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Political Thought and Kingship in Beowulf

Course Context

Course: PSCI – Foundations of Political Thought (political science course)
Assignment type: Individual analytical essay on political concepts in a literary text
Length: 3–4 double‑spaced pages (approximately 900–1,200 words), excluding title page and Works Cited
Weight: 20% of final course grade
Due: Week 6, Sunday 11:59 p.m. (submit via LMS as .docx or .pdf)

Assignment Overview

Political theorists and medievalists often read Beowulf as a text that reflects ideas about authority, land, obligation, and divine favour in an early medieval context. Analyses of the poem highlight how kingship depends on control of territory, distribution of wealth, and the belief that leaders may rule with the backing of God or fate.

For this assignment, you will write a short essay that treats Beowulf as a work of political thought. Your task is to show how the poem presents a particular vision of legitimate rule, paying attention to how it links kingship to land, treasure, lineage, or divine sanction.

Essay Question

Write a 3–4 page essay that answers the following question:

  • What political ideal of kingship emerges in Beowulf, and how do land, wealth, and divine favour help define and limit that ideal?

Guidance for Developing Your Argument

  • Choose one or two kings to focus on (for example, Hrothgar, Hygelac, or Beowulf in his later years) and consider what makes them appear successful or vulnerable as rulers.
  • Discuss how the poem presents the relationship between kings and land, including halls, territories, and symbolic spaces that appear in descriptions of rule.
  • Explain how the giving or hoarding of treasure shapes political bonds between rulers and followers.
  • Comment on the role of God, providence, or fate where the poem connects political success or failure to forces beyond human control.

Use of Sources and Citation

  • Use Beowulf as your primary text and quote or closely paraphrase key lines that relate to kingship, land, treasure, and divine favour.
  • Engage with at least two scholarly or serious critical sources on Beowulf and political order, kingship, or land politics. Examples include work on place symbolism, land, economy, or the idea of the hero as keeper of human polity.
  • Explain clearly how each source supports or challenges your reading of the poem.
  • Use MLA style for in‑text citations and provide a Works Cited page.

Structure and Presentation

  • 3–4 pages, double‑spaced, 12‑point Times New Roman or similar, 1‑inch margins.
  • Title that signals your specific focus (for example, “Land, Treasure, and God’s Favour in Beowulf’s Kingship”).
  • Introduction that states your main claim about the political ideal of kingship in the poem.
  • Body paragraphs organised around clear sub‑claims (such as “land and political space,” “treasure and obligation,” “divine favour and legitimacy”).
  • Conclusion that briefly summarises your findings and indicates how the poem’s political vision compares with later ideas of legitimate rule studied in the course.

Grading Rubric (100 points)

1. Political Argument and Focus (25 points)

i. Excellent (22–25): Presents a clear, specific argument about the political ideal of kingship in Beowulf; consistently connects textual observations to concepts of legitimacy, obligation, and authority that are relevant to political theory.
ii. Good (18–21): States a coherent main idea with some political focus; occasional drift into general literary commentary, but the central argument about rule remains visible.
iii. Satisfactory (14–17): Offers a main point about kingship that stays mostly descriptive; limited engagement with political concepts such as legitimacy, obligation, or sovereignty.
iv. Limited (0–13): Provides mainly plot summary or character description; little indication of political analysis.

2. Use of Textual Evidence from Beowulf (25 points)

i. Excellent (22–25): Selects appropriate scenes and quotations that relate to land, treasure, assemblies, or invocations of God and fate; explains how each passage supports the political claim.
ii. Good (18–21): Refers to relevant episodes with some explanation; interpretation sometimes remains at the surface level but usually connects to the argument.
iii. Satisfactory (14–17): Provides general references to the poem; examples are not always well chosen or fully explained.
iv. Limited (0–13): Rare or inaccurate references to the text; misunderstandings of key events or relationships.

3. Engagement with Scholarly Sources (20 points)

i. Excellent (18–20): Uses at least two scholarly or critical sources on Beowulf and politics, kingship, or land; summarises them accurately and shows clearly how they inform, support, or complicate the essay’s argument.
ii. Good (15–17): Incorporates two sources with generally accurate summary; links to the main argument appear but may be brief or uneven.
iii. Satisfactory (11–14): Mentions one or two sources; engagement is limited to brief quotations or general agreement; little analysis of the scholar’s position.
iv. Limited (0–10): Minimal, inaccurate, or purely decorative use of scholarly work; heavy reliance on unscholarly websites.

