The Battle of Maldon General

Question 1

Basic Info

Answer 1

When the story begins we see Brythnoth as he orders his men to fight, not standing for cowardice. He orders his soldiers cleverly. However, he then meets with the vikings, who offer him peace in return for money. Brythnoth says he is unafraid, and will defend his homeland. They weren’t able to fight, so Brythnoth allows them to cross to them in a moment of grave ‘ofermode’. They fight

Question 2

Us / Them

Answer 2

Chauvenistic Nationalism:
US ‘þysne eðel’ (this native land) / ‘urne eard’ (our country)
THEM ‘wicinga werod’ (band of pirates) / hæðene (pagans) / wælwulfas (carrion-wolves)

Question 3

Heroic Male Desire

Answer 3

Poet blames Brythnoth’s ‘ofermod’ when he gives Vikings a safe passage since it allows them ‘too much land’. ‘Ofermod’ usually has a religious connotation.

Offa, and other loyal soldiers, vow to die on battlefield where Brythnoth has died: he læg ðegenlice ðeodne gehende. (he lay thane-like near his lord
- Edward B. Irving: ‘it would be hard to deny the very faintly sexual intensity of the image’