what are the characteristic that the anglo-saxon like most?

Beowulf certainly embodies what the Anglo-Saxons valued in
a hero. A courageous, skillful, and imposing warrior attractive in appearance, Beowulf
hears of Hrothgar's trouble with Grendel and resolves to journey to the Danish land to
help King Hrothgar and his people. His determination to help others in distress, risking
his own life to do so, is another valued
characteristic.

readability="13">

When he heard about Grendel,
Hygelac’s thane
was on home ground, over in Geatland.
There was no
one else like him alive.
In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth,

high-born and powerful. He order a boat
that would ply the waves.
He announced his plan:
to sail the swan’s road and search out that
king,
the famous prince who needed
defenders.

Beowulf is
considered most powerful: his appearance is described by one of Hrothgar's watchmen as
the Geats land their boat on the Danish shore:

readability="7">

Nor have I seen
a mightier man-at-arms
on this earth
than the one standing here: unless I am mistaken,
he
is truly noble.

Beowulf does
not shy from telling about his own brave feats at the welcome feast in Hrothgar’s hall.
In fact, formal boasting of accomplishments in fight or battle was greatly admired. When
challenged by the jealous Dane Unferth, Beowulf describes how he swam in full armor for
five nights and fought off nine sea monsters.

That night, Grendel
attacks the hall where Beowulf lies awake while his men sleep. Beowulf has vowed to
fight the monster without weapons, showing his incredible courage and willingness to die
in the fight if necessary.

Grendel
discover[s]

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himself in a handgrip harder than
anything
he had ever encountered in any man
on the face of the
earth.

Beowulf has fiercely
grabbed Grendel’s arm and hand--they fight violently, knocking over and smashing benches
as Grendel struggles to free himself. The result of the combat is that Beowulf entirely
rips off Grendel’s arm and shoulder; the monster flees to die in his den. It turns out
that human weapons cannot harm the monster, so Beowulf’s decision to fight unarmed was a
wise one. Thus Beowulf demonstrates his incredible bravery, his unmatched strength, and
his keen wisdom in his defeat of Grendel.

readability="8">

The Geat captain
had boldly
fulfilled his boast to the Danes...
Clear proof of this
could be
seen in the hand the hero displayed
high up near the roof: the whole of
Grendel’s
shoulder and arm, his awesome
grasp.

Anonymous.
Beowulf. A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000. Print.