Skip to main content

What does the term 'wergild' mean in Beowulf?

The term wergild in Beowulf literally translates as 'man payment' or 'man compensation' but is usually translated simply as 'man price'. The concept of wergild was a legal principle under Anglo-Saxon law. Under the principle of wergild, a homicide could be compensated by giving money or valuable property to the family of the victim. This same legal principle was found throughout the Germanic world at that time, and it is a very important concept...

The term wergild in Beowulf literally translates as 'man payment' or 'man compensation' but is usually translated simply as 'man price'. The concept of wergild was a legal principle under Anglo-Saxon law. Under the principle of wergild, a homicide could be compensated by giving money or valuable property to the family of the victim. This same legal principle was found throughout the Germanic world at that time, and it is a very important concept in several Icelandic sagas.


It is worth noting that the Germanic societies that employed the use of wergild often distinguished between two types of homicides: (1) a homicide that was part of a dispute or feud and was carried out openly and (2) murder, which was a homicide that was hidden and/or was committed outside the more acceptable context of a dispute or feud (e.g., in commission of another crime, such as theft). Wergild usually would be payable in both instances, but with respect to the open and more acceptable homicide, wergild alone might be sufficient compensation for the homicide (although a short period of banishment might also be included), and any revenge homicide would be seen as a separate action. With respect to murder, however, outlawry (and sometimes death) would also be part of the sentence, and a properly conducted revenge homicide against the outlawed murderer might not be subject to payment of wergild to the murderer’s family.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more