Heroic Society
1) List and briefly explain the features of a heroic society.
Aristocratic warriors dominated Germanic heroic society (Evans 86). Loyalty was the main concept associated with this kind of lifestyle: tribal life was based on hunting and war, and from childhood Germans were trained to be hard workers (Caesar 21). Germanic tribes did not build cities. They preferred to settle in meadows, woods, or in other places that attracted them. Their dwellings were not attached together like those of the Romans; each house was surrounded by an open space (Tacitus 16). Their society’s organization was certainly important but its most essential attribute was the heroic code. In order to be a good warrior not only had one to follow his leader until death but one also had to die an honourable death. The heroic code was also associated with the virtue of hospitality. By being hospitable one was generous. In Beowulf, for instance, King Hrothgar invites Beowulf and his men to stay and feast in his hall. The mistreatment of a guest would have been considered a crime (Caesar 22). The concept of fate was also very important to the heroic code (see question #3 for more information on fate).

2) How does the physical environment contribute to the development of a heroic society?
Germanic tribes usually established themselves in meadows and woods, which were places in which the Romans would have never imagined living (documentary seen in class). This gave the Germans a big advantage when in battle. Nevertheless, living in the woods was not always easy. Resources were hard to come by. Warriers had to hunt and gather in order to provide food for their families. Very little agriculture was practiced. The physical environment also presented many challenges: it was unstable and dangerous (class notes).

3) Why is fate important in heroic culture?
Fate is an important part of the heroic code. Part of being a good warrior was accepting one’s fate, in other words, accepting one’s destiny, even if it meant premature death. Beowulf follows this part of the heroic code very well when the poet says that he is destined to face the end of his days in the mortal world (Heaney, 2340-44). Germanic tribes had to trust and embrace their fate.

5) Why are the Middle Ages referred to as the Middle Ages?
The Middle Ages refers to the period of time between the decline of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, that is, from around 476 to 1453 (Class notes). The Middle Ages are also referred to as the “Dark Ages” because people saw this period of time as barbaric after the glories of the Roman Empire. People believe that during that time there was a cultural decline in certain areas such as art, writing, hygiene and agriculture techniques, but people did find hope in Christianity. They believed life would be better in heaven. Nevertheless, some scholars have found the Middle Ages to be a lot more culturally vibrant than first generally thought (Class discussion).

6) With reference to the text, explain what Tacitus has to say about the role of women in Germanic culture.
Tacitus says that women were important in a Germanic tribe. It was women who witnessed their husbands bravery as “sacred witnesses” (Tacitus 8). Men’s biggest fear was for their women to be enslaved. Women were very important to men but they were still seen like something one could own, in other words, property. The women would supply food and encouragement during battles (Tacitus 8). Tacitus, also believes that women were healers. They took care of the wounded men. In particular, Tacitus is surprised to see women accomplishing tasks that slaves would usually do in a regular Roman city (Tacitus 13). Germanic tribes had very few slaves. It is also interesting to note that husbands were the ones who brought dowries to wives (class notes).

Work cited

Caesar, Julius, and H. J. Edwards. The Gallic War. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1963. Web.
Evans, Stephen S. The Lords of Battle: Image and Reality of the Comitatus in Dark-Age Britain. Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: Boydell, 1998. Print.
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. London: Faber, 1999. Print.
Tacitus, Cornelius, and J. B. Rives. Germania. Oxford: Clarendon, 1999. → not sure if this is the right translation but I used the document given in class.