What Makes Beowulf A Good Leader

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Beowulf is an intriguing poem about conflict, war, and doing what’s right for the people you love, whether it’s one person or an entire kingdom. One of the main characters in this captivating piece of literature was King Hrothgar, the ruler of the Spear-Danes. He ruled over a mighty kingdom with an impeccable army and peace envied by fellow kings everywhere, until Grendel came with hopes to tear apart the Spear-Danes. I believe that despite the hardships he faced, King Hrothgar was man of generosity, humility, and love, not only for his empire as a whole, but also for the people he encountered every day. One of the reasons that made King Hrothgar such a good leader is his generosity and passion for his people. He always wants what is best…show more content…
He was able to maintain a peaceful, prosperous kingdom for many years, which could only be done if the leader was a man of morality and justice. And while Hrothgar was a very good leader in my eyes, he was also a good person. He treated Beowulf as if he were his son, and was a strong role model in Beowulf’s life. Hrothgar wanted the best for Beowulf and we can see throughout the poem that he was the person that molded Beowulf into the strong, courageous man he became. It is written in lines 1758-1764:“O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom, but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow, illness or the sword to lay you low.” King Hrothgar taught Beowulf many valuable lessons such as this, as he is a man of great knowledge, and made sure to pass his knowledge onto Beowulf, so that he would not make the mistakes that other rulers have…show more content…
King Hrothgar was a perfect role model in this poem – he was a leader with all the money, power, and treasures he could possibly have but never once completely failed to save his people or keep them happy. He constructed Heorot, the mead hall, so that the Danes would be provided with all that they needed. He made sure peace was always kept and he cared for the wellbeing of his people more than he did for himself. Hrothgar was also a man of true humility, who cast down his ego so that his people would be saved, and let Beowolf take his place as the redeemer of the Danes. Moreover, he was not only a ruler of love but a person of love and knowledge, who cared for Beowulf and taught him all that he knew, so that Beowulf would become the successful ruler he was destined to be. While some may shun him because he was not able to save the Danes on his own, I look at the text and see that this was only because of his old age. I truly wish our leaders were like King Hrothgar – in fact, I wish everyone aspired to have the qualities he had. Through his dedication, humility, and love, he can truly be example to us

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