So Men Should be When Needed. An essay about the allegorical concepts in "Beowulf", with kinship in the forefront

Allegory is defined the representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative or dramatic form. Abstract ideas or principles can be anything, from the evil potential in man to God's greatness. Allegory and ambiguity often go hand and hand, because just like two people cannot agree on whether the glass is half empty or half full, an allegorical concept can be taken many different ways. As an Anglo-Saxon epic, the …

…in a mead-hall is obviously evidence to the bond the Celts felt with one another. Giving away your sword, which is probably closer to you than your wife, to aid in a hero's quest cannot be seen as anything but kinship. Being willing to fight a dragon for a decrepit old king; priceless. The Celts may have lived a thousand years ago, but their lessons stretch across the ages. "So men should be when needed."