Grendel, who invades his mead hall and kills his people. From across the sea, a brave Geat named Beowulf hears of the monster menacing the Danes and rushes to their aid. He arrives and prepares immediately to fight Grendel. When Grendel finally appears, the monster kills one of Beowulf's men. But when Grendel reaches out to eat Beowulf, he grabs the monster's arm and rips it off. Grendel flees, leaving behind a long trail of blood, and Beowulf and his men rejoice knowing Grendel is dead. Later that night, however, Grendel's mother comes to the mead hall to avenge her son's death. Learning of this, Beowulf sets out to find and kill her. After Beowulf slays Grendel's mother, Hrothgar is ecstatic and bestows gifts upon Beowulf and his men. Fifty years later, when Beowulf is king of the Danes, a dragon begins terrorizing his people. At the end of the poem, Beowulf kills that dragon but ultimately dies in the battle; leaving behind a legacy of the ultimate bravery and heroism. (Beowulf)
Old English literature teaches that war heroes always deserve respect and gratitude. Beowulf, which is often considered the greatest of all the Old English masterpieces, is, above all, a long hymn of praise for the warrior. J. R. R. Tolkien, a famous Old English literature scholar, goes so far as to claim that, "Beowulf is a heroic elegy, in which the first 3,000-plus lines are merely a prelude to Beowulf's funeral dirge." In Old English times, a man was defined by his valor in battle. Possessing a high level of courage in battle is what deemed him a hero and, consequently, deserving of respect and gratitude.
However, the war heroes of Old English literature were not admired only because of their bravery but also because their service was critical for the survival of the country. In Beowulf’s time, brave warriors were needed to protect one Germanic tribe from another. Furthermore, it was understood that if Beowulf had not risked his life to kill Grendel and his mother, then the two monsters would have killed many more people. The same holds true today. Valiant military men and women are still necessary to ensure our nation’s freedom. For having the courage to answer this call, they too deserve the respect and gratitude of every American.
In Old English literature, the war hero respected his enemy. In 
Beowulf, for example, Beowulf did not consider his enemy, the Heathobards, as bad men; rather, he thought of them as greathearted warriors. Beowulf understood and respected the fact that the Heathobards were too prideful to forego a chance at battle. In the culture of the time, being a war hero meant that you had the gusto to fight; it didn’t matter whose side you were fighting on. Elizabeth Kantor, an English PhD and the editor of the Conservative Book Club, writes:
“There were many men living in the heroic-age culture who didn't easily take offense, who didn't consider revenge a duty, and who didn't think their reputations were worth defending with their lives: they were known as slaves.”
According to Old English literature, the dignity and worth of a man was based upon his valor in battle.
However, there have always been those members of society who shun the war hero and do not believe that he—or she—deserves either respect or gratitude. In Beowulf's time, there was Unferth, a Thyle, who, out of envy, mocked Beowulf and questioned the authenticity of Beowulf’s alleged acts of heroism. Unferth's underlying motivation for attacking Beowulf was envy, which may be the same underlying motivation among many modern liberal intellectuals who snub today's soldiers and claim that their lives are spent in vain. However, the majority of those who lived in Old English times believed steadfastly that all war heroes deserved respect and gratitude and that too should hold true today.
Another epic Old English poem, The Battle of Maldon, tells the story of a battle between the English and the Vikings. Byrhtnoth, the Earl of Essex, orders his men into battle after refusing to accept the Vikings’ peace offers. The Vikings then ask Byrhtnoth if he would allow them to cross a narrow ford without being attacked so that the battle could be held more fairly on the mainland. The poet explains that because of Byrhtnoth's excessive pride, he agrees to the Vikings’ request. In the end, this poor decision led to the deaths of Byrhtnoth and his men at the hands of the Vikings. After Byrhtnoth's death, some of the English soldiers fled; but others, despite their leader's poor decision, remained true to the vows they made to their lord and pursued the battle until it ended. (The
Old English literature also informs us that the war hero should be admired even if his death is caused by a mistake. In the Battle of Maldon, the English soldiers died because of their leader's poor decision based on his pride. Yet, the author never implies that this diminishes the warriors' heroism. I believe the Iraq War could be likened to the Battle of Maldon. Although many believe it was a mistake to invade 
War veterans worthy of respect and gratitude.
Old English Literature teaches that the war hero always deserves respect and gratitude, and this virtue should still ring true today. We should all strive to be like the Old English war hero because within such a hero can be found the spirit of a man—or woman—who is stronger, braver and better than any other; someone who is willing to face death with courage to ensure the freedom of others. Whether you live in the 9th or the 21st century, the war heroes from Old English literature still have a lot to teach us about what it means to be virtuous.
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