While reading The Battle of Maldon, I found myself trying to rate the noble Byrhtnoth using the heroic code as a rubric. At first, I handed out bad ratings, calling Byrhtnoth a failure according to the heroic code. However, after reexamining the poem and critiquing my own verdict, I concluded that Byrhtnoth had instead served an unfit king and was unfairly portrayed as a disappointment at the Battle of Maldon. In fact, Byrhtnoth is fiercely heroic and uniquely courageous, exemplified by his willingness to commit fully to combat despite extremely unfavorable odds, his ability to command impressive respect from his thanes, and his dedicated devotion. and understanding of the heroic code. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the moments leading up to the Battle of Maldon, a striking picture is painted. From the first lines of the poem, it becomes clear that the Anglo-Saxon army is far from being elite. The bold Byrhtnoth begins to “deploy the troops,” who are clearly novice soldiers (17). Inexperienced in the art of war, the heroes' protector shows the soldiers "how they should hold themselves" and instructs them on the correct way "to hold their shield well" (18,20). It would be easy to criticize Byrhtnoth for the deficiencies of the assembled men, as I initially did; however, there is a certain nobility and admiration associated with devoting oneself to the cause despite the drawbacks. Despite leading a group of (arguably) misfits into battle, Byrtnoth engages in the coming battle, impressively dismissing a messenger who attempts to strike a deal: "a truce in exchange for gold" (35). Instead, he asks the sailor to relay a message. Byrtnoth formally prides herself as both courageous and pragmatic. In short, the formidable thane undertakes to “defend his homeland”, however he never promises that the English will emerge victorious (52). This willingness to die for his own lord, visibly absent from the battle, illustrates Byrtnoth's bravery and his desire to fully honor the comitatus; even if his lord didn't quite deserve that level of commitment. Throughout the battle, Byrtnoth commands a great deal of respect from his thanes, especially after his death, which is remarkable. I found this intriguing because the respect shown by the English soldiers rivals that of the typical lord/thane relationship, so much so that I initially believed Byrtnoth was a king rather than a lord. After an impressive advance in battle, Byrtnoth is finally defeated and “departs in peace” (179). The poet takes great care to convey that two fellow soldiers, Wulmar and Şlfnoth, “both lay dead / and gave up their lives” fighting alongside Byrtnoth (183-184). The fact that these men were willing to die in battle alongside Byrtnoth speaks volumes about the respect these men had for the “noble thane of ?thelred” (151). As the remaining soldiers discover that Byrtnoth has fallen, they each boast one last time and charge valiantly into battle to avenge him. An additional aspect worth mentioning that also illustrates the influence Byrtnoth had on his fellow soldiers occurs after his death. When those who were against the battle see that Byrtnoth has been killed, they abandon their comrades. In the heat of battle, many English soldiers mistook a fleeing man for Byrtnoth and they too followed suit. I find it interesting that these men chose to abandon the battle and risk possible exile. This will illustrates that these thanes.