iv

IV
The giving of gifts- Many gifts were given in this epic poem. They normally went along with a great big celebration. Gifts were given to show appreciation and thanks for someone who had done something to help out a group or individual person. Since Beowulf was the hero of this story he received many gifts through out. After he had defeated the monster he was showered in gifts by the people who had been effected by all of the killings. Some of the things he received were very useful to him like all of the swords and the helmet. Also he just got things that would never really be useful but had great meaning and normally had a great line of people that had had it before him. "And he was given a mail shirt, and golden armbands, and the most beautiful necklace known to men: nowhere in any treasure-hoard anywhere on earth was there anything like it."(Raffel 53 1193-1197). He wasn't always the one receiving the gifts though. When he came to the other country to fight Grendel he gave their king gifts so he would allow him to stay and fight. Also when he got home from being gone so long him and his men gave their king many gifts to. They held a great feast and told all about their journeys and what all happened with all of the monsters.