How Does Beowulf Escape Fate

Beowulf is a warrior more by reputation than what he actually does throughout the duration of the text. Although he defeats Grendel fairly quickly after being introduced to us, and after that Grendel’s mother, fifty years pass without much detail of Beowulf’s triumphs.

Beowulf took it upon himself and accepted the task of killing Grendel “Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror/And quickly commanded a boat fitted out” (line 111-112). Beowulf heard how Grendel was killing kings Hrothgar men and knew no one could stop him but him and if he did he would be remember forever by them. Beowulf leaves his home to help people he does not even no “The young warrior Beowulf, a nobleman from the land of the Geats, travels to the kingdom of the Danes, where he saves the people of King Hrothgar by slaying the monster Grendel and his mother”. He comes to a land of sacred people and kills not just one beats but two he will forever be remember by them. Even after years Beowulf will still put his life on the line for the fame “In endless battles. I am old, now,/But I will Fight again, seek fame still/If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/to face me” (line 625-628).

Beowulf’s departure is the first part of his journey. He announces to everyone that he will take on the challenge of fighting Grendel and when he announced this no one tried to stop him. They all honored him for being the brave warrior that he is and accepting a challenge that many before him had turned down. Many hero’s throughout literature have supernatural aid and Beowulf’s aid is his natural strength. There is no other like him on the earth and this truly shapes him into the strong hero figure he is and gives him the confidence to take on great challenges.

Many translators of the poem have signaled the ”allusions to the power of fate” and its connection to Christianity (Klaeber, xlviii). The fact is that whether or not Beowulf saw a connection to the concept of fate and a divine power is something that we may never know.

Beowulf’s strength is beyond any of human comparison and has allowed him to accomplish tasks that would have obliterated lesser men and gain renown throughout the world. Beowulf’s boasts of his strength are not to be received as prideful or egotistical but rather as a true representation of his power as Beowulf always fulfils his boasts. When Beowulf pledges to vanquish Grendel, he does not take it lightly and tells Hrothgar and his wife, Wealhtheow, that “..I shall fulfil that purpose, prove myself with a proud victory or meet my death here in the mead-hall.”(636-638), showing that he is prepared to die, if needed, to defeat this hellish creature. Later that night, in his battle with Grendel, Beowulf showed his strength. “The Captain of evil discovered himself in a handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth… in all his days, he had never been clamped or cornered like this”(749-752,755-756). Beowulf’s strength surpassed that of even supernatural beings and allowed his to go on the offensive against a foe that had ravaged Heorot for years and thus allowed him to fulfill his boast. Beowulf power is brought out in his recitation of his deeds and again later actions against the mother of Grendel and a fire breathing dragon that threatens his home. In all of this fights, Beowulf is not seeking glory for himself, but

Beowulf was seen as a god amongst men during his time. This is a way we see a lot of heroes portrayed. Beowulf came in as a savior to Hrothgar and his people, as Beowulf fought and defeated Grendel and saved the people of the kingdom. Beowulf also defeated Grendel’s mother,

The concept of an epic hero ordains in most capacities to be born into their position, subsequently having to prove themselves worthy of said position, eventually excelling their birth circumstances and achieving greatness. This is true of most epic heroes, being either demigods, royalty, or both. Hercules is a demigod (explaining his astounding feats of strength and will), Aeneas is a demigod and of a royal bloodline, Odysseus is essentially blessed by the gods and king of Ithica. Those characters’ qualities of birth can be definitively classified as happenstantial luck. Yet, is it luck if one’s powers are inexplicably unique and inherent, not being bestowed? The most enigmatic, yet prominent epic hero who defies the trope of born luck seems to be the Anglo-Saxon character of Beowulf.

Beowulf is very loyal to his kingdom after Hrothgar’s death, after this Beowulf becomes king. Beowulf lied about killing Grendel’s mother in the beginning, he did this to ensure safety in his kingdom and for his wife. Beowulf showed great strength battling Grendel

In the Anglo-Saxon era, it is believed that fate, its powers, and the gloom which generally ensues with it, often decides the future of mankind. Fate always goes as it must, according to Beowulf, who resigns himself to a sure fate of death when he

Beowulf is a mighty hero. He has impacted people’s lives for the better. Beowulf hasfought for his country and for what he thinks is right. He crosses paths with the enemy to disableall the conflicts that they have with each other and the country that they live in. It resolves in adefeat between Beowulf and Grendel and it ends the misery and mixed conflicts between eachother with what they had.

Beowulf is a story of dual conflicts. Beowulf’s external conflicts of his physical battles in turn develop his internal conflicts of arrogance and pride. Although Beowulf overcomes many obstacles physically, his internal conflict of hubris leads to his eventual and unnecessary death. Beowulf is able to overcome Grendel not only physically, but also mentally through his pride. Beowulf counts himself “as dangerous any day as Grendel. /

Since Beowulf was the only one who able to beat Grendel and his mom in a fight, King Hrothgar’s people look at him as a hero.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Beowulf lacks the ability to delegate. When fighting both Grendel and his mother, Beowulf insists on fighting them alone and nearly pays for it with his life. Though it is said that “The grip of (Grendel’s) hand is said to have the strength of thirty men”, Beowulf doesn’t even think to overwhelm him with, say, forty. Though

Beowulf states: "Often, for undaunted courage, fate spare the man it has not already marked." This quote make

Fate intervenes, saves Beowulf's life, and helps him kill monsters many times. Beowulf believes fate saved him in his battle with the sea monsters saying “A monster seized me drew me swiftly towards the bottom... fate let me find its heart with my sword” (Beowulf 286). Since the monsters are evil and Beowulf is good, fate saved him and let him live on. Beowulf himself believes that it is fate that the monsters he kills die at his hands. “I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters... and killing them one by one, the death they have earned, the fate they had earned” (Beowulf 155). Since Beowulf is so successful as a warrior he believes he owes all his achievements to fate.