Beowulf
Beowulf
the controversial lost fifty years under Beowulfs reign will be discussed in the
essay also.
First, a good king must be mighty to protect his people, his country and their
tradition as a good king. Having the great rulership is not enough in that war
prevailing period, and using powerful force to fight and gain reputation will make
people trust you and support you. Before Beowulf becomes the king, he goes to Danes
to help Hrothgar to kill Grendel and his mother. He fights with Grendel with no
weapon, using only his bare hands just because Grendel doesnt use weapon either. He
is confident but not silly, and he fights not only with his strength but also his wisdom.
When he fights against Grendels mother, he uses the magical sword which collected
by her to harm her. From different style and attitude of dealing with monsters invade
and harass, it is obvious to see the responsibilities and difficulties of social roles. And
these two fights with the monsters show the potentiality of Beowulf and establish the
foundation for him to be a king in the near future. Beowulf is not a king then, so he is
not like Hrothgar who fears to run a risk. Hrothgar might be strong enough, but he
cannot take a risk to kill the monster himself. Any possibility which may lead to death
for either his people or himself is not allowed to exist, because he, Hrothgar, is the
king. In this condition, Hrothgar seems to be powerless and unable to protect his
people. And Beowulfs strength also makes Wealhtheow, the wife of Hrothgar, scared.
She is scared that Beowulf will take the inheritance from her two sons, since she
knows Beowulf will be a good king. The fights also change the ideas about Beowulf
in Hygelacs mind, which is quite important. The narrator mentions the former image
of Beowulf,
He had been poorly regarded
For a long time, was taken by the Geats
For less than he was worth: and their lord too
Had never much esteemed him in the mead-hall
everything.
Compared to Hrothgar, Beowulf indeed shares some similarities with him but in
some aspects do better than him as a king. Although the lost fifty years really trigger
readers curiosity and doubt on Beowulfs rulership, other dazzling virtues as a good
king of him still cannot be denied. No matter which roles he plays, a good warrior or a
good king, his names will always match the reality and be remembered by people.
Work Cited
Halverson, John. "The World of Beowulf." ELH 36.4 (1969): 593-608. JSTOR. Web.
03 June 2015.
Fisher, Peter F. "The Trials of the Epic Hero in Beowulf." PMLA 73.3 (1958): 171-83.
JSTOR. Web. 03 June 2015.
Gedeon, Luke. "Essay: A Survey of Kingship in Beowulf." Codex Atlanticus. N.p., 19
Nov. 2002. Web. 04 June 2015.