Beowulf: Pride And Unferth

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To fully understand a character or moral of a story we need to dig in multiple characteristics that make up the story. I focused on the center of the Beowulf character. I wanted a part that I could separate and give evidence of why and how he does certain actions in the story. The section of the story I found was most interesting was the start of Agon 2. To break down a page and create my own interpretation of its significance it gives I needed a bold and direct encounter of Beowulf. The passage I was drawn to is when Beowulf is sharing his request to the Danes and Unferth. It gives multiple insights of the Beowulf character and the narrator. I believe the prior conversation between Beowulf and Unferth characterizes Beowulf by his loyalty …show more content…
However, there is also a strong sense of heroic pride within Beowulf character, which at times is in direct conflict with the Christian values. In this we see the pride vs. humility and sacrifice vs. selfishness. In "Celebration at Heorot" , Hrothgar reminds Beowulf of the lessons of the Greek tragedians: that pride, untampered by humility, will result in the tragic failure. But he also teaches the lessons of Christian philosophy: that wealth, accumulated through the grace of God, must be shared unselfishly. Beowulf repeatedly acknowledges God as his protector. When Beowulf relates his battle with Grendel's mother in Agon 2, he states that "The fight would have ended quickly if God had not guarded me" (1026). Beowulf goes to explains by the powerfully stating to all that hear him "most often he has guided the man without friends" (977), there is a sense of mystical protection in all of Beowulf's actions. Especially the actions explained through Christianity reference. It becomes an ongoing ensemble of radicle ideas and future modern ideologies that the narrator tells Beowulf …show more content…
Beowulf shows his faith in this concept and identifies he accepts this if it’s the end when he fights Grendel’s Mother. The beginning of line 1490 of Agon 2 passage gives the insight into this claim and reassures us that Beowulf is much more than a believer but as a person with the faith that this could be the end of his life. The role of fate in Beowulf the battle between fate and free will produces a lopsided victory by fate in Beowulf. A continuous reference is directed to fate by context as well as in element of character. The most prominent relation to fate is seen within Beowulf. From his early adventures as a warrior to his later rule as king, fate strongly influences Beowulf’s beliefs and courage. He acknowledges the successful outcomes of his many fights and struggles to the reasons of fate. The lives and outcomes of Beowulf and his enemies are obvious examples of the Beowulf narrator showing that God has the power to control everything, resulting in predetermined fate. “Fate goes ever as fate must.”(Line 455) Fate was a major factor in the life of pagan. This is well documented in Beowulf, in which a pagan warrior, Beowulf, wins because it is his destiny to win, not because of any free will. They believed that a man could not do anything to avoid death, but would rather have to embrace it to live life to the
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