Heroic Code In Beowulf

As defined by the heroic code, a significant trait of an exceptional warrior is that of fearlessness and bravery in situations that require “courage and strength” (Stitt). In Anglo-Saxon culture “the warrior’s obligations to his king and to his kinsmen” are to protect the kingdom using any means necessary, even if it includes stepping into harm’s way. These “highly organized rules of conduct” are strongly encompassed by Beowulf throughout the poem (Lawrence 28). In all of his battles, Beowulf is not once reluctant to fight, despite the constant and impeding threat of death. Evidence to support this claim mainly stems from Beowulf’s encounter with Grendel’s mother. Prior to Beowulf departing to Grendel’s mother’s hideaway, the narrator states