Beowulf Question Assignment, Question Three

Samantha St. Claire

Prof. Flack

Eng 6

8 September 2012

The Master of Their Fate, the Captain of Their Souls

The characters in Beowulf applauded skilled warriors far more than cowards, but not necessarily because the skilled were more likely to succeed in battle. Unferth is portrayed as a girly-man, the opposite of Beowulf, not because he lost a battle but because “he was not man enough to face the turmoil of a fight under water and the risk to his life. So there he lost fame and repute” (1468-1471). They only seemed to care about courage, not necessarily winning. According to this quote, courage, actually stepping into the monster’s den was what made you a hero, a real man. Winning was ultimately up to the fates. Speaking of the chance that he might not survive his battle with the monster Grendel, Beowulf submitted himself to the fact that “fate goes ever as fate must” (455). Still, they believed that they could influence these fates: “Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked” (572-573). Beowulf affirmed this theory after his battle with the sea monsters when he said, “Pinioned fast and swathed in its grip, I was granted one final chance: my sword plunged and the ordeal was over. Through my own hands, the fury of battle had finished off the sea-beast” (557-558). Here he declared that even though he was graciously granted another chance at victory, his amazing strength was a major factor in his success.

The characters throughout Beowulf use the terms “fates” and “God” seemingly interchangeably and always insist that ultimately it is God who calls the shots. As Beowulf prepared to fight Grendel unarmed, he said, “And may the Divine Lord in His wisdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit” (685-687). He was confident in his strength, but realized that if God so chose for him to die, then die he would. We are reminded of this divine omnipotence after he won the battle against Grendel when the poet tells us that “Beowulf was granted the glory of winning” (817-818), as if victory was a gift from the Almighty rather than completely earned on his own strength. Even after Beowulf proved his worth a second time when he defeated the monster’s mother, he himself admitted that he wasn’t strong enough against her and surely would’ve died had God not interceded: “It was hard-fought, a desperate affair that could have gone badly; if God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal….But the Lord of Men allowed me to behold – for He often helps the unbefriended- an ancient sword,” (1656-1663) the weapon which ultimately decided the battle and saved his life. Beowulf was an honorable character who boasted of his great feats while confessing that he had limitations.