Beowulf

He killed three monsters and then he died. Not a very interesting fate, but it is none the less one that I find myself having to write about regardless of whether or not I want to. Thus it was, the mighty Beowulf of old England that went forth to slay the evils which plagued the lands of his own people as well as those of his neighboring tribes. The second battle was one that was brought about by Beowulf's willingness to go and help an old friend, and thus he nearly lost his life once more. For those not acquainted with the story of Beowulf, he was said to be the strongest man ever to live, and given this he was fated according to their beliefs to accomplish certain things in his life. Some of these things being to be slaying of great monsters and winning of great wars. And thus that is what he did as he progressed through life. The epic is rather brief in terms of what an epic normally is, but, in this time he manages to travel to a distant land, and slay a monster that has taken over that land, and then after that feat he of course makes that monsters mother mad, you know you can do something to someone without making dear old mom mad. So, then Beowulf must kill the mother and then after they are both sent into hell, the land is free of tyranny and injustice Beowulf returns home a hero. After fifty winters of rule by Beowulf, a dragon attacks his people because of what was done by a thief, so Beowulf knowing in his old age that he would probably not survive this battle to slay the dragon, goes into battle anyway and slays the dragon and he himself is then slain, by injuries sustained by this fight. My focus is fate, and how no matter how Beowulf decided to do it he would eventually die for his people.

Those of the age of Beowulf, were strong believers in fate and destiny. Everyone was born with a fate already assigned to them by the gods. And this was the case with Beowulf. "One of Hygelac's thanes, Beowulf by name, renowned among the Geats for his great bravery, heard in his own country of Grendal's crimes; he was the strongest man alive, princely and powerful. He gave orders that a good ship should be prepared, said he would sail over the sea to assist the famous leader, the warrior king (Hrothgar) since he needed hardy men." (Crossley, Beowulf). Beowulf would set sail for Hrothgar's kingdom and would receive a noble greeting and Beowulf would go forth and carry out his plan to destroy the mighty Grendal and allow Hrothgar to reassume his rightful place of rule. Beowulf fought Grendal without weapon and delivered a fatal injury with the removal of his arm. Upon this injury Grendal returned to his lair where he would die and be welcomed into the depths of Hell. The accomplishment of this great dead by Beowulf allowed him the reputation of a hero, but this establishment would not become complete until he had beaten the great Grendal's Mother. Which without going into great detail he did accomplish and was then thanked once more by Hrothgar, and even offered the mighty king's kingdom. All of this is simply a testament to the alleged fate of Beowulf, personally I like to think that I can control my own life, even though I might have a distinct purpose, I do believe it is my responsibility to determine and then carry out that purpose.

Upon his return home Beowulf is given a hero's welcome and celebrations run rampant. This is nothing to say the least of what would come later. Through a process of elimination, Beowulf would inherit the thrown of the Geat kingdom. After a ruling of fifty winters he would face what would be his final battle, with a creature whose importance on the epic is unending was given a name only as meager as the "dragon". It was this dragon that Beowulf would yield his life too, and it would be the end of Beowulf's