The Battle of Maldon

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1726

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

Loyalty and Honor

As the fighting surges between the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons, one character is set apart from the rest through his actions to serve as a point of contrast with the other warriors: “There the son of Odda was first to flight, / Godric from the fight, and abandoned the good man” (Lines 185-186). After his lord's death, Godric hops on Byrhtnoth’s horse and retreats from the battle, leading others to think that the earl himself has retreated because the horse still bears the earl's livery. Godric's brothers Godwine and Godwig run away into the surrounding woods as well. They are all described as being selfish and disloyal, abandoning their lord instead of avenging him. These cowards serve as examples of what a warrior should not do. Right after the deserters run to the woods, the remaining soldiers act in ways that identify them as nothing like the traitors: “Then there the proud thanes went forth, / uncowardly men hastened eagerly” (Lines 205-206). These remaining men are the ideal warriors, those who wish to either achieve revenge for their fallen leader or die trying. As the soldiers take turns speaking and encouraging their fellow warriors to fight to the death, they all share a similar message. Despite their varying social status ranging from noble, to peasant, to political hostage, Ælfric, Offa, Leofsunu, Dunnere, Eadweard, and Bryhtwold all express an earnest desire to never “travel lordless home” (Line 251). To travel “lordless home” would imply that the men had left their leader and deserted their fellow men, a dishonor the warriors deem worse than death. The “uncowardly” thing to do would be to hold steadfast and fight, proving their loyalty to the death.

The Power of Words

Since it is about a confrontation between the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons, “The Battle of Maldon” unsurprisingly contains fight scenes portraying in detail soldiers clashing with one another and wielding their weapons. The poem's most complex battle sequence is the fall of Byrhtnoth, which takes place in several stages, each minutely described: First, “the sea-warrior sent a southern spear, / that wounded the lord of warriors” (Lines 133-134); then the incredibly tough Byrhtnoth uses his shield to break off the spear lodged in his body and sends his own spear through the neck of the Viking “so that he reached the life of that sudden attacker” (Line 142). In another scene later in the poem, the Northumbrian hostage Æscferth gruesomely “skewered a warrior, / more than once in a while he gave someone a wound” (Lines 270-271).

These instances of extreme violence and bloodshed are counterbalanced by the speeches the Anglo-Saxons give to rally their fellow warriors to continue fighting. After seeing their lord cut down and other men desert their cause, the Anglo-Saxons don’t simply continue to cut down the Vikings blindly and without purpose—that would make them the same as the bloodthirsty Vikings who raid for greed and sport. Rather, the various soldiers who speak, promote an honor code to explain why the fighting matters, stressing loyalty to their fallen lord, the need to avenge his death, and the desire not to give others any reason to be ashamed. Only after a series of speeches can the Anglo-Saxons resume the fight: Just as at the beginning of poem, Byrhtnoth builds his army's confidence with a taunting speech aimed at the Vikings, so too do the speeches of the warriors encouraging each other the driving force by which his troops remain motivated in his absence.

God's Support

The Anglo-Saxons were pagans when they first invaded Britain. However, Saint Augustine converted King Æthelbert to Christianity in 597 AD, which explains the references to the Christian God in “The Battle of Maldon.” In fact, the poem demonstrates that praying to God is part of an ideally heroic death by describing Byrhtnoth addressing the “Wielder” (Line 173), “Measurer” (Line 175) and “Prince of Angels” (178) right before he dies to ask that his soul be ferried to God’s keeping.

While God does not serve a central role in the heroic poem, He is a supporting, omnipresent force. For example, one warrior states, “God alone knows / who will be allowed to control the field of slaughter (Lines 94-95). Later, the Anglo-Saxon warriors “asked God that they be allowed to avenge / their friendly lord and work downfall among their foes” (Lines 263-264). These addresses to the Christian God distinguish the Anglo-Saxons from the “heathen” (Line 181) Viking warriors: Unlike the bestial foes, the Anglo-Saxons ascribe their successes to a higher power, which the poem praises, despite putting its primary emphasis on human action and agency.