Boewulf :: Boewulf Essays

Boewulf The section entitled "Further Celebration at Heorot" opens after Boewulf has slain Grendel's mother. This becomes acceptable adult behavior when you realize that Grendel and his mother are both monsters from the same evil metal. Beowulf has returned to King Hrothgar's beautiful Heorot Hall to celebrate his victory over evil Grendel. Beowulf's boasts illuminate his heroic deeds. His crowing declares the mead hall now safe for all the thanes to drink in once again. Hrothgar, the honorable king of the Danes, is grateful for the monster's slaughter that Beowulf has done but is also reflective. Drawing on the experiences of a long life, he confides in Beowulf that he should not be quite so full of himself. He states: "Keep yourself against that wickedness, beloved Beowulf, best of men, and choose better-eternal gains. Have no care for pride, great warrior. Now for a time there is glory in your might: yet soon it shall be that sickness or sword will diminish your strength, or fire's fangs, or flood's surge, or sword's swing, or spear's flight, or appalling age; brightness of eyes will fail and glow dark; then it shall be that death will overcome you, warrior." Hrothgar is a wise and noble king. He is much older than Beowulf and sees much of his former self in the young warrior. Having lived and learned many lessons from the thousands of experiences that Beowulf has yet to face, with great affection for Hygelac's thane, Hrothgar tries to use his wisdom to help and Beowulf on the difficult road ahead. To illustrate his point, Hrothgar recounts the story of Heremod, a miserably notorious king, who stayed from the codes and procedures of that warrior caste. The evil one's main failure was a lack of respect for his people. As Hrothgar explains, "He grew great, not for their joy, but for their slaughter." Not only did Heremod fail to share a portion of the wealth and power that God has given him with his loyal retainers. he performed the most heinous of crimes, the killing of his own clansman. In the end, this king, having failed to live a just life, had few friends and died unhappy. Then his people, without longing for their departed king, advanced someone else to the office. Beowulf does not have any fear that Hrothgar's vision is in his future. He is confident of his amazing courage. His states, "Sometimes fate can save the undoomed man if his courage is good.