Rings

Rings are a huge theme in Beowulf. They appear everywhere and have high importance throughout the story.  The king is considered to be the bearer of rings. It is a very important part of the job of a king. When Beowulf and his army return home from fighting, the king is handing out rings to them. But why is this? Why are rings such an important part of this story and of this culture?

These rings are considered to be a form of bounty or treasure and are handed out to the warriors when they return from fights. It is almost like a medal for the people of these times. The rings are of value and can be worn on fingers or on chains around someone’s neck. This makes them more personal and more practical than something larger. A ring can be worn anywhere, where as carrying a chest of gold around would not be as practical. They are proof that the king has recognized them for something of great importance. These rings are almost a way of showing off the great service that the warriors have given to both the king and the people.

It is interesting to me that rings were so important back then, however it is even more interesting to me that people find it to be a distant thing. Even today in the United States of America, rings are given as rewards or trophies in a way. When a baseball team wins the World Series, each player is given a ring to commemorate they year that they were the best. This also happens for other professional sports such as football and basketball.

Even classes for high school and college have rings. They are a way for a class to commemorate their time together and their accomplishments through the years that they shared at an institution. These rings hold memories and accomplishments for the people that own them. For instance many people will were their college class ring for their whole life because it is a way for them to hold the memories of college close and make them feel more connected to their class as a community. The ring is something that they all have in common.

Of course, when we think of rings today, we usually think of engagement or wedding rings. This is another way that society uses rings to connect people. These rings connect people on a closer level, but it is interesting to think that rings were connecting groups of people so long ago. How could such a tradition withstand so much time? It was of importance in society then and it still is today. This only goes to show that some traditions can be timeless; the importance of the ring is clearly one that will last for quiet a while.  (471)