Essay On Beowulf's Internal Consumption

Beowulf’s Internal Consumption Beowulf claims God like properties and traits classic of an epic hero, however alike may epic heroes Beowulf is limited by his morality and is subject to a tragic downfall. Beowulf is constantly caught up in efforts to rid the world from evil through his benevolent deeds to humanity. Though many may label Beowulf as a Utilitarian due to his great accomplishments in the name of God, his acts towards the betterment of humanity were by products if his own selfish quest to achieve greatness. Furthermore, Beowulf often lacks extremism and fails to anticipate the future choosing instead to finalize his own fate rather than endowing his people with substances truly beneficial to their survival. Although Beowulf constantly chose to fight monsters aiding his allies in the name of God, he only did so in the process of glorifying himself. Where a true Utilitarian would have taken such actions purely for the benefit of humanity, Beowulf’s journeys
Beowulf overestimated his warrior’s morals and fighting spirit as he showered them with gifts and made them more loyal to gold then to the battle and their nation. War loomed over the Geats as it had before Beowulf became King as “With Hygelac dead, [the queen] had no belief in her son’s ability to defend their homeland against foreign invaders.” (Anonymous 2370 – 2372). The Geats however became consumed with gold as Beowulf held a firm belief that Gold not Bravery were the true measures of The Geats great accomplishments leading up to Beowulf’s ultimate death which left his people vulnerable to warfare. “A Geat woman too sang out in grief … her nation invaded, enemies on the rampage, and bodies in piles, slavery and abasement.” (Anonymous 3150 –