Throughout history, different cultures have held different virtues in the highest regard. The Anglo-Saxons, like the anonymous scop of the poem Beowulf, valued strength and courage over any other quality. On the other hand, the earliest English people, like the poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, respected honor and the basic codes of chivalry over all else. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain, therefore, display the most favored qualities of their people: Beowulf by …showed first 75 words of 834 total…

…showed last 75 words of 834 total…the task he set out for. The two characters are in stark contrast between their concepts of self-worth. <Tab/>As you can see, the Anglo-Saxon and early English people held widely varying notions of what a hero/ leader figure should be. For the anonymous scop that wrote Beowulf, battle, glory, and fame were paramount; to the unknown singer of Sir Gawain, honor, honesty, and loyalty to one's country had top priority.