Examples Of Reputation In Beowulf

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Reputation: A Taste of Immortality Since the dawn of time, human beings have been driven by a myriad of things. Integrity, power, love or substance; whatever it may be, it has been instilled in every man to seek after his own craving. Whether it is the drive to acquire, to bond or to defend, necessary or needless, it is in the fabric constituted our being to strive for the things we desire. Motivation. The hostile hand that strikes human in the back and drives them to keep going in the face of hurdles and difficulties. Like leaves are detached from a tree, so are men are plucked out of life. Mortal men with a glimpse of what is to come, fight while they can and rest when it is inevitable. Beowulf, a warrior like no other was driven not by…show more content…
He starts by saying “When I was younger, I had great triumphs” (408-9). It is important to know that He does not introduce himself to the Danes by his name but by what he has done. He prides himself on the brave and superhuman qualities and accomplishments with which he defended his homeland. One of the thanes, Unferth challenges his reputation, by stating that Beowulf once lost a swimming contest at which Beowulf accuses him of sobriety and restored the faith of the thanes with his version of the contest. In this way, he maintains his reputation and further enhanced it by opting to fight Grendel unarmed. Correspondingly, the speaker describes the journey of Beowulf to the Danes as an act of valor rather than an act of obligation or “paying back” which the story suggests. Hence, Beowulf backs his words with bravery and he defeated Grendel. He amputated Grendel while he runs back to his murky home. Indeed, Beowulf conquered his physical enemy, reputation sustained and…show more content…
Hrothgar calls for “the flower of warriors” which will fade after its short bloom to seek after the unfadable: reputation. Like a moth crawl on a leave, time creeps on the world of the poem and fifty years later, King Beowulf, old and frail is given his ultimate call for the defense of his reputation. An ill-treated slave escapes and steals a treasure which is vigilantly guarded by a terrifying and horrific dragon, who in turn seek to eradicate the Geats to extinction. What is there to say of a legendary warrior who absconded when terror is looming on his own land? His life-long reputation will be soiled. Beowulf is emotionally crippled and it seems that the words of Hrothgar has come to pass, “and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away” (1767-8). It might be easy to imagine a more miserable man than Beowulf in this situation, but his misery is certainly the undesirable kind. His anger is without enthusiasm just like the biblical Job, but he uplifts himself and decides to fight for the last time despite knowing fully that it might be the end of his life. But with great reputation comes a great responsibility, he opts to fight the dragon single-handedly, for a man with no name is a waste of life. Beowulf speaks about his youthful triumphs and endeavors to his men for the last time. This is his fate, it is his last chance to forever engrave his name in

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