The Characteristics Of Motivation For The Heros In Beowulf

Motivation is the driving force behind every great act that has ever been performed throughout the history of the world. Motivation can be found from a large variety of different sources depending on the individual. Great pieces of literature have always integrated motivational entities to assist the protagonist in completing his tasks throughout the text. Motivation for the heroes of these texts can come from a variety of different people and places. One of the most integral pieces of information needed in understanding the reasoning behind a hero 's actions is defining what it is that motivates them. This is an idea that can be traced back through centuries BCE. Beowulf was written circa 1000 AD by the Anglo-Saxon culture to help them define …show more content…
Beowulf sails from his homeland to Hrothgar’s kingdom in Denmark to save Hrothgar’s people from the monster Grendel. However, when Beowulf wins victory over Grendel, Grendel’s Dam is angered. Therefore, that night, Grendel’s Dam travels to Herot and kills Hrothgar’s dear friend, Aeschere. Hrothgar is immediately grief-stricken and does not know how to cope with the loss of Aeschere. Beowulf promises vengeance on Grendel’s Dam for the death of Aeschere. “Sorrow not, brave one! Better for man To avenge a friend than much to mourn. All men must die; let him who may Win glory ere death. That guerdon is best For the noble man when his name survives him. Then let us rise up, O ward of the realm, And haste us forth to behold the track Of Grendel 's dam”(Original text; Lines 896-903). Through this excerpt from the epic poem, Beowulf, it is clear that Beowulf’s motives for fighting Grendel’s Dam is to avenge the death of …show more content…
This portion of the text takes place fifty years after Beowulf’s conflict with Grendel and Grendel’s Dam. By this time, Beowulf is the king of Geatland and is a very respected ruler. However, a dragon now torments his kingdom because a Geat stole a piece of the dragon’s treasure and took it to Beowulf. Upon hearing the news of the horrors caused by the dragon, Beowulf states that he will fight the dragon in search of fame like he had in his youth. “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought 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”(pg 56 Lines 624-627). In this excerpt, Beowulf announces to his men that he will fight the dragon and seek fame like he had when he was younger, fifty years before. Through this, it is quite clear that Beowulf’s motives behind fighting the dragon fifty years after fighting Grendel and Grendel’s Dam is to seek fame as he had in his