In this system, the king or feudal lord provides land, weapons, and a share of treasure to his warriors (called thanes or retainers) in return for their support of the leader in battle. ... When booty is seized from an enemy in battle, everything goes to the king. ... When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel's mother he simply "donned his armor for battle, heeded not the danger". ... He gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. ... There is no mention of Jesus in Beowulf, and references to God seem based on the Old Testament rather than the New. ...

• Word Count: 3090
• Approx Pages: 12