Gift Giving in Beowulf and the Odyssey Literature has always been an immensely useful resource for discerning cultural values ​​in societies past and present. Through the study of historical texts, fictional and real, we are able to distinguish parallel characteristics present in many different cultures and time periods. These defining characteristics are one of the main things that help us determine when and how a society, or world culture as a whole, changes over time. When similarities are identified in many cultures in the same time period, academics are able to attribute general titles to that specific time period. The “Heroic Age” is an example of a labeled time span that generally maintains social identity throughout the period. The epic texts of Beowulf and The Odyssey are examples of culture-revealing novels created during the Heroic Age. The texts help demonstrate the idea that societies maintain a basic status quo for many years because there is a 1500 year separation in the creation of the books. Despite this temporal difference in authorship, similar cultural ideals can be recognized in each novel. Both Greek and Germanic cultures emphasized power and the importance of receiving and giving gifts as a means of displaying and achieving power. Beowulf and The Odyssey share the general theme of giving, and when comparing the two, it is easy to conclude that giving and receiving is an integral part of both the Germanic and Greek cultures of the time. The circulation of treasure is a common element that is important to both Beowulf and the Odyssey plots. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is a revered and admired Greek citizen. Much of its fame is due to... middle of paper... constant today. In the past, the social purpose of a gift was to consolidate a military alliance or to secure protection from greater powers. Now the social purpose of a gift is to express thanks or, as in ancient times, to consolidate a friendship. However, the transfer of wealth upon the death of a loved one, friends, and charities through a legal will is almost identical to the bestowal of treasures that Beowulf wields upon his death. Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men of the modern era, reflects the Anglo-Saxon gift of sentiment in his quote: "The retained dollar is a stinking fish... the man who dies rich, dies so disgraced." It is interesting to note that the ideals adopted many years ago are still such an important part of modern society. The ideals that transcend the barriers of history are those with greater validity and integration within society.