To understand integrity, in all of its aspects, watch American TV judge shows. People give silly reasons for not paying their loans. Respect for others, fairness, and oath keeping is sadly lacking in their explanations. Then, hear the reasons why people keep giving money to people they know are deadbeats. In their telling, self-confidence and being trustworthy to themselves is nonexistent.
The Norse understood the complexity of integrity. They divided it into several thews (virtues) – frith (peace weaving), troth (oath keeping), truth, honor, and fidelity. Life in Northern Europe was hard, with no margin for error. People depended on kinship and tribal cohesion for survival. Because of that, everyone had to maintain good relations with people they did not care for. The different thews emphasized the importance of each aspect in human relationships.
When Beowulf was old, he had to fight a dragon rampaging his kingdom. One of Beowulf’s subjects had stolen some of the dragon’s treasure (thereby, breaking the frith between the dragon and the people). Beowulf had asked his warriors accompany him to fight the dragon. But when he was wounded and could not kill the dragon, they deserted him. Only, Wiglaf, who was a house thane, stayed with Beowulf. Together they killed the dragon. As Beowulf was dying, he rewarded the faithfulness of Wiglaf, his thane, with his kingdom.
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Picture copyrighted by Maryann Sterling
Va. Carper
March 25, 2008