4. Organisation and Clarity (15 points)

i. Excellent (13–15): Essay follows a logical structure; paragraphs are focused, and transitions help the reader follow the development of the argument.
ii. Good (10–12): Overall organisation is clear; some paragraphs may be uneven, but the line of reasoning remains readable.
iii. Satisfactory (7–9): Basic structure is present; some repetition or unclear sections make the argument harder to follow.
iv. Limited (0–6): Disorganised or fragmentary writing; ideas appear without clear connection to one another.

5. Writing Quality and MLA Format (15 points)

i. Excellent (13–15): Writing is clear and controlled; grammar and mechanics support readability; MLA in‑text citations and Works Cited are accurate and consistent.
ii. Good (10–12): Writing is mostly clear with minor errors; MLA format is largely correct with small inconsistencies.
iii. Satisfactory (7–9): Meaning is generally clear, though style may be uneven; noticeable mechanical errors; MLA incomplete or inconsistently applied.
iv. Limited (0–6): Frequent errors interfere with clarity; citation format is incorrect or largely missing.

Sample Essay Opening (Model Content)

Political authority in Beowulf depends as much on land and treasure as it does on personal courage, and the poem repeatedly links legitimate kingship to the visible control of space and wealth. Hrothgar’s power appears most clearly in the hall of Heorot, which functions as both a physical building and a symbol of ordered community, yet the hall becomes vulnerable when Grendel turns it into a site of death rather than shared celebration. The pattern suggests that a king must provide secure spaces for his people and must also use land and treasure to hold a fragile network of loyalties together.

One political reading of the poem remarks that Beowulf can serve as “witness of the Germanic world” while also offering an idealised and partial picture of early medieval politics, which means that its image of rule is both revealing and limited. A thesis that treats Beowulf as a keeper of human polity therefore needs to pay attention to what the poem chooses to highlight, such as generous gift‑giving and the public distribution of wealth, as well as what it leaves in the background, such as everyday administration or legal procedure. Kingship in this text looks like a mixture of charisma, ritualised generosity, and confidence that God or fate has granted a leader the right to govern, rather than a stable set of formal institutions.

Modern political analysis of Beowulf highlights that the poem illustrates how early societies linked material resources, ritual, and moral authority to the legitimacy of rulers. Understanding these connections helps students see the ways cultural and religious frameworks shaped leadership ideals, while also raising questions about the universality of those ideals today (Girvan, Durham Research Online).

Sample Works Cited (MLA – 5 items)

Academic / Learning Resources

Short Essay Assignment: Political Thought and Kingship in Beowulf

Course Context

Course: PSCI – Foundations of Political Thought (political science course)
Assignment type: Individual analytical essay on political concepts in a literary text
Length: 3–4 double‑spaced pages (approximately 900–1,200 words), excluding title page and Works Cited
Weight: 20% of final course grade
Due: Week 6, Sunday 11:59 p.m. (submit via LMS as .docx or .pdf)

Assignment Overview

Political theorists and medievalists often read Beowulf as a text that reflects ideas about authority, land, obligation, and divine favour in an early medieval context. Analyses of the poem highlight how kingship depends on control of territory, distribution of wealth, and the belief that leaders may rule with the backing of God or fate.

For this assignment, you will write a short essay that treats Beowulf as a work of political thought. Your task is to show how the poem presents a particular vision of legitimate rule, paying attention to how it links kingship to land, treasure, lineage, or divine sanction.

Essay Question

Write a 3–4 page essay that answers the following question:

  • What political ideal of kingship emerges in Beowulf, and how do land, wealth, and divine favour help define and limit that ideal?

Guidance for Developing Your Argument

  • Choose one or two kings to focus on (for example, Hrothgar, Hygelac, or Beowulf in his later years) and consider what makes them appear successful or vulnerable as rulers.

  • Discuss how the poem presents the relationship between kings and land, including halls, territories, and symbolic spaces that appear in descriptions of rule.

  • Explain how the giving or hoarding of treasure shapes political bonds between rulers and followers.

  • Comment on the role of God, providence, or fate where the poem connects political success or failure to forces beyond human control.

Use of Sources and Citation

  • Use Beowulf as your primary text and quote or closely paraphrase key lines that relate to kingship, land, treasure, and divine favour.

  • Engage with at least two scholarly or serious critical sources on Beowulf and political order, kingship, or land politics. Examples include work on place symbolism, land, economy, or the idea of the hero as keeper of human polity.

  • Explain clearly how each source supports or challenges your reading of the poem.

  • Use MLA style for in‑text citations and provide a Works Cited page.

Structure and Presentation

  • 3–4 pages, double‑spaced, 12‑point Times New Roman or similar, 1‑inch margins.

  • Title that signals your specific focus (for example, “Land, Treasure, and God’s Favour in Beowulf’s Kingship”).

  • Introduction that states your main claim about the political ideal of kingship in the poem.

  • Body paragraphs organised around clear sub‑claims (such as “land and political space,” “treasure and obligation,” “divine favour and legitimacy”).

  • Conclusion that briefly summarises your findings and indicates how the poem’s political vision compares with later ideas of legitimate rule studied in the course.

Grading Rubric (100 points)

1. Political Argument and Focus (25 points)

i. Excellent (22–25): Presents a clear, specific argument about the political ideal of kingship in Beowulf; consistently connects textual observations to concepts of legitimacy, obligation, and authority that are relevant to political theory.
ii. Good (18–21): States a coherent main idea with some political focus; occasional drift into general literary commentary, but the central argument about rule remains visible.
iii. Satisfactory (14–17): Offers a main point about kingship that stays mostly descriptive; limited engagement with political concepts such as legitimacy, obligation, or sovereignty.
iv. Limited (0–13): Provides mainly plot summary or character description; little indication of political analysis.

2. Use of Textual Evidence from Beowulf (25 points)

i. Excellent (22–25): Selects appropriate scenes and quotations that relate to land, treasure, assemblies, or invocations of God and fate; explains how each passage supports the political claim.
ii. Good (18–21): Refers to relevant episodes with some explanation; interpretation sometimes remains at the surface level but usually connects to the argument.
iii. Satisfactory (14–17): Provides general references to the poem; examples are not always well chosen or fully explained.
iv. Limited (0–13): Rare or inaccurate references to the text; misunderstandings of key events or relationships.

3. Engagement with Scholarly Sources (20 points)

i. Excellent (18–20): Uses at least two scholarly or critical sources on Beowulf and politics, kingship, or land; summarises them accurately and shows clearly how they inform, support, or complicate the essay’s argument.
ii. Good (15–17): Incorporates two sources with generally accurate summary; links to the main argument appear but may be brief or uneven.
iii. Satisfactory (11–14): Mentions one or two sources; engagement is limited to brief quotations or general agreement; little analysis of the scholar’s position.
iv. Limited (0–10): Minimal, inaccurate, or purely decorative use of scholarly work; heavy reliance on unscholarly websites.

4. Organisation and Clarity (15 points)

i. Excellent (13–15): Essay follows a logical structure; paragraphs are focused, and transitions help the reader follow the development of the argument.
ii. Good (10–12): Overall organisation is clear; some paragraphs may be uneven, but the line of reasoning remains readable.
iii. Satisfactory (7–9): Basic structure is present; some repetition or unclear sections make the argument harder to follow.
iv. Limited (0–6): Disorganised or fragmentary writing; ideas appear without clear connection to one another.

5. Writing Quality and MLA Format (15 points)

i. Excellent (13–15): Writing is clear and controlled; grammar and mechanics support readability; MLA in‑text citations and Works Cited are accurate and consistent.
ii. Good (10–12): Writing is mostly clear with minor errors; MLA format is largely correct with small inconsistencies.
iii. Satisfactory (7–9): Meaning is generally clear, though style may be uneven; noticeable mechanical errors; MLA incomplete or inconsistently applied.
iv. Limited (0–6): Frequent errors interfere with clarity; citation format is incorrect or largely missing.

Sample Essay Opening

Political authority in Beowulf depends as much on land and treasure as it does on personal courage, and the poem repeatedly links legitimate kingship to the visible control of space and wealth. Hrothgar’s power appears most clearly in the hall of Heorot, which functions as both a physical building and a symbol of ordered community, yet the hall becomes vulnerable when Grendel turns it into a site of death rather than shared celebration. The pattern suggests that a king must provide secure spaces for his people and must also use land and treasure to hold a fragile network of loyalties together.

One political reading of the poem remarks that Beowulf can serve as “witness of the Germanic world” while also offering an idealised and partial picture of early medieval politics, which means that its image of rule is both revealing and limited. A thesis that treats Beowulf as a keeper of human polity therefore needs to pay attention to what the poem chooses to highlight, such as generous gift‑giving and the public distribution of wealth, as well as what it leaves in the background, such as everyday administration or legal procedure. Kingship in this text looks like a mixture of charisma, ritualised generosity, and confidence that God or fate has granted a leader the right to govern, rather than a stable set of formal institutions.

Modern political analysis of Beowulf highlights that the poem illustrates how early societies linked material resources, ritual, and moral authority to the legitimacy of rulers. Understanding these connections helps students see the ways cultural and religious frameworks shaped leadership ideals, while also raising questions about the universality of those ideals today (Girvan, Durham Research Online).

Sample Works Cited (MLA – 5 items)

 Learning Resources

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#Beowulf divine favour and authority#Beowulf kingship and legitimacy#Beowulf MLA political theory paper#Beowulf political science assignment

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