Beowulf - Changes In People :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

The tale of Beowulf is one of unremitting transformation. Great warriors and leaders are dark into cowering peons. Faithful Christians convert to devil worship. Devout followers flee at the sight of trouble. M any peoples morals permute apace and drastically at the sight of reposition. Personal turmoil abounds with changing value brought about by changing times. People can remain suffice as long as nothing challenges them, however at the upright sight of change personal chaos abounds.One case of how change causes people to forsake their values happens when Grendal makes his first appearance at Herot. past Hrothgar, taking the throne, led/ The Danes to such glory that comrades and kins workforce/ Swore by his sword, and young men swelled. (64-67) Hrothgar was a mighty leader of the Danes, but at the sight of a different foe, a change, Hrothgar turned tail and ran. He did not at one time try to face Grendal (although his attempt would have been insignificant), but would rathe r permit his people live in terror. The Hrothgar describe before the arrival of Grendal was a completely different person, mentally, than the Hrothgar that was terrorized by the monster. He knew only one role of enemy, humans, and once that changed he lost all his leadership power. A adjust man of values would have kept them no matter what change takes place. Fate does not play a role in Hrothgars actions. He is caught up in pride about all his achievements that makes him open to being caught by change. He becomes too comfortable in his topographic point that he narrows his comfort zone to such a level that any amount of change will throw his off tremendously. Everything that happens is by his let doings.Hrothgar is a perfect example of how people cannot mentally fight evil. Without the constant attack of evil, one will not be able to lot with it when it comes up. Beowulf is constantly battling evil, which makes him more able to battle it when it is encountered. Hrothgar was not exposed to evil, so when it reared its ugly head his only reaction was to flee. If someone lives in a perfect society and leaves, they will not be able to spot with the evil they find because they have never had to deal with it before. Good cannot beleaguer evil if it has never known evil.The only way to resolve Hrothgars situation is to bring in someone who has known evil and face it well, is not prideful, and can adapt to change well.