In this passage, appearing in the last third of the epic, Beowulf, we see the shortcomings of our hero for the first time. While at first it seems Beowulf is praising himself for protecting his kingdom and keeping free from feuds, he also notes his greatest mistake, not leaving an heir to the throne. In this way, Beowulf fails as a king and becomes comparable to the other monsters of the poem. It is important to note, in studying Beowulf, the lesser-known definition of the word “monster” as “one…
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