The phrase "he was a good king" appears three times in Beowulf. The first iteration (line 11) is an homage to Shield Sheafson. By describing Sheafson in honorific terms, the poet suggests that Sneafson's offspring are equally worthy of respect. The second iteration refers to Hrothgar, descendant of Sheafson; the poet tells us “yet there was no blame upon their lord / noble Hrothgar; he was a good king” (862). Here the expression protects Hrothgar from an odious comparison with the younger, more able-bodied Beowulf. The last and final repetition applies to Beowulf, who occupies the position of Hrothgar's adopted son. The poet states: “Heard lay slaughtered and Onela returned / to the land of Sweden, leaving Beowulf / to ascend the throne, sit in majesty / and rule over the Geats. He was a good king. » Each iteration of the phrase “he was a good king” resonates powerfully and recalls previous usage. What did it mean for the Anglo-Saxons to be a “good king”? What did these three characters from different generations have in common beyond their ancestry? Given the repetition of this phrase, these questions merit further consideration. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay The first attribute shared by Sheafson, Hrothgar, and Beowulf was their middle age when they gained the honorific "good king" . Although the reader is told that "Shield was still prosperous when his hour came / and he passed into the care of the Lord" (26-27), our impression of him is that of a seasoned ruler who had lived long enough to raise Beowulf to youth. adulthood and making “the law among the Danes” (29). Similarly, upon meeting Beowulf, Hrothgar is described as “an old man among his servants” (578). References to his great age are almost incessant: Hrothgar is “the gray-haired treasure-giver” (607), “the gray-haired prince” (1792) and “this good gray-haired Dane, this high-born king” . (1870-1871). Finally, Beowulf also deserves the appellation of “good king” after “he governed it well/for fifty winters, becoming old and wise/as guardian of the country” (2208-2210). He is now a "veteran king" (2417), who, facing death, remembers his youth saying "many skirmishes I survived when I was young" (2426) and openly declares: " now I am old” (2412). Considering these three rulers, youth is clearly not a qualification of a “good king.” One must first have “wintered in wisdom” (1725). The second attribute common to these three “good kings” is their ability to dominate their enemies. In a culture where fierce and battle-hardened warriors were common, it was not enough to simply defeat one's enemies; we must continue to enslave them. Being a “hall breaker,” a “scourge of many tribes,” and a terrorizer of “hall troops” was not enough to earn Sheafson the appellation of “good king”; he was also to dominate them so that "every clan on the distant shores beyond the whale route must yield to him / and begin to pay him tribute" (10-11). Similarly, Hrothgar comments: "I was then in the first wave of kingship, establishing my hold on all the rich strongholds / of this heroic land", thus receiving an oath of allegiance from Ecgtheow. Although we are told that "the fortunes of war favored Hrothgar" (64), if he had not succeeded in "establishing his influence" and consolidating his gains, he would not have been able to build Heorot, his seat of power. Finally, Beowulf is also not recognized as a “good king” because he killed Grendal and Grendal’s mother., 2000