Anglo-Saxon barbarians although they have always been depicted this way. Throughout most of England, Anglo-Saxons lived with their animals in single-family houses, wooden buildings surrounded by a mercantile court or chief's hall warmly lit by a fire. The Anglo-Saxons were made up of small units, each focused on the central figure of the king. Fame and success, and even survival, came only through loyalty to the king, especially during war, and success was measured by gifts from the leader. The effectiveness of the king's rule depended on his ability to inspire personal loyalty and thus maintain the unity of the tribe. The Anglo-Saxons had many morals and values ​​that greatly influenced their lives, such as bravery, camaraderie, loyalty and heroism. The king was the leader in war, the lawgiver and guide in peacetime. In the article entitled "Values ​​in Anglo-Saxon Society", the authors describe the role of the king during this period: "He was chosen partly because of heredity but also because of his potential to realize the ideal. » His chief nobles were blood relatives – usually his legitimate and illegitimate uncles, sons, nephews and cousins, this group of men were his servants or thanes. In their Anglo-Saxon Society articles, the authors describe the benefits of serving as a thane: "He showed his approval and gratitude to his servants or thanes by giving them gifts from his treasury or from the treasury of a enemy. » His wife was probably the daughter of a neighboring king because their marriage was in part a treaty of friendship between tribes. The rest of the tribe consisted of churls, who were freemen and slaves captured in battle, there was no middle class. The epic poet was a vital functionary of ...... middle of paper ...... conquering others and pushing them further toward victory. Works Cited Elements of Literature: Essential elements of British literature and world literature. Orlando, Florida. 2007, printedHarlan, Judith AV and Kathleen McCoy “Anglo-Saxon Society”. English Literature to 1785. HarperCollins Publishers, 1992. 5. Student Resources in Context. Internet. October 8, 2013. Harlan, Judith AV and Kathleen McCoy “Values ​​in Anglo-Saxon Society” English Literature to 1785. HarperCollins Publishers, 1992. 6+. Student resources in a Web context. October 8, 2013. Harlan, Judith AV and Kathleen McCoy. “Anglo-Saxon image of heroism”. English Literature to 1785. HarperCollins Publishers, 1992. 13+. Student resource in context. Internet. October 25, 2013. Harlan, Judith AV, Kathleen McCoy. “Beowulf. » «English Literature to 1785. HarperCollins Publishers, 1992. 10+. Student resource in context. Internet. October 25. 2013