In the time in which Beowulf was
first told (it had been handed down in the oral tradition long before it was ever
written down), survival was something the men and women of the day dealt with
constantly: it was as common as taking a breath.
Those
individuals who survived would have been strong warriors; and in the Anglo-Saxon world,
this applied to men and women who fought side-by-side. Being a great warrior, however,
spoke to individual survival, not necessarily to that of a group. A community could only
survive with the collective skills of its warriors. And as great warriors were valued
among the members of this civilization, it was the strongest and wisest warrior who
would be king.
True enough, there would be leaders who
ruled only by strength and force of will, but in Beowulf, the king
was a man who commanded respect because of his wisdom, courage and integrity. These
were the characteristics that would command the allegiance of the strongest of warriors.
Many men could be excellent warriors, but not every warrior could be a
king.
Beowulf had served such a king during the time he was
proving himself on the battlefield--showing himself to be a man of great valor. Marital
experience was only one aspect of Beowulf's character, but coupled with his just and
fair-minded treatment of others, he won the respect and regard of his society, and he
ultimately became the king of his people.
Being the
strongest warrior held an important place within this coarse and primitive culture, but
the qualities of a leader went well beyond strength, and looked to the character of the
man and his ability to guide his people in the best and worst of
times.
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