The Anglo-Saxons set the foundations on which the English nation developed. In spite of continual internal warfare, they built upon those foundations and developed a high degree of civilization. In Beowulf, Burton Raffel portrays many aspects of Anglo-Saxon lifestyle, especially the importance of weaponry, women's role in society, and the significance of Christianity. There was not a single object that mattered to Anglo-Saxons more than their weapons. The Anglo-Saxons "delighted in beautiful weapons" (Crossley-Holland 19). They …showed first 75 words of 544 total…

…showed last 75 words of 544 total…fame from their bravery, just as every young child today wants to be famous. The Anglo-Saxons laid foundations that have been built upon over time and are now edifices. Bibliography Crossley-Holland, Kevin. Green Blades Rising. New York: The Seabury Press, 1975. Levick, Ben. "The Religion of the Pagan Anglo-Saxons." Angelcynn: Anglo-Saxon Living History 400-900AD. 25 August, 1997. 24 January, 2000. Raffel, Burton, trans. from Beowulf. Elements of Literature: Literature of Britain. Eds. Robert Anderson, et al. Austin: Holt, 1989. 14-37.