Epic of Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

As the welcoming celebration for Beowulf goes on, Unferth begins to ridicule Beowulf about his swimming competition with Breca. Unferth is green-eyed and feels threatened by Beowulf for he would not allow that any another(prenominal) objet dart of middle-earth should ever achieve more glory under the sphere of influence than himself. (Norton p. 33) Unferth is a very peculiar character. Although he has committed the horrific shame of killing his brother(s), he is privileged enough to sit at the feet of the king, a very respected position. His sin,an enormous violation of the comitatus, suggests that there is something wrong in Hrothgars kingdom and perhaps helps to foreshadow its destruction. Ultimately, it will be destroyed, as the text says, by a fire afterward sword-hate between son-in-law and father-in-law to awaken after murderous rage. (Norton p. 28). Unferth tries to put Beowulf down by saying that Beowulf once risked his animateness for pride and foolish boast. He wi thal points out that Breca has beaten Beowulf in the swimming and that he therefore expects him to lose the fight with Grendel as well. Unferth is arrogant, offensive and the only one who challenges Beowulf. However, later when Beowulf fights with Grendels mother, Unferth lends him his sword. This can be light uponn as a noble gesture, and a redemption of Unferth for the way he has behaved. However, it can also provide further proof of Unferths incompetence as a warrior. Because he is scared to fight himself, he passes on his sword to Beowulf. Beowulf answers Unferths words of look up to with his side of the story. He says that Unferth is drunk and obviously knows nothing about the competition. Continuing, Beowulf explains that he won the contest despite the non-buoyant attack by sea-monsters. From this story, we see further proof of Beowulfs supernatural powers. The competition occurs during the winter in the halt water, yet Beowulf is able to swim for five nights armed with a heavy sword, in full armor and mail . When the battle is over, Beowulf finds himself on the down lying next to nine sea monsters that he killed with his sword and modestly attributes his victory to both courage and fate. His comment that, Fate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good (Norton p. 34) shows his belief that Fate will forever govern him and promote him as long as he is courageous.