What's interesting to contrast this is that Beowulf seems to adhere to his glory and fame on this earth even when he thanks God for his safe journeys. Also interesting and important is the relationships between lords and their subjects. Early cultures in this society were probably hunter-gather type societies with little influential, ability mostly surviving on their own. Beowulf on the other hand depicts these societies as great and large with Kings and Queens that had intimate and platonic relations with each other building a post Roman Empire. Here, a quote at the beginning of Beowulf shows the ideals of what a "good" king supposedly obtained, at least the quote gives the inclination of mixed Christian and pagan values in a high societal leader. The narrator is speaking in context to Scyld, a king of latter relation to Beowulf. "_he waxed under the skies, throve in honours, until to him each of the bordering tribes beyond the whale-road had to submit, and yield tribute:- that was a good king!" (BEOWULF 8-11). The narrator describes Scyld as honorable, "throve in honours". Honor is placed highly in the Anglo-Saxon society, evident in many other passages in Beowulf. A statement made about Beowulf after his victories in Geatland, " Thus he was bold, the son of Edgetheow, man famed in war, for good deeds; he led his life for glory," (Beowulf 2180-2182). Back to Scyld .
Who, also described as a "good king" in relation to the fact that he gathered tribute from surrounding tribes. Scyld got money and with that, Scyld is said to have been a good king for his honor and his money. This contrasts the beliefs of Christianity. Jesus himself said to Judas that the money he collected wasn't important. Jesus laid little importance on having a large amount of glory for him and gaining monetary stature, yet the Anglo-Saxon society places emphasis on the fact that Scyld was able to gain monetary stature and in so gain glory and honor.
