Throughout Anglo-Saxon poems similar themes and techniques can be found. As mentioned in journal 10, kenning and alliterations are frequently found in Anglo-Saxon works. These literary terms are a sort of signature for Anglo-Saxon works because they are found in many of them.
Furthermore, important themes that can be found in Anglo-Saxon poems are bravery, loyalty, honor, etc. In Beowulf, most of the Anglo-Saxon themes can be found. Beowulf is brave and loyal. He feels fear at fighting Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon; however, he does not let him self run away. He stands firmly against evil and tries his best to put a stop to these monsters. He is also loyal and a man of honor. He went to help Hrothgar because Hrothgar helped his father out, and Beowulf was returning the favor. Beowulf is loyal to his people; when he is chosen as king, he acts in the peoples’ best interest. He attempts to slay the dragon and take the treasure back to his people. These literary themes can also be found in The Seafarer and The Wife’s Lament. The man sailing the seas is brave to return every single time. He knows that the sea is rough and harsh in the winter, but this does not stop him from sailing again and again. The man is also loyal to God; he never abandons his faith in God. In the story, he describes God through much praise. The wife who was banished from her home displayed strong signs of loyalty. Her husband’s family did not like her, and they constantly looked for a reason to banish her. When they finally separated her from her husband through banishment, she remained loyal to her husband and did not break her vows to him.
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