Heroism, values, and community for college literature courses

Week 6 Discussion Board: Heroism, Values, and Community in Beowulf

Course Context

Course: ENG 1– Introduction to Early English Literature (US college)
Activity type: Online discussion board post and peer replies
Focus: Heroic values, community expectations, and moral tension in Beowulf
Timing: Week 6, after completing the full poem and one critical article on heroism or cultural values in Beowulf

Discussion Prompt

Heroic poetry often celebrates strength and courage, but it also exposes the costs of those values for the communities that surround the hero. Beowulf praises feats of bravery and loyalty, yet the poem also hints at anxiety about violence, pride, and the future of the hall once the hero’s body fails.

For this week’s discussion, you will connect the heroic code in Beowulf to the poem’s concern with community survival, reputation, and moral responsibility. Draw on at least one specific scene and at least one recent scholarly comment on heroism or values in the poem.

Initial Post (250–350 words)

Write an initial post of 250–350 words in which you respond to the following:

• Choose one moment in the poem where Beowulf or another character makes a significant choice that reveals the heroic values of the society. Examples include Beowulf’s decision to fight Grendel without weapons, the response to Grendel’s mother, or the approach to the dragon in old age.

• Explain what values are highlighted in this moment, such as courage, loyalty, pursuit of fame, desire for treasure, or concern for one’s people, and show how the language of the passage supports your interpretation.

• Comment briefly on how this choice helps or harms the community in the short term and the long term.

• Incorporate at least one idea or sentence from a scholarly source on Beowulf and heroism or cultural values, and respond to it in your own words.

Reply Posts (2 × 100–150 words)

Respond to two classmates with posts of 100–150 words each:

• Extend their reading by pointing to another line or episode that supports or complicates their point.

• Raise a respectful question about how the heroic code functions in the scene they chose.

• Make at least one connection between their example and broader patterns you see across the poem.

Participation Requirements and Deadlines

• Post your initial response by Thursday 11:59 p.m. local time.

• Post both replies by Sunday 11:59 p.m. local time.

• Read the assigned critical piece on heroism or values in Beowulf before posting.

• Use MLA in-text citations when you quote the poem or secondary sources and include a brief Works Cited section at the end of your initial post.

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Grading Rubric (Discussion, 40 points)

1. Quality of Initial Post (18 points)

i. Excellent (16–18): Clear focus on a specific scene; insightful explanation of heroic values and community impact; thoughtful integration of one scholarly idea; references to particular lines or moments in the poem support the claims.
ii. Good (13–15): Focused response with solid explanation; some engagement with community impact; scholarly source used appropriately but not fully developed.
iii. Satisfactory (10–12): General discussion of heroism with limited reference to specific details; weak or brief use of secondary material; connection to community somewhat underdeveloped.
iv. Limited (0–9): Mostly summary of plot; little or no reference to scholarship; vague or unsupported claims about values and community.

2. Textual Engagement and Use of Evidence (10 points)

i. Excellent (9–10): Concrete references to lines, scenes, or narrative details; quotations or paraphrases are clearly linked to the point being made.
ii. Good (7–8): Some direct reference to specific parts of the poem; connection between evidence and claim is generally clear.
iii. Satisfactory (5–6): Limited textual support; tendency to speak about the poem in broad terms; minimal analysis of quoted material.
iv. Limited (0–4): Little or no textual evidence; misreading or inaccurate description of events.

3. Peer Interaction (8 points)

i. Excellent (7–8): Two replies posted on time; responses are substantive, respectful, and move the conversation forward through questions, extensions, or counterpoints.
ii. Good (5–6): Two replies completed with some engagement and encouragement; comments mostly agree and add a small extension.
iii. Satisfactory (3–4): One or two brief replies that mainly affirm peers without adding new insight.
iv. Limited (0–2): Minimal or no replies; replies off topic or not connected to peers’ ideas.

4. Writing Quality and MLA Citation (4 points)

i. Excellent (4): Clear sentences and organised paragraphs; mostly error free; MLA citations and Works Cited are present and accurate.
ii. Good (3): Generally clear writing with a few errors; MLA mostly correct with minor issues.
iii. Satisfactory (2): Understandable but sometimes unclear or repetitive; MLA incomplete or inconsistent.
iv. Limited (0–1): Difficult to follow due to frequent errors; citations largely missing or incorrect.

Many readers notice how eagerly Beowulf seeks fame, yet the poem also shows that the heroic code places his community in a vulnerable position when he grows old and still chooses direct combat with the dragon. In the final episode, Beowulf insists on facing the dragon almost alone, even though he serves as king and carries responsibility for the Geats’ future. The scene highlights values such as courage, loyalty, and devotion to reputation, but it also hints that heroic action shaped for a young warrior may not fit the needs of an ageing ruler whose death will leave his people exposed to attack from neighbouring groups.

One critic points out that Beowulf gains power and fame through his heroic deeds of fighting monsters, yet that same drive helps create the conditions for his downfall and the political uncertainty that follows his death. The tension between personal glory and collective security stands out when the Geatish messenger predicts that surrounding nations will soon move against a kingdom whose leader has fallen in battle. A pattern emerges in which the same culture that honours bravery and boasts also struggles to imagine how a community can survive once the celebrated hero has disappeared from the hall.

The poem also suggests that wisdom and restraint are values that deserve as much respect as physical strength. Throughout the narrative, older characters often warn younger warriors about the dangers of pride and reckless action. These warnings indicate that Anglo-Saxon culture understood the need for balance between individual glory and social responsibility. Modern scholars note that the heroic tradition of the poem constantly tests the limits of acceptable behavior within a fragile political world (Orchard 214). This perspective helps readers see that Beowulf is not only a celebration of warriors, but also a meditation on the long-term survival of the community.

Works Cited

• Beowulf. Translated by Seamus Heaney, W. W. Norton, 2000.

• “Reflection on Beowulf.” Scribd, uploaded 24 Sept. 2025, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://www.scribd.com/document/116769324/Reflection-on-Beowulf

• “Exploring the Heroism and Cultural Significance of Beowulf: A Literary Analysis.” Literature Times, 11 Jan. 2023, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://literaturetimes.com/exploring-the-heroism-and-cultural-significance-of-beowulf-a-literary-analysis/

• “Beowulf Essay 2023 – Amazing.” Studocu, 5 Oct. 2023, viewed 2 Feb. 2026, https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/james-e-dottke-alternative-school/english/beowulfessay2023-amazing/71652472

• Orchard, Andy. A Critical Companion to Beowulf. Cambridge University Press, 2003.

 Critical Sources

• “Reflection on Beowulf.” 2025, Scribd, viewed 2 February 2026, https://www.scribd.com/document/116769324/Reflection-on-Beowulf

• “Exploring the Heroism and Cultural Significance of Beowulf: A Literary Analysis.” 2023, Literature Times, viewed 2 February 2026, https://literaturetimes.com/exploring-the-heroism-and-cultural-significance-of-beowulf-a-literary-analysis/

• Studocu 2023, “Beowulf Essay 2023 – Amazing,” Studocu, viewed 2 February 2026, https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/james-e-dottke-alternative-school/english/beowulfessay2023-amazing/71652472

• Prior, K.S. 2023, “Beowulf: Week 2,” The Priory, Substack, viewed 2 February 2026, https://karenswallowprior.substack.com/p/beowulf-week-2

• Orchard, A. 2003, A Critical Companion to Beowulf, Cambridge University Press.