Beowulf was known to be a strong warrior. He was very well known for his courage, his conquests, and his bravery. During that time, these qualities were revered in high regard. While there were many great warriors and many brave men, few of them had the same qualities Beowulf possessed. People knew of his conquests, as well as his defeats, and they still respected him as being someone of loyalty, bravery, and pride. He traveled all the way from his land to come and save Hrothgar’s kingdom from the beast, Grendel. The beast had already slaughtered many of Hrothgar’s men, and they were left powerless against him. When Beowulf arrived, with intentions to defeat him, he restored faith in the kingdom that they might finally be freed from the beast’s wrath. At that time, the young Beowulf did not have much to lose, and everything to gain: respect, admiration, loyalty, and virtue. King Hrothgar had to make sure his people and his kingdom were protected, and seeing as he was much older, he knew that he himself could not defeat Grendel. For that reason, he was relieved when Beowulf came forth with intentions of defeating him.
I definitely feel that Beowulf was a noble character. When Kings are appointed to a throne, they are usually appointed through lineage, and for that reason, some become obsessed with the notion of power. Beowulf truly did care for his people. Although he was seen as a great warrior, he did not let that perception taint his view on the task at hand. He did not let his successes get to his head. Hrothgar saw great potential in Beowulf as being a great ruler. Beowulf’s honor made him a great candidate as the next king, but his humility would not allow him to rightfully accept the throne before Hrothgar’s own son. While some others would have taken advantage of the opportunity to become the next king, Beowulf decided not to, and instead, decided to serve faithfully to Hrothgar’s son, Heardred. As a king as a ruler, Beowulf was compassionate and noble. Although kings were not supposed to partake in battle, Beowulf still made it clear that he could and would fight if necessary to show that he was still a great warrior and protector of his people. When he sets out in search for the dragon, Beowulf and his men are faced with the reality that they may not make it out alive, and all but one of his men run off. The only one who remains is Wiglaf. This display of bravery, courage, and loyalty prove to Beowulf that should anything happen to