wylie.p5.t6.anglo-saxon synthesis question

Both the Anglo-Saxon and Greek cultures had their own ideals that were dominant in their respective times. However, cultural conflicts between each culture were apparent. The novel Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, reflects one example of conflict between the two cultures. One tradition that illustrates this cultural discrepancy exists between the ways that each civilization entertained its people. While the Greeks centered upon plays and drama, the Anglo-Saxons presented poems and other writings. As noted in Beowulf, “the king’s poet performed his part… unfolding the tale of the fierce attack in Friesland” to all the people present in the mead-hall (71). Here, “the king’s poet” performs an action that was utilized under the Anglo-Saxons for entertainment purposes. In Greek culture, however, as a form of entertainment playwrights created avid plays that were presented to a crowd in theatres. These plays were performed on a normal basis, providing pastimes for all social classes of that period. Stated in the Bedford Introduction to Literature, “plays were such important events in… society that they were partially funded by the state” (1294). Both cultures demonstrate forms of storytelling, acting, and entertainment, but they clash as they take varied approaches towards this subject. Additionally, in terms of the written literature, the two cultures conflicted in their religious beliefs. Christianity is constantly alluded to in Beowulf, as the narrator refers to the story of Cain and Abel several times in order to connect to the monster Grendel. The narrator also incorporates several small references to Christianity as well. For example, sailors “thanked God for that easy crossing” (17). With Greek playwriting, on the other hand, the people dealt more with polytheism, as they believed in numerous gods such as Zeus or Dionysus. As the literature demonstrates, the Anglo-Saxons and the Greeks had cultural differences in terms of their presentation methods as well as their religious beliefs.

Janelle Li
Nancy Lai
Zachary Lindecamp
Kelsey Nakamura