The Battle of Maldon uses linguistic devices to glorify the military capabilities of the Saxons, who are actually the losing side, while downplaying the victory of the Viking invaders. Through the use of language the poem eternalizes both individual heroes and traitors, while reaffirming the value of kinship and the promotion of the heroic code. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay By denying free will to the Vikings in favor of individual Saxon warriors, the poet glorifies the English troops while highlighting the piece's vested political interests. This is demonstrated through the use of the passive voice to describe the losses of the English forces, for example the breaking of the English defenses is referred to as "ða wearð borda gebræc (Then the shields were broken)" (295). The effect of this is that the agents of destruction of the “border” (subject of the line) are hidden linguistically, minimizing a crucial military loss. This tendency is further highlighted in the line “Gar oft þurhwod / fæges feorhhus (The spear often pierced the body of the predestined man)” (296-7) in which the inanimate object of the spears themselves acts as the agent of the sentence, as contrary to the Vikings who threw them. Indeed, when Vikings are referred to in this section, it is often through the use of common names such as “brimmen (sailors)” (29); denied a formal and individual identity, they simply become a negative mass. In contrast, the military victories of the English forces are given specific detail, through the abundant use of proper names, with the heroes almost sanctified by the poet. For example, the Wistan warrior, “þurstanes suna” (298), is immediately defined by his ancestral heritage, and his battle prowess is given in specific detail, stating that he is the “geþrang” of three Vikings – active voice here it provides both detail and glory to the hero. The marginalization of the Vikings along with the valuing of the Saxons fuels the political purpose of the poem, which could be described as propaganda to unite the people against the enemy. Therefore, rather than an objective account of the battle, Maldon shows a prioritization of Saxon culture and heroic code, which emphasized the importance of loyalty to clan leaders (even after death) and courage, even in the face of military defeat. Linguistically denying the influence of the Vikings, the poem emphasizes and glorifies the heroes of a lost battle and glosses over the typically crushing nature of military defeat. The power of language in relation to the heroic code is highlighted when brothers Oswald and Eadwold gain the support of men. through their words: “Hyra winemagas / wordon bædon (They prayed to their dear relatives with their words)” (306). The noun “winemagas” serves as both a term of endearment and a description of a social structure that promotes unity and camaraderie. Furthermore, the phrase feeds into a recurring motif, basically that the power of language can motivate those who fight – for example at the beginning of the poem Byrhtnoth rallies his men through a similar power of speech. In many respects, this motif reflects the very purpose of the piece: through language the poet reaffirms the importance of Saxon social structures. The use of the first-person plural pronoun throughout Byrhtwold's speech, such as within the line "Her lið ure ealdor / eall forheawe (Here lies our lord all cast down)" (314), further promotes a sense of community. In contrast to the Vikings, the English forces are presented as a collective entity with a distinguishable identity, formed around social structures - such as the code.