The Battle of Maldon

“Shield” is mentioned 19 times in “Battle of Maldon.” This defensive piece of equipment was incredibly important in individual hand-to-hand combat with spears and swords. In a key scene that establishes the doomed heroic earl Byrhtnoth as an excellent leader of his men, Byrhtnoth instructs his men how to hold their shields. As the Vikings wade through the water and advance against the Anglo-Saxons, Byrhtnoth orders his men to build a “shield-wall” (Line 102), a powerful defense that only works if all of the soldiers work together to hold the line. This image is a powerful symbol: Shields show strength in numbers and loyalty between warriors. The poem relies on the idea of a shield as metaphorical protection, safety, and shelter. The connection between shields and shelter is explicitly referred to when Leofsunu “heaved his shield up, / his shield as shelter” (Lines 244-245).

Gold, treasure, and riches are mentioned only in negative context. One of the first things that characterizes the invading Vikings as morally inferior to the Anglo-Saxons is the fact that they fight for greed: Eager for lucre, the Vikings send a herald to bargain with Earn Byrhtnoth: “We needn’t destroy ourselves if you are sufficiently rich— / we wish to establish a safeguard in exchange for gold” (Lines 34-35). However, this option is scoffed at by Byrhtnoth and the Anglo-Saxons. Byrhtnoth responds, “You must not get our gold / so softly” (Line 58-59). The Anglo-Saxons fight for honor and loyalty, choosing to do battle for lofty ideals. While Byrhtnoth is referred to as “treasure-giver” (Line 278), it is the loyalty and duty the soldiers feel for their earl rather than any material goods that encourages them to avenge their lord. Later, a Viking soldier tries to “carry off the rings of the warrior” (Line 160), stealing valuables from the fallen Byrhtnoth, again demonstrating with this underhanded attack that the Vikings lack the honor code that the poem promotes: that riches aren’t as valuable as loyalty and honor.