Why Is Beowulfs Quest For Glory Against Society's Greater Good

Set in sixth century Northern Europe, the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf recounts the exploits of a strong and skillful warrior and his heroic quest for greatness. Spanning over fifty decades, Beowulf, a loyal thane and eventual Geatish king, bravely defeats two man-eating monsters and a fire-breathing dragon to secure legendary eminence. By chronicling the glory-seeking adventures of the ode’s protagonist, the poet effectively juxtaposes Beowulf’s prideful thirst for glory against society’s greater good.
As a first example, the poet illustrates Beowulf’s candid arrogance and pursuit of notoriety as he confidently predicts in grand fashion, a swift and victorious battle with Grendel. Bragging how a warrior of his superior expertise would effortlessly

Before engaging the ferocious and scaly creature, the valiant hero proclaims, “ ‘When he comes to me / I mean to stand, not run from his shooting / Flames, stand till fate decides / Which of us wins. My heart is firm, / My hands calm: I need no hot / Words’ ” (Beowulf 2524-2529). Though calmer and more mature, Beowulf, now an aged king, opts once again to inhabit the role of fierce warrior, placing his need for personal triumph and acclaim over the future of his kingdom. To further illustrate, essayist Lyerley depicts Beowulf as “a man of magnificence, whose understandable, almost inevitable pride commits him to individual, heroic action and leads to a national calamity by leaving his race without mature leadership at a time of extreme crisis, facing human enemies much more destructive than the dragon” (Layerle 62). In deciding to risk his life in such dramatic fashion, Beowulf proceeds with his own agenda without considering how a dire outcome may influence the fate of his empire. Undoubtedly, by focusing his efforts to bolster his reputation as a fearless warrior instead of acting as a responsible king, the protagonist places his interests ahead of the common

Fulfilling the fallen king’s last dying wish, the Geats erect an extravagant tower overlooking the sea, “Strong and tall, so sailors / [Can] find it from far and wide . . . / Seal[ing] his ashes in walls as straight / And high as wise and willing hands could raise them . . . . / The treasures they'd taken were left there, too . . . / Ground, back in the earth, again / And forever hidden and useless to men” (Beowulf 3159-3168). No doubt, Beowulf demonstrates a blatant disregard for his people by requesting a lavish memorial built in his honor as well as forever entombing his priceless treasure alongside his ashes sealed in the tower. A bounty that could have been bequeathed to benefit his kingdom and people, left to turn into dust and rubble. Certainly, as Leyerle proposes, “Beowulf is a figure of grandeur, admirable in much. The trouble was. . . for men who had been accustomed to conduct suitable to an individual hero, could not adjust to the rather different conduct suitable to a king. . . . The end of the Geats was not accidental” (Leyerle 61). At the expense of his kingdom, Beowulf continues to prioritize his own desires, unable to reconcile his nature as a warrior with his role as king. Once again choosing to selfishly fortify his own legacy, the king