Young Writers Society

HROTHGAR’S WARNINGS
Hrothgar’s admonitions were scattered throughout the book, because he wanted to warn Beowulf against pride. Hrothgar loved Beowulf as a son and didn’t want him being a prideful king. He told stories of past kings to emphasize the sin of pride. One story was of Finn and Hnaf’s people. Finn was a prideful, greedy king. He killed Hnaf and many of his people. Finn was clever as well. He offered words of peace instead of more war and a shared crown. Hnaf’s people were too weak to keep fighting so they agreed. Finn took them back to his kingdom across the sea. Soon Hengest, Hnaf’s follower and next in line for the throne, killed Finn and his followers. Hnaf’s people took back their treasures and Finn’s wife, who was willing to go, back home. Another story was of Hermod. Many messages were hidden in this story of Hrothgar’s.
“Be not as Hermod once was to my people, too proud to care what their hearts hid, bringing them only destruction and slaughter. In his mad rages he killed them himself, comrades, and followers who ate at his table. At the end he was alone, knew none of the joys of life with other men, a famous ruler granted greater strength than anyone alive in his day but dark and bloodthirsty in spirit. He shared out no treasure, showed his soldiers no road to riches and fame. And then that affliction on his people’s face suffered horribly for his sins.”
The story of Hermod explains that pride can’t coexist with love, care or humility. You can’t be a prideful king and have the favor of your kingdom at the same time. After his story he gives a warning to Beowulf.
“Be taught by his lesson, learn what a king must be: I tell you this tale as old as I am only for you. Our eternal Lord grants some men wisdom, some wealth, makes others great. The world is God’s, He allows a man to grow famous and his family rich, gives him lands and towns to rule and delight in, let’s his kingdom reach as far as the world runs - and who in human unwisdom in the middle of such power, remember that it all will end and too soon? Prosperity, prosperity, prosperity: nothing troubles him, no sickness, not passing time, no sorrows, no sudden war breaking out of nowhere, but all the world turns when he spins it. How can he know when he sins?
“And pride grows in his heart, planted quietly but flourishing. And while the keeper of his soul sleeps on, while conscience rests and the world turns faster a murderer creeps closer, comes carrying a tight-strung bow with terrible arrows. And those sharp points strike home, are shot in his breast, under his helmet. He’s helpless.
“And so the Devil’s dark urging wound him, for he can’t remember how he clung to the rotting wealth of this world…”
…
“Guard against such wickedness, beloved Beowulf, best of warriors, and choose, instead, eternal happiness. Push away pride! Your strength, your power, are yours for how many years? Soon you’ll return them where they came from, sickness or sword’s edge, will end them, or a grasping fire, or the flight of a spear, or surging waves, or a knife’s bite, or the terror of old age, or your eyes darkening over. It will come, death comes faster than you think. No one can flee it.”

This warning had many points to make. First of all, If a man is blessed with power, wealth, wisdom or fame pride will flourish and he will be come greedy, proud, and sometimes even cruel. When death comes then your riches become less important.
Then Hrothgar tells Beowulf not to become that kind of man and instead have happiness in humility and not be proud. He explains that Beowulf might not have his strength, power, or fame for very long because death could come to claim him.
Beowulf takes these warnings to heart because he loves Hrothgar a bit as a father figure and knows that Hrothgar loves him as a son and he does not want to fail him. Beowulf also knows that pride only leads to destruction. He knew that to be a respectable king he must be humble. In all the stories that Hrothgar told the prideful king died and Beowulf understood that it was to emphasize the great sin of pride. He new that he needed to be humble and disregard pride.
When Beowulf gave Higd and Higlac the gifts and it’s heritage from Hrothgar, he showed his humility. If he had pride, he would have kept the gifts for himself and through not doing this he received a gift of lands and a very powerful sword. He also realized that he never got victory when he was being prideful. While battling Grendel’s mother he was thinking only about fame until his weapons rendered useless, then he thought about God’s will and finally saw the giants sword which he used to kill Grendel’s mother. By not being full of pride he was able to get victory. He also made sure that his band of Geats were acknowledged in the defeat of Grendel and were rewarded. He also told Hrothgar that God would determine his fate and that he would kill Grendel bear handed. Beowulf acknowledged that God was in complete control of his life, showing humility.
Beowulf took Hrothgar’s admonitions to heart and obeyed him.