Qualities Of Leadership In Beowulf

“Beowulf” is an epic poem that contains monsters, bravery, and sacrifice during the Anglo-Saxon Period. Some people say that Beowulf is a great epic that everyone should read at least once in their life. But others despise the poem thinking that it is very boring.

Beowulf’s first demonstration as a leader, comes from him being a protector of his people. Hrothgar quotes this in his sermon as he quotes Beowulf as,”a protector of his people.” (McArthur). He describes Beowulf as a protector because he came to the village to fight off the monster that is Grendel (McArthur). Because of this action, the people of the village now place their trust in Beowulf, which is a common idea in the relationship between people and their leaders. Beowulf can excel at leading the village because everyone in the village thinks that he could do no wrong. Trust is a very essential skill in becoming a reliable leader. Hrothgar exclaims the importance of this by saying,”…and forts to command in his own country…” (McArthur). This means that Beowulf will look out for his people by commanding his country.

Beowulf is a model of leadership for our own times because he is very courageous and his strength is super human like. His skills and traits would not be good in our times though because a leader of a nation in our time doesn’t need to be very courageous and very strong to fight off people or go to war.

Beowulf is a very brave and noble prince. He proves this statement in the way he humbly boasts about his ability to complete quests, fighting monstrous creates continuously, and going into each battle or challenge by his lonesome. “Hail! King Hrothgar! I am Hygelac’s thane, Hygelac’s kinsman. Many a deed Of honor and daring I’ve done in my youth… The best of my people, prudent and brave, Urged

A great leader is able to recognize his limitations and how to overcome them. In the case of Beowulf, King Hrothgar foreshadows what is to come for Beowulf if he continues down the same path a previous king had gone. In his sermon, Hrothgar informs Beowulf of Heremod, a “pariah king who cut himself off from his own kind” (McArthur). Hrothgar says that God “allows the mind of a man of distinguished birth to follow its bent,” and because of this, cruel and greedy Heremod “forgets that it will ever end for him,” and “he ignores the shape of things to come” (McArthur). Warning Beowulf not to become like Heremod, Hrothgar advises him to “not give way to pride,” and that “for a brief while your strength is in bloom

Beowulf’s most seen quality in this epic is his confidence. The scene that most directly shows his confidence is his famous boast. “So, every elder and experienced councilman/ among my people supported my resolve/ to come here to you, King Hrothgar, / because all knew of my awesome strength. / They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies/ when I battled and bound five beasts, / raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea/ slaughtered sea-brutes…” (Heaney lines 415-422). Beowulf’s boast is said publically, which shows an inspirational sense of confidence to defeat Grendel. The boast also demonstrates Beowulf’s courage and brave characteristics that makes him appear very heroic. Furthermore, Beowulf’s promise to kill Grendel to the Danes is a confident and risky thing to do, but Beowulf is able to pull it off. In Forbes article, it states that good leaders need to “deliver on [their] promises. Which our hero does that very night, killing the beast by ripping him apart ‘The monster’s whole/ body was in pain, a tremendous wound/ appeared on his shoulder’” (Forbes).

Leaders now and leaders way back in the day are they all corrupt. How are they viewed now and how are they viewed during the time of beowulf. People may view a leader different during the time of beowulf rather than a leader in today's time. Some people may think that all leaders are corrupt and some may think that only certain leaders are corrupt. The portrayal of Hrothgar during beowulf's time from the canots and how we today criticize leaders from the films and today. Hrothgar is a very respected leader in Beowulf he leads with confidence and takes care of his people. Hrothgar builds a mead-hall for his people to have a good time and drink ale. The people of Hrothgar's kingdom look at him as a respected leader because treats his people well.

A huge part of being a charismatic leader is contributing acknowledgement to who ever deserves it. Also to not subsidize all pride to him self, but Beowulf was not that kind. In the story Beowulf states, “No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster. No one could try. And this dragon's treasure, his gold and everything hidden in that tower, will be mine or war will sweep me to a bitter death!” pg. 63”. This quote illustrates Beowulf desires all the glory to him self and he contemplates that no one else

     Beowulf displays the qualities of a good leader that were mentioned in the speech given by Hrothgar. The speech speaking of the vices and virtues of great political leaders contains many of the same qualities that Beowulf embodies. His boastfulness, generosity and kindness are evidence that he is a good leader and provides for his people. Although the qualities he posses may not be the best-fit qualities of a common man, they are admirable qualities of a strong leader.

Beowulf is a story that has been told over thousands of years. Beowulf is the story of one of the greatest warriors known to man. Even the man who claims to be the best of them all has a weakness and has faced temptations. Beowulf's inability to control his lust for women, power, and pride is what continues the deconstruction of the kingdom. The curse continues to rampage through the village of the Danes due to man’s weakness.

In any culture there is some type of leadership. Whether it is a group or a single person, all leadership has certain qualities that are admired. Qualities that have been established through cultural core values over centuries of time. There are certain qualities that overlap in many cultures. This is also true in Anglo-Saxon writings and stories, like Beowulf.

In the era of my rule, a king was not someone who simply delivered orders to his “men” while he sat on his throne awaiting confirmation of a victory. Men admired their leader for: outstanding courage, selflessness to his tribe, personal valor, and ability to survive despite the toughest opposition. Heroism and leadership are characteristics that brought my fellow men to abide by my side despite the situation, which in response led me to become such an aspiring leader, and in the end a hero – the demonstration to attain glory through brawls. Traditions, natural laws, and religion are descriptions of my heroism and leadership.

Beowulf’s qualities as a leader and a king were admired through all Anglo Saxon period. Beowulf descendent of the geats a noble strong legion. Beowulf’s father an over thrown king, Beowulf became anxious when wanting his own kingdom. So, he began a journey to gain respect and be noticed and later on became a king. Many believe that Beowulf was a descendent of a god mainly because of his strength.

Beowulf is an epic story that relates well to the time that it was introduced by having the stories of the epic battles and the defeats of the treacherous monsters that kept everyone entertained during this era. Not only does Beowulf represent the era well, but it also has very interesting characters, themes and symbols that help teach us lessons that are very much so needed in today's society.

Beowulf is one of the most important pieces of English literature. The epic poem is said to be a great representation of the Anglo-Saxon era. Written by an anonymous monk between 800 and 1000 A.D., Beowulf displays Anglo-Saxon practices, beliefs, values, and religion. Beowulf is not only a fascinating story, but also a primary source for the time period. Serving as a primary source document, scholars can have a deep understanding of the Anglo-Saxon culture. They can learn about the Old English language, their customs and beliefs, and what they valued. This is why Beowulf is one of the most important pieces of English literature.