The Role of Judith as a Hero in Anglo-Saxon Literature

In the provided translation of the ancient Anglo-Saxon poem Judith, the author presents the story of an atypical, yet ultimately genuine hero: Judith, a widowed member of the oppressed Israelite town of Bethulia, who through the clever use of only her wits, beauty, and unending dedication to the continued freedom of her people, leads them to a well-earned victory over the antagonistic General Holofernes and King Nebuchadnezzar's tyrannical rule. While some may argue that Judith's character is unworthy of the title of hero, given the arguably underhanded means by which she achieves victory, when viewing the story as a whole and taking into account Judith's fearless - and selfless - pursuit of her people's freedom, as well as her genuine lasting faith in God, one is unable to deny that she is a true hero. The first and most notable characteristic which strengthens Judith's character into heroic material is undoubtedly the steadfastness of her faith in God. In the original book of Judith found in the Hebrew Bible, after convincing her town's leaders to hold out for several days before surrendering to Holofernes' armies, Judith puts her plan into action and insinuates herself, using her beauty and charm, into the General's house. The provided poem opens at this point, after Judith has already set her agenda in motion, and immediately the reader is provided with descriptions of Judith's "true faith in the Almighty" (6-7) which is, ultimately, her saving grace. Even as she "[takes] a sharp sword, a hard weapon in the storms of battle, and [draws] it from the sheath with her right hand" (78-79) with the intention of executing Holofernes as he lay drunken and sleeping, she beseeches "the Guardian of heaven by name, the Saviour of all the inhabitants of the earth" and begs for mercy "in [her] time of need" (85). The reader is stricken by the desperation in Judith's prayer, and the guilt which she ultimately feels; she describes her heart as being "intensely inflamed