Beowulf and the Moral Dilemma Between Kingship and Heroism

Citation

Kulkarni, Shrishti Pankaj (2024) Beowulf and the Moral Dilemma Between Kingship and Heroism. Other, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/9g8e-vk35. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechThesis:07172024-183149322

Abstract

[Introduction] While Beowulf is largely a poem chronicling the exploits of the titular hero, one of the integral roles in Beowulf is that of the king. From the very exposition of the poem, the reader is introduced to the kings of the Danes and their respective lineages, implicitly highlighting the role of the kings in shaping the story. The poem describes a variety of kings, both “good” and ‘bad’, but what is especially interesting to note is the use of kings as both a complement and a contrast to heroes. The values and responsibilities of the king seem to differ vastly from that of a hero, with the exception of the titular character Beowulf himself. Despite ascending the throne and serving as a “good king” (2390) “for fifty years” (2733), Beowulf still seems to toe the line between serving as a king and serving as a hero, which makes him a prime candidate while analysing the moral code of kings and heroes in the poem Beowulf. This essay aims to explore how the expectations from kings and heroes contrast each other in Beowulf, and how Beowulf himself seems to be unwilling to transition between the two states.

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