How Does Beowulf The First Time Comes Change
With Time Comes Change
“Now is the time when I would have wanted / to bestow this
armor on my own son, / had it been my fortune to have
fathered an heir / and live on in his flesh.” (2729-32)
In the beginning Beowulf is focused on one thing, the task of defeating the monster Grendel for the rewards of gold and glory. He achieves these things not only after killing the monster Grendel but its mother as well. When he returns home he is greeted with honor and respect from his people. Beowulf is then crowned King of the Geats and the people are blessed with fifty years of peace and harmony. Yet, as Beowulf got older his priorities had changed.
When he was young he found that the way to live eternally was to build honor and glory to his name through completing arduous tasks. This explains his travels to fight Grendel and unexpectedly its mother as well. Hrothgar had spoken to Beowulf saying that a warrior’s way was to “win glory before death” (1388). Fame and glory were the key to living on in the memories of others. This was a form of immortality to the Danes and Geats. Beowulf’s name is still spoken to this day; hundreds of years after the stories were first passing around the campfire from mouth to mouth. …show more content…
As a king the prospect of having an heir is usually very important. For Beowulf there is no evidence that in his fifty years of rule that he had taken a romantic interest in any woman. Therefore it is safe to say that he had
“Now is the time when I would have wanted / to bestow this
armor on my own son, / had it been my fortune to have
fathered an heir / and live on in his flesh.” (2729-32)
In the beginning Beowulf is focused on one thing, the task of defeating the monster Grendel for the rewards of gold and glory. He achieves these things not only after killing the monster Grendel but its mother as well. When he returns home he is greeted with honor and respect from his people. Beowulf is then crowned King of the Geats and the people are blessed with fifty years of peace and harmony. Yet, as Beowulf got older his priorities had changed.
When he was young he found that the way to live eternally was to build honor and glory to his name through completing arduous tasks. This explains his travels to fight Grendel and unexpectedly its mother as well. Hrothgar had spoken to Beowulf saying that a warrior’s way was to “win glory before death” (1388). Fame and glory were the key to living on in the memories of others. This was a form of immortality to the Danes and Geats. Beowulf’s name is still spoken to this day; hundreds of years after the stories were first passing around the campfire from mouth to mouth. …show more content…
As a king the prospect of having an heir is usually very important. For Beowulf there is no evidence that in his fifty years of rule that he had taken a romantic interest in any woman. Therefore it is safe to say that he had