What’s your motivation? (Analysis of Beowulf’s motivations) Beowulf is a hero that comes from the land of the Geats and travels to Danes to help the people in need. Beowulf hears that there is monster, Grendel, who is terrorizing the land and killing several warriors in the middle of the night. Beowulf shows how strong a person can be and the difference they can make to others. There are three motivations, duty, glory, and sacrifice that Beowulf has throughout the poem Beowulf. The first motivation that Beowulf shows while battling in Beowulf, is his duty. Duty is defined as a moral or legal obligation. Arriving at the land of Danes, Beowulf talks to the King Hrothgar and informs him that he was there on behalf of his people. “Now Grendel’s …show more content…
Beowulf sacrificed himself to save a town from a dragon that was burning the town down. “Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong, and with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast, strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under the rocky cliffs: no coward's could have walked there!” (Lines 650-653). These lines show how brave and proud he was to sacrifice himself. Knowing that he may not come out of this one alive, he did what needed to be done. A brave ruler sacrifices themselves to keep the people safe and that’s what Beowulf was all about. He was a great ruler for fifty years and was forever honored after his passing. Beowulf shows us the difference between wanting to be known and making sure that you are. You have to go out and make a name for yourself or you will forever be forgotten. His motivations, duty, glory, and sacrifice show us that we can get past anything “evil” thrown our way. Beowulf shows that everyone needs help in hard times and it’s okay to ask. He defeats three major evils, physical evil, moral evil and the worst, metaphysical evil. He didn’t do it alone either, he had help. And he took pride in himself whether he defeated the monsters on his own or