Hrothgar's Loyalty In Beowulf

Beowulf says this dense speech of the heroic code after Grendel’s mother kills Aeschere, Hrothgar’s trusted advisor. Although Hrothgar’s grief seems somewhat reasonable, in light of the principle of loyalty that operates in this culture, Beowulf speaks of it as an “indulgence”—an wrong and useless way of answering back to the death of a fellow comrade. Beowulf’s reminder to Hrothgar that revenge is the real warrior’s response and the truest sign of love and loyalty reflects an important price of warrior culture, namely an aggressive method to life.
Part of this approach involves the understanding that only reputation will extend a warrior’s existence after death. Beowulf, for example, identifies life as a race to glory. This speech summarizes