What are the strengths and failures of the Battle of Maldon and the ?related texts? as evidence for the structure of English Society :: essays research papers fc

What ar the strengths and failures of the Battle of Maldon and the related textbooks as evidence for the structure of English SocietyThe Battle of Maldon is a mediaeval text depicting a contend between English warriors and danish invaders. Earl Byrtnoth was commanding the warriors in the name of magnate thelred. The poem portrays the heroism of the bravest warriors and the clear cowardice of those that fled. Controversy over the aim of the poem is apparent as Sragg says that the poets style of writing is so hyperbolic that it robs what little of trustworthiness in that respect is. On the one hand there is little doubt that the battle happened and in this sense the poem is accurate, however very little archaeological evidence has been found around that historical sight to consolidate the poems content. some other problem may well lie in the later translations of the text especially before 1725 and the Cotton Library fire. When copyists began to copy the text they may well have lost some of the meaning of the poem by the way they understand it, they are likely to translate the text to hold in contemporary understanding.It is possible to see that the church appears to play a study role in the club of the English in the tenth and 11th centuries. Lines one hundred and one to one hundred and five bring out a deeply engrained belief in fate and idols hand in it, There against the fierce ones stood readyByrtnoth with his men thusly the fight was nigh, eminence in combat the time had comewhen destine men must fall there. It is possible to see that there was a deeply engrained belief, in the higher circles of society especially, that if you died on the battle study then God had fated you to do so. Also the use of glory indicates a connection with religion as glory and glorification are synonymous with Christ, God, and religion in general. This idea is backed up by lines one hundred and seventy three to one hundred and ogdoady whereby a fallen warrio r believes that they will reach heaven in Gods peace. This idea would no doubt be reflected through society as lines two hundred and five to two hundred and eight suggest that society acknowledges the bravest, a lord would expect his warriors to avenge his expiration or lose his life in the process. The church also compete a major role as a buttress to the Kings legitimacy and power.