AlexisPerez

April6th,2016
BeowulfFateCommentaryEssay
Fate,beyondanyonescontrol,yetdestinedtohappen.Beowulf,theoldestepic
AngloSaxonpoemofaGeatwarriorwhoenduresthreegreatbattleswithGrendel,hismother,
andthedragonisoneoftheoldestEnglishstoriesevertold.Throughoutthestory,Beowulf
representstheAngloSaxonvaluessuchashonoringtheherocodewhereheglorifiesbattleand
victoryyetbelievingGodwillalsoguidehimtogloryordeath.Therearetwodifferentreligious
beliefsthroughoutthestoryaswell,PaganandChristianity.Both,importanttothetextbecause
atthetimeAngloSaxonswereconvertingtheirbeliefstoChristianity.
Fate,hasastrongimportanceinthestoryofBeowulf.AngloSaxonsbelievedthatfate
wasinevitableanduseditasguidance.InthebeginningofthestoryBeowulfandhisfellowmen
embarktoaidakingnamedHrothgar,ruleroftheDanes.Hrothgar,anoldfriendofBeowulfs
fatherEcgtheow,waspleasantlysurprisedofhistravelsandacknowledgedBeowulfforcoming
toridHrothgarandhispeopleofGrendel.Grendel,whowagedwarontheDanesforthepast
twelveyears,ruledHrothgarsmeadhallnightlykillinganyofhismeninthevicinity.When
BeowulfcomestoofferhisheroicassistancetoHrothgar,hesays,Whicheveronedeathfells
mustdeemitajustjudgementbyGod.(Heaney31,440441).Hesays,ifhediesinhisbattle
withGrendelitiswhatwasmeanttobebyGod.EverythingisinGodshands.
AngloSaxonswerefearlessintheirbattlesmainlybecausetheybelievedahigher
powerwasincontrolofitall,Beowulfthinkslikethisaswell.Shownthroughoutthestory
BeowulfregardstoGodorahigherpowersayingthatitwillleadhimtohisoutcomes.Inthe
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BeowulfFateEssay

midstofbattlewithGrendelsmotherBeowulfsays,HolyGoddecidedthevictory.Itwaseasy
fortheLord,RulerofHeaven,toredressthebalanceonceBeowulfgotbackuponhisfeet.
(Heaney107,15531556).Atthismoment,BeowulfisliterallyinhisbattlewithGrendels
heartbrokenmotherwhowantsrevengeforhersonsdeath.Theweaponthatwasbestowedupon
himfromUnferthwasofnouse.So,heisfightingwithhisbarehandsatthismomenttheonly
thingthatsmiraculouslyhelpinghimlivewashisstronglinkedwargear.Then,literallyoutof
nowhere,hefindsaweaponthatshecoincidentallyhastherecraftedbygiantswhichhecould
usetokillher.So,hegrabstheswordandkillsher,eventhoughthesituationwentsouthatfirst
everythingchangedforthebetterattheend,representingfate.
Intheend,eventhoughBeowulfboastsabouthowhewasastrongwarrioryoungorold,
whichwastypicalofthosewhowereAngloSaxon,hestilldidacknowledgefateorGodbefore
hisbattles.Hisfinalbattlewiththedragonheknewhislifewasgoingtoend,anoldkinghewas.
However,heknewhewastheonlymanstrongenoughtodefeatthedragon.Fate,ultimately
catchesupwithhimintheend,denyinghimgloryinbattle.But,asanyAngloSaxonwarrior
BeowulffightsnotevenforebodinghisdeathleavingWiglafhisfinalorders.