How Beowulf’s Quest for fame and rewards conflict with Christian Ideals of Pride and Eternal Reward
The poem called Beowulf narrates of an epic hero who saves his people from monsters. Beowulf bears superficial powers that enable him to slay monsters and dragons when other warriors cannot. Throughout his conquests, Beowulf acknowledges God as the source of his strength and courage. Beowulf is similar to the Biblical Samson. In the Bible, Samson was endowed with superficial power that enabled him to protect Israelites from external enemies. Despite Beowulf acknowledging God for all his conquests, Beowulf bears heroic pride that highly contrasts with Christian values of humility and unselfishness. The strong sense of heroic pride in Beowulf conflicts with Christian ideals of pride and eternal reward.
Beowulf was born to deliver people from suffering in the hands of monsters. According to Heaney, “Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield, a cub in the yard, a comfort sent by God to that nation.” (3). Therefore, Beowulf’s destiny was to rescue and protect people. Similar to the Biblical Samson, Beowulf would be a hero and a shield that would protect people from enemies. “Shield was still thriving when his time came, and he crossed over into the Lord’s keeping. His warrior band did what he bade them” (Heaney 5). From his birth, Beowulf was chosen by God to be a heroic hero and a protector. Beowulf had not only great courage but also a good character. “Behaviour that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere” (Heaney 5). Therefore, Beowulf was Godly and spiritual. In his quest to fulfil his destiny, Beowulf maintained a righteous character.
According to Christianity, all earthly gifts come from God. Therefore, all wealth and worldly possessions acquired through God should be shared unselfishly. When Beowulf began gaining material wealth, he wandered off from his previous righteous path. Blinded with fame and wealth, Beowulf is a man who boasts, yet he maintains his wisdom and humility. Ideally, humility and pride cannot exist together. Thus, Beowulf gradually rids his character of humility as his fame and wealth continue to grow. “There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born and powerful” (Heaney 15). From the description, it is evident that Beowulf was famous throughout the land. When Beowulf travels to Heorot Hall, he boats to the guards, “I can show the wise Hrothgar a way to defeat his enemy and find respite— if any respite is to reach him, ever. I can calm the turmoil and terror in his mind. Otherwise, he must endure woes and live with grief for as long as his hall stands at the horizon, on its high ground” (Heaney 21). Therefore Beowulf portrays his pride when he says that the King can either accept his help or continue to suffer in the hands of the demon. When Beowulf presents himself to the King, he says, “So every elder and experienced councilman among my people supported my resolve to come here to you, King Hrothgar, because all knew of my awesome strength. They had seen me bolstered in the blood of enemies when I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea slaughtered sea-brutes. I have suffered extremes and avenged the Geats (their enemies brought it upon themselves, I devastated them). Now I mean to be a match for Grendel” (Heaney 29). It is evident that although Beowulf refers to God as the source of his might, he is boastful and prides himself in previous conquests.
Hrothgar warns Beowulf of the seductive dangers of success. Before Beowulf defeats the demon Grendel, he boasts of how he would slay the beast. Beowulf says to the people, “I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches. And, I shall fulfil that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall” (Heaney 43). After Beowulf defeats the demon, he boasts of his strength, “The Geat captain had boldly fulfilled his boast to the Danes: he had healed and relieved huge distress, unremitting humiliations, the hard fate they’d been forced to undergo, no small affliction” (Heaney 55). Also, Hrothgar advises Beowulf to remain humble and avoid the seductive dangers of success. “O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Beowulf is exhorted Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, be mindful of the fragility of life eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief, while your strength is in bloom, but it fades quickly, and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away” (Heaney 121). Hrothgar is well aware of heroic pride and warns Beowulf not to go astray. Evident from the boastings and pride of Beowulf, it is evident that pride corrupted his spirituality as he strived to achieve fame.
In conclusion, Christians pride themselves in eternal reward from God. In Christianity, all earthly possessions shall be left on earth as Christians will receive eternal life from God. In the case of Beowulf, he was conflicted between the belief of an eternal reward and his quest for fame. Although Beowulf was spiritual and attributed all his conquests to God, he got carried away by fame. Therefore, the strong sense of heroic pride in Beowulf finally conflicted with Christian his ideals of pride and eternal reward.
Work Cited
Heaney, Seamus. “trans. Beowulf.” Beowulf: A Verse Translation (2000).