Ambition In Beowulf

Controlled Explosion:
An Essay on the Motivations of Beowulf The Norse tribes were some of the most ferocious warriors the world has seen. These tribes of people focused mainly on war, and were known for their great strength and fearlessness. As these people began to move away from their nomadic lives, they began to settle down and tell stories of the past. Beowulf is perhaps the most popular of these legends. In Beowulf, the main character Beowulf is a fierce soldier, who kills monsters with his bare hands. What exactly motivates Beowulf and gives him the perseverance and strength to overcome these horrific foes? Beowulf is motivated by his duty, heroism, and his overwhelming obsession with leaving a legacy behind for his people to tell. To begin, Beowulf is motivated by his duty to succeed as a soldier. Beowulf is motivated predominately by his duty, and that duty was bestowed upon him by his respect for Hrothgar. “Hail, Hrothgar! Higlac is my cousin and my king,” – 237-238. Beowulf shows great reverence when referring to, Hrothgar, the king of the Danes. Beowulf shows this respect by showing Hrothgar’s soldiers how to properly greet their king, and describes the conference between them as a family like matter. Beowulf’s duty is portrayed by …show more content…
It truly is no dreadful surprise that Beowulf is in it for the respect of his people. "Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked." – 572-573. Beowulf is in this for his people, and the passion for his success is led by these beliefs. Beowulf states in the quote that if fate has yet to make up its mind, then it is up to one to act courageous and heroic in attempts to write one’s own fate. Beowulf aims to leave a good impression on his people as the courageous and heroic man that he believes he has created. His motivation is gained strongly by what the Geats think of