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Warnkeke English 12 17 September 2013 Reputational Value Is an individuals success determined by his or her reputation in society? A reputation that holds value in society possesses a great potential; the ability to instill honor or cause great destruction upon the individuals social standing. As Beowulf demonstrates, a characters reputation tends to plow a predetermined path of fate through a story regardless of the positive or negative aspects. A good reputation works synonymously with gaining trust, power, and cooperation; however, an individual who is known by her or his negative reputation faces many challenges and often finds it difficult to rise above societys negative expectations. Beowulfs heroic status is reflective of his constant struggle to maintain and raise his positive reputation. After reviewing Beowulfs reputation, Hrothgar has faith in Beowulfs talent and intentions in slaying Grendel. The challenge of killing Grendel becomes a mutually beneficial relationship between Beowulf and all the citizens of Herot. As Grendels fearsome reign over Hrothgar and his people ceases with his death, Beowulf gains a reward that is more valuable than any treasure or worldly gift: the recognition that conquering Grendel will bestow upon him and the honor that will forever embellish his name. Beowulfs confidence in assuring the Danes that Hrothgar can hunt here in [his] heart, for some way to drive this devil out

Blazing 2 earns the blessing of Hrothgar and the hope of the people of Herot (Beowulf 278-79). Opposing Beowulfs pure and good nature is Grendel, a monster who made his home in a hell not hell but earth and who is from a brood forever opposing the Lords will (103-104, 113-114). Grendels ancestry of Cain and Abel associates him with darkness, his evil nature is upheld as he terrorizes and kills many innocent victims. Grendels destructive behavior causes his bad reputation to grow until it eventually reaches Beowulf. He accepts Grendel as his challenge, knowing it is an opportunity to gain more power and even higher recognition. In order to defeat Grendel, Beowulf must surpass many obstacles that lie in his path to success. By accepting the challenge to kill Grendel, he demonstrates his worthiness of trust and honor. Within this challenge, Beowulf believes that he will succumb to his fate eventually. He readily accepts that he may die while fighting Grendel but he believes that it is his moral responsibility to fight the monster as he may be the only one who has enough inhuman strength to succeed at the task. However, Beowulf realizes that his reputation is on the line. If he backs down and refuses to try to save the people of Herot, his reputation will become so badly wounded that it would be virtually unable to be healed. As the hero Beowulf relates his belief in fate as a method to keep himself humble in nature, his humbleness also serves as a positive boost to his reputation. Serving as an example of prides destructiveness is Siegmund, a past hero with a previously outstanding reputation, whose tongue unwound the wonders he had worked (881-82). Beowulf must also battle his pride and keep it from ruining his image. Consequently, he must prove himself worthy of honor by succeeding in killing Grendel or risking his good name if death doesnt reach him first.

Blazing 3 While a persons reputation may result in mistrust or complete confidence, there is a limit to a humans capabilities. It is arguable that Beowulf possesses some inhuman characteristics that shape him into the hero that Beowulf presents him as being. With him being human though, he does possess limits that even he cannot overcome. For example, after he leaves to fight Grendels mother, the soldiers who are accompanying him begin to doubt his ability to escape death. After an amount of time passes the Danes gave up, left the lake and went home, Hrothgar with them not having confidence that Beowulf would be returning alive (1601-02). Despite all that Beowulf had proven in killing Grendel, in order to maintain his reputation he is constantly struggling to accomplish a bigger and bolder feat. Killing Grendels mother becomes his next conquest, but Beowulf still feels as though he needs to prove himself worthy of being recognized for killing Grendel. Although he has already killed him, Beowulf feels as though his duty is unfinished and so he finds Grendels body and brings back its head Upon his return, Beowulf is covered with glory for the daring battles he had fought; he sought Hrothgar to salute him and show Grendels head to ensure that his reputation of be ing a persistent, successful warrior is remembered and spread throughout the lands (1644-46). Society places a large, often unreasonable amount of pressure upon todays people to be successful. The standards to be successful and maintain an excellent reputation follow each other in a cyclical pattern. As Beowulf demonstrates, in order to be successful a person must have an outstanding reputation; but in order to have an outstanding reputation a person must also be successful in the beginning. The desire and struggle for success to meet the high standards often creates a continually repeating pattern that is inescapable without losing both reputation and success. As this cycle entraps Beowulf it becomes apparent that he is unable to

Blazing 4 escape until he eventually meets his demise while still struggling to achieve both. The characters within Beowulf demonstrate the difficulty for a person to define themselves individually when society is so intent upon an individuals reputation being directly relatable to their societal standing.

Blazing 5 Work Cited Beowulf. Trans. Burton Raffel. New York: New American Library, 1999. Print